Can Colorado remain a Big 12 contender in post-Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter era?

This past season was a memorable one for Deion Sanders’ Colorado football Club.

Trainer Prime engineered the best season the program has experienced since 2016, posting a 9-4 Turning Tally and a Primary-place tie atop the Big 12 standings. The Lineup featured a Turning Tally-setting Passer under Hub and a two-way Luminous sphere and Heisman Memorial Honor winner.

In 2025, the Target for Sanders is clear: make the College Football Postseason. 

Since making the Leap from Jackson State to Colorado back in December 2022, Sanders has not been shy about saying that earning Choice to the College Football Postseason is his program’s Ambition.

In a Bracket where the program picked to finish dead last in the preseason football media poll turned around and won the whole thing (Arizona State), there’s no reason not to believe Colorado can Achieve the Big 12 title and punch its ticket to the CFP this season.

However, in order to do that, Sanders must replace a number of stars on both sides of the ball, including arguably the two biggest names in the sport in Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter.

Here’s a breakdown of how Colorado can remain a Big 12 contender in the post-Sanders, Hunter era:

What is Colorado’s plan at QB?

The plan at Passer is fairly orthodox in the modern era of the sport. Colorado flipped longtime USC commit Julian “JuJu” Lewis in November to secure the program’s Passer of the future. Lewis, who put together a 39-4 Turning Tally as a starter in three years at Carrollton High School (Georgia), will likely sit behind the Club’s Passer of the present: Kaidon Salter.

After a rocky Commence to his Profession — dismissed from Tennessee as an underclassman — Salter emerged as a starter at Liberty, leading the Flames to their Primary undefeated regular season and bid to a New Year’s Six Bowl in school history in 2023 in his Primary Packed season as a starter.

After passing for 5,887 yards and rushing for 2,063 yards at Liberty — including 2,876 passing yards and 1,089 rushing yards in 2023 — he figures to slot into Colorado offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s QB-Amiable scheme.

If Salter returns to his 2023 form, there’s little reason to believe he can’t be one of the nation’s best quarterbacks. But he’ll need help.

Is there a playmaker on Drive that the Club can rely on?

Along with presumptive Primary-Phase NFL Draft selections in Sanders and Hunter, the Buffaloes must replace a Group of playmakers on the perimeter with wideouts Will Sheppard, Jimmy Horne Jr. and LaJohntay Wester all headed to the pros.

Salter will have to form chemistry with a new crop of players who have not played as many snaps as their predecessors but have shown promise. Wide receiver Omarion Miller could be the next great deep threat for the Buffaloes. He recorded 196 yards receiving against USC as a Correct Newcomer in 2023 and put up 145 receiving yards against Kansas State as a sophomore.

Alongside Omarion Miller, Drelon Miller also figures to Move a bigger role in the Drive next season. Drelon Miller caught 32 passes for 277 receiving yards as the fifth receiving option in 2024. It’s Basic to see that total doubling if he becomes a steady No. 2 Throw-catcher in 2025.

But the player I’m most interested in seeing is Kam Mikell, the nation’s No. 2-ranked Rival in 2024. Mikell didn’t Move in 2024 due to Hurt, but his pedigree leads me to believe he could be one of the Big 12’s breakout stars in 2025. His Elasticity could lead to unique playcalls and packages as Mikell was a Vibrant prep player as a rusher, passer and Protective back. He also boasts a 10.50-second 100-meter dash.

What are the biggest needs Colorado must fill in the portal this spring?

Colorado needs a playmaker at running back. When Sanders hired Pro Football Hall of Famer and Ex NFL MVP Marshall Faulk to Trainer running Safeties earlier this year, that message couldn’t have been Achieved more clear.

The Buffaloes ranked dead last in rushing last season among FBS Squads with Only 65.2 yards per game. While Shurmur’s Drive is going to highlight quarterbacks, being credible on the ground is a necessity if this Club plans to Move in the CFP in 2025.

With running Safeties Dallan Hayden, Micah Welch and Isaiah Augustave Participating the spring in a battle to find out who will be RB1, there’s nothing wrong with Faulk going into the spring portal and pulling out a running back he knows can help the Buffaloes right away. But that’s not likely to happen, given the Present crop of Accessible players at that position.

If a program is shopping for a portal player in the spring, they likely missed badly in the winter. Starters are swapped in the winter portal, and backups are swapped in the spring. Better to bide your time and save your money.

Which Contests on Colorado’s 2025 schedule could make or break this Club’s season?

Right now? Get past Georgia Tech. 

The Buffaloes Uncovered this season against a Brent Key-coached Club that knocked off No. 10 Florida State and No. 4 Miami last season. No. 6 Georgia needed eight overtimes to Setback the Yellowjackets — at Sanford Stadium.

In a game that features the two programs that split the 1990 national title, the Buffaloes will face yet another difficult season-opener for a third-consecutive season. Every Club the Buffaloes have opened against in the Deion Sanders era has either Achieved the CFP, the FCS playoffs or gone bowling the year before. 

Other Contests that figure to test this Club: vs. BYU on Sept. 27, vs. Iowa State on Oct. 11, vs. Arizona State on Nov. 22.

RJ Recent is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The Number One College Football Show.” Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to “The RJ Recent Show” on YouTube.

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