In the latest college football poll, Colorado has climbed to the No. 16 spot, marking its highest ranking in eight years. The Buffaloes, now boasting an 8-2 record, are in a favorable position for a shot at the Big 12 championship, having improved their win total significantly from last season.
Coach Deion Sanders dismissed the idea of reflecting on the team’s successes thus far, insisting they were always focused on their goals. “No, not whatsoever, because we expected to be here,” enthused Sanders following a decisive 49-24 win against Utah on Saturday. “We anticipated more; we have a few losses we aren’t proud of, but that’s behind us.”
The Buffaloes have managed to secure four consecutive victories as they prepare to face an improving Kansas team at Arrowhead Stadium. With a record of 4-6, the Jayhawks are coming off a narrow 17-13 win at BYU and have just recently achieved back-to-back victories against ranked opponents.
The remarkable resurgence of the Colorado team in Sanders’ second season is particularly noteworthy since they had a rough 2023 season, winning only one of their last nine games, and were projected to finish 11th out of 16 teams in the Big 12 during the preseason.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders along with two-way standout Travis Hunter are potential top picks for the 2025 NFL draft. Sanders has averaged 322 passing yards and thrown 27 touchdowns this season, while Hunter is a contender for the prestigious Heisman Trophy. Defensively, the Buffaloes are in the middle of the pack in terms of both scoring and total defense, but they lead the conference with an impressive 33 sacks.
BetMGM Sportsbook has Colorado entering the week as 2.5-point favorites against Kansas. The Buffaloes are set to conclude their regular season at home against Oklahoma State. A victory in both upcoming games would give them their first 10-win regular season since 2016 under former coach Mike MacIntyre, opening the door for a potential Big 12 title and a place in the College Football Playoff.
In other rankings news, several teams made notable headlines this week:
No. 2 Ohio State is facing off against No. 5 Indiana, a matchup that fans have eagerly awaited since Indiana’s rise under first-year coach Curt Cignetti. The Buckeyes faced Northwestern at Wrigley Field and managed to secure a comfortable victory, marking the fourth time this season that their opponent scored first.
No. 6 Notre Dame continues to shine, winning eight straight games since their upset loss to Northern Illinois, except for a close 31-24 win against Louisville. Quarterback Riley Leonard has become a standout with 13 rushing touchdowns. Their formidable defense, ranked in the top five across several categories, will face a significant challenge against No. 18 Army’s running attack at Yankee Stadium this week.
No. 13 SMU could secure its spot in the ACC championship by defeating Virginia. The team’s 9-1 start marks their best season since 2019, and they are making waves with a school-record 15 consecutive conference wins, maintaining an undefeated conference record for the second consecutive year.
No. 19 South Carolina has turned its season around, winning four in a row after a shaky start. Their recent victory against Missouri, which was their third consecutive win against ranked teams, has lifted them to their highest ranking since September 2014. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers has impressed, throwing five touchdowns against the Tigers.
No. 21 Arizona State, once viewed as underdogs in the Big 12, now stands at 8-2 for the first time since 2013 and has broken into the rankings for the first time in two years. With only two regular-season games remaining, a victory at home against BYU could potentially secure a place in the Big 12 championship game.
The competition for the much-coveted Group of Five spot in the College Football Playoff is intensifying, with a record four non-power conference teams currently featured in the Top 25. Boise State leads this group at No. 12, followed by No. 18 Army and No. 20 Tulane, both hoping to secure a higher ranking. UNLV has also reemerged in the rankings at No. 23 after winning four of their last five games.
Additionally, Alabama and Colorado have both seen their rankings rise each of the past four weeks. The upcoming Indiana-Ohio State matchup will be noteworthy, marking the most top-five head-to-head clashes in a single regular season since at least the year 2000.