Following a 4-8 campaign, it’s fair to say the Colorado Buffaloes were overrated last season. But are they still? Despite having double the losses compared to wins, Deion Sanders’ squad ranked No. 16 in EA Sports College Football 25’s team power rankings, earning an 87 overall.
Colorado Checks In as the No. 16 Overall Team in EA Sports College Football 25
Colorado already had the media’s attention after hiring Sanders and adding several high-profile transfers, including QB Shedeur Sanders and WR/CB Travis Hunter. After winning the first three games of the year following a 1-11 record under the previous regime, the Buffaloes were all anyone could talk about.
Fast-forward to the end of the season, they were still all anyone could talk about, just for different reasons.
Having star Prime Time as your head coach, a potential top-10 NFL Draft pick in Shedeur Sanders under center, and a do-it-all weapon in Hunter playing both offense and defense certainly maintains a level of national recognition.
However, outside of the on-field product and off-field antics, it’s how Deion has constructed his team over the last two years that has brought on the media frenzy.
Only 10 scholarship players from the 2022 roster were on the team in 2023. A whopping 86 new players formed Deion Sanders’ first team in Boulder, with 53 coming from the transfer portal — the most any team has ever added in a single offseason.
Sanders followed that up with yet another overhaul via the portal, with 42 players coming in and 41 leaving so far this offseason. There’s little to no continuity to speak of, but if you asked Colorado’s head coach about it, he’d say the Buffaloes got better.
He better hope they have, as the program joins the Big 12 this season, albeit with powerhouses Oklahoma and Texas off to the SEC. Colorado’s current win total is set at 5.5 by FanDuel, and in our 2024 Big 12 Power Rankings, the Buffs checked in at No. 8.
For perspective, their No. 16 team ranking in College Football 25 is second only to Utah (No. 10, 88 overall) among Big 12 programs. And in College Football Network’s ranking of all 134 FBS programs entering the 2024 season, Sanders’ squad ranked 43rd.
Don’t take our word for it. Post-spring top 25 rankings are never the same from media outlet to media outlet, but one thing was this year: the Buffaloes’ absence. Whether it was ESPN, The Athletic, CBS Sports, or even Colorado alum Joel Klatt‘s own rankings, the Buffs were nowhere to be seen among the top 25 teams.
Nevertheless, College Football 25 is a video game. At launch, Shedeur Sanders will lead the No. 8 offense at 89 overall, while Hunter’s unit will trot onto the field with an 84 rating (No. 20). If EA follows the model they set with the Madden franchise, the developers will update team and player ratings weekly.
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How long until those ratings come down to Earth? Our eyes are set on the three-week gauntlet of at UCF, vs. Kansas State, and at Arizona. Colorado has the talent to make some noise in the Big 12, but even if every single transfer hits, it’s not a top-16 team on the gridiron — virtual or not.
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