ESPN’s latest analytics give Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes a puncher’s chance at glory. Discover why the Buffs defied the odds to remain in the title conversation.
The Colorado Buffaloes are nowhere close to being in contention for a national championship in 2026. However, ESPN added a little spice to the Football Power Index rankings last week.
The Buffs are one of the few Big 12 teams who were given an actual percentage to win a title. Truth be told, 0.1 percent isn't much, but it's something. They were one of nine teams who weren't counted out yet.
Colorado is the last current Big 12 team to win a national championship, which came under the late Bill McCartney in 1990. The Buffs beat Notre Dame 10-9 in the Orange Bowl, capping off an 11-1-1 season. This included the infamous fifth down play at Missouri to keep CU's season alive. Nonetheless, they were the best in the nation and a true contender back then.
ESPN gave Colorado, Arizona, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Houston and TCU as the six teams with a 0.1% chance. Texas Tech leads the way with a 3.7% chance to win the title, followed by BYU at 0.7%.
Deion Sanders' best season to date came two years ago, finishing 9-4 with a 36-14 thumping in the Alamo Bowl to BYU. As good as Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders were during the season, finishing out strong in the postseason never happened.
While giving Colorado any chance to win the title this year seems hard to explain, stranger things have happened. It's a long shot, but nobody expected to see the Indiana Hoosiers win a national championship or Fernando Mendoza win the Heisman Trophy last season.
Sanders has guided the Buffs through another transition period. The roster will feature 43 new transfers this season with only three four-star players, according to 247Sports. Coach Prime is working with a similar blueprint used by Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers. The biggest difference has been the strategy and the position groups they've attacked. Outside the talent on the field, Colorado has new coordinators in the mix. Brennan Marion brings his Go-Go offense to Boulder, while Chris Marve guides the defense.
What's realistic for the Buffaloes in the 2026 season? According to oddsmakers, CU's win total is set at a 4.5 total. If this stays true, Sanders will have to deal with hot seat speculation after three losing seasons over a four-year span. He'll need another nine-win season to be .500 for his tenure in Boulder.
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