Is there a scenario where the Colorado Buffaloes can go from worst to first in the Pac-12 under first-year head coach Dion Sanders? The buzz has never been higher surrounding the Buffaloes this year after Colorado walked into Amon G. Carter Stadium over the weekend and took down the then #17 ranked TCU Horned Frogs 45-42. Highlighting the win was the exceptional performances from quarterback Shedeur Sanders and the Shohei Ohtani of football, Travis Hunter.
Sanders, who tossed 70 touchdowns against 14 picks as a two-year starter at Jackson State, went bonkers, finishing the contest 38-of-47 for 510 yards and four scores. Shockingly, two-way sensation Travis Hunter overshadowed the signal caller’s gaudy numbers. The former five-star prospect hauled in 11 catches for 119 yards while also accounting for an interception in the red zone.
Travis Hunter’s interception 🔥
Bro different pic.twitter.com/WXudQhdRTu— Sportsville (@Sportsville_) September 2, 2023
Was the Colorado Buffaloes’ dramatic win over TCU legit?
Those on the Colorado bandwagon praise head coach Deion Sanders and his team for going on the road and beating a TCU squad that played in the College Football Championship last year. The naysayers point out that TCU lost nearly every key starter from seasons past, including the duo of quarterback Max Duggan and wide receiver Quentin Johnston. They also point out that TCU was just 16-18 in the three years before their run to the title game in 2022.
Regardless of where you stand on the legitimacy of TCU’s roster and the validity of the Colorado win, it’s important to remember who is the frontman for the Horned Frogs. Sonny Dykes is nothing short of a great coach that cultivates a winning culture everywhere he goes. It took him two seasons to turn a 1-11 Cal Golden Bears team into an 8-5 squad that also won a bowl game. He also led SMU to three straight winning seasons before darting for TCU in 2022. And then, last season, he turned a mediocre Horned Frogs squad into title contenders.
Say what you want about the Colorado Buffaloes’ win, but mention that TCU was more than likely prepared for Colorado. Sonny Dykes has a proven track record of success and program development, so it would be disingenuous to discredit TCU’s roster and preparedness.
Can the Colorado Buffaloes run the table?
It’s one thing to win a challenging game on the road in the season opener. It’s another thing to continue winning for the entirety of the season. The Buffs head home to face lowly Nebraska but are just three-point favorites as of Wednesday. The Vegas linemakers believe the two squads to be similar adversaries despite Nebraska scoring just ten points and committing four turnovers in their season opener against Minnesota. They then battle Colorado State before back-to-back games against top-ranked Oregon and USC.
If the Colorado Buffaloes can barely get some love at home against Nebraska, what will the lines be against the Ducks and Trojans? The answer is, as of now, it doesn’t matter. The Colorado Buffaloes were a three-touchdown underdog against TCU but dropped 45 points in a win. The books will adjust if Deion’s crew makes another statement on Saturday. They will be underdogs or short favorites until they aren’t. I can’t imagine Vegas is having a fun time handicapping a team that had 87 incoming transfers and just three returning starters. The Colorado Buffaloes’ outlook will be best understood by the end of September when the Buffs have faced Oregon and USC.
Can Deion Sanders and Colorado change the college football landscape?
The Colorado Buffaloes’ success will directly impact the college football landscape. If the Buffs could go from 1-11 to one of the top teams in the country, Deion Sanders and company would have just developed the new blueprint for ADs to fast-track a program turnaround. A new head coach, doing a complete tear-down and rebuild, using the transfer portal as the highest form of recruiting, can change the fortunes of a school overnight. Sanders brought in his culture and his players, using the new NIL rules to his benefit when drawing talent to Boulder, Colorado. Meanwhile, some coaches have hesitated to follow in Deion’s footsteps, and their recent struggles are well documented.
Clemson Tigers bench boss Dabo Swinney has no love loss for the transfer portal and the following NIL deals. Swinney and the Tigers are in the crosshairs of the national media this week after their disappointing 28-7 loss to Duke in their season opener. The Tigers have just three transfers on the roster while losing 33 players to the portal. If this is the beginning of the downfall for Clemson, mainly because of stubbornness from head coach Dabo Swinney, programs will start looking for more coaches like Deion than Dabo. In an ever-changing football landscape, it’s plausible to think this could happen as early as next season, of course, barring results.
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