The Colorado football program endured a rollercoaster of a season last fall. They won three games in a row to open the season, including a clutch 45-42 road victory over a then-ranked TCU Horned Frogs squad. Colorado then went 1-2 to open Pac-12 play, losing against top-ranked USC and Oregon before besting Arizona State on the road. However, under the tutelage of first-year head coach Deion Sanders, the Buffaloes lost their final six games, finishing 4-8 and failing to qualify for bowl eligibility. Nevertheless, one consistent for most of the season remained quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders, the son of coach Prime and a transfer from Jackson State, left a significant mark on the season. He finished as one of the nation’s top passers, throwing for an impressive 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns, with a mere three interceptions. These numbers led to an incredible 151.7 rating, one of the best in the FBS last year. Heading into next season, it’s clear that Sanders is one of the top quarterbacks in the country. However, despite his stellar performance, one national college football columnist believes that Sanders’ play, and that of Colorado, falls short of making him a Heisman candidate.
Shedeur Sanders: Outside Top 10 Heisman Trophy Candidates
On Friday, Jesse Simonton, a national college football columnist for On3 Sports, released his top ten Heisman Trophy contenders for the 2024 season. Simonton’s list is quarterback exclusive, and rightfully so, with just four non-signal-callers winning the award since 2000. Among Simonton’s candidates are the obvious, including Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, and Georgia’s Carson Beck. The list also contains soon-to-be first-year starter Nico Iamaleava of Tennessee and rising star Noah Fifita of Arizona. Notably absent, however, is Colorado football gunslinger Shedeur Sanders.
Top 10 College Football Heisman Trophy Contenders per @JesseReSimonton🏆
Do you agree? 🤔https://t.co/JH4IRrdLk0 pic.twitter.com/ZbiSFFUh2H
— On3 (@On3sports) June 21, 2024
Across three college seasons, Shedeur Sanders has thrown for a sparkling 97 touchdowns against 17 interceptions. He has also added 13 scores via the ground. In his first year with Colorado football last year, the Jackson State transfer completed nearly 70% of his passes for 27 touchdowns and three picks, suitable for a nine to one TD to INT ratio. However, the Heisman Trophy Award is synonymous with a winning team, something Colorado did not do last season. For the uber-efficient Sanders to earn Heisman consideration, he must post similar numbers to last year’s while seeing a massive increase in the win column.
Colorado Football: Heading to Big 12 Next Fall
After 13 seasons in the Pac-12, the Colorado football program will return to the Big 12, their home from 1948 to 2010. Colorado is fresh off a four-win campaign, a substantial increase from their 1-11 season in 2022. Coach Deion Sanders again used the transfer portal to restock his roster, the same tactic he used to field a team last season, his first with the Buffaloes. According to 247Sports, Colorado inked 42 transfers this offseason. Additionally, Ourlads has Colorado starting 11 transfers next fall, excluding five-star mega prospect and offensive tackle Jordan Seaton.
Colorado opens next season with a difficult home matchup against FCS powerhouse North Dakota State before traveling to Nebraska to face a surging Cornhuskers squad. They will then face rival Colorado State on the road before heading home to face the Baylor Bears. Colorado will also face Arizona, Texas Tech, and Kansas on the road. However, one of their most challenging games comes in late November against a tough Utah team in Boulder.
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