Deion Sanders, always the optimist, remains confident that Colorado has a legitimate shot at securing a spot in the College Football Playoff in the upcoming season.
In a recent appearance on FS1’s Undisputed, Sanders expressed his belief that the Buffaloes can indeed be playoff contenders in 2024, emphasizing the hope they instilled last year and the need to translate it into on-field success.
The path to the College Football Playoff is expected to be more accessible next season with the expansion of the field to 12 teams. As Sanders enters his second year as head coach, the intrigue intensifies, especially considering Colorado’s transition back to the Big 12 after 13 seasons in the Pac-12.
“Last year we instilled hope, this year we gotta go do it.”@DeionSanders expects CU to challenge for a CFP spot this upcoming season pic.twitter.com/rsNVEo3L4Z
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) January 30, 2024
Notably, the new Big 12 landscape will be without Oklahoma and Texas, both of which have moved to the SEC. This absence of perennial powerhouses could create opportunities for other programs to emerge as dominant forces in the conference.
Historically, Oklahoma and Texas have been the dominant forces in the Big 12, winning a significant number of titles.
However, Colorado, having last clinched a conference title in 2001, aims to make a mark in this competitive landscape. While winning a conference championship is not a prerequisite for playoff contention, it remains a challenging task for the Buffaloes.
In Sanders’ first season, Colorado struggled with a 4-8 record, featuring the 10th-worst defense in FBS by points allowed per game (34.8).
Addressing concerns about recruiting from high-school ranks, Sanders acknowledges that the Buffaloes currently possess the lowest-ranked incoming class in the Big 12, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.
Despite these challenges, Sanders sees potential in the transfer portal, pointing out that the Buffaloes have the top-ranked class among Big 12 programs.
Even if Colorado falls short of becoming a top-12 program in 2024, the emphasis remains on showcasing progress in Sanders’ second season—a significant achievement given the program’s state prior to his arrival.
