On the night of Aug. 7, many of the coaches and players for the Colorado Buffaloes erupted in excitement as rookie LaJohntay Wester returned a punt for a touchdown in his preseason debut with the Baltimore Ravens.
“That’s another recruiting tool,” CU head coach Deion Sanders said of the former Buffs’ receiver shining. “Everybody stood up and went crazy. And, checking the feed on social (media), he’s everywhere, and they gotta mention where he came from. So not only his hometown, but his college.”
The next night, many of the Buffs gathered to watch Shedeur Sanders make his first NFL start – and throw a pair of touchdown passes – for the Cleveland Browns. During that weekend, Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr., Shilo Sanders, BJ Green and Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig made some plays, too, for their teams.
While the first full weekend of the NFL’s preseason schedule was a celebratory time for the Buffs, it was also a sign that a new era is underway in 2025. All those stars who led CU to a resurgent 9-4 campaign a year ago are spread across the NFL and won’t be making plays on the luxurious new AstroTurf at Folsom Field.
Goals for this year certainly haven’t changed, however.
“We want to win. We want to win at all costs,” Coach Prime said at Big 12 media day in July. “We want to be in that (Big 12) championship game. … That’s what we want to do, and that’s what we’re gearing up for. That’s all we’re playing for. We play to win. We don’t just play to compete.”
If the Buffs do win, it likely won’t look like it did a year ago, when Shedeur was shattering school passing records and Hunter was dominating the game on both sides of the ball in winning just the second Heisman Trophy in CU history.
“We’re going to win differently, but we’re going to win,” Coach Prime said.
Outside The Champions Center, there are plenty of skeptics. The Big 12 chose not to do a preseason poll this year, but others have weighed in.
In Phil Steele’s preview magazine, he tabbed the Buffs for a 13th-place finish in the Big 12. Lindy’s magazine predicts a 12th-place finish and Athlon Sports has the Buffs placing 10th.
After a No. 25 finish in the Associated Press poll last year, CU received just one point in this year’s preseason poll. Vegas oddsmakers have the Buffs’ over/under win total at 5.5 – on the edge of bowl eligibility.
Inside the Champions Center, however, there is a wealth of confidence from a team ready to prove the doubters wrong.
“I think this team has a great mentality,” junior receiver Omarion Miller said. “I think now, in my three years being here, we’re finally building that team structure that it takes time to build. I feel like the (past) two years, everybody has seen a lot of things, and I feel like everybody’s just starting to come together and have that mentality of, ‘My brother.’”
The Buffs have plenty of new faces. That’s the nature of the beast in college football, especially in the transfer portal era. But, 55 of the 105 players on the roster were here a year ago and have helped to build a foundation for this season.
Miller and fellow receiver Drelon Miller are two of the top returning players. They may not have had starring roles last year, but learned under NFL receivers and are ready to break out on their own.
Left tackle Jordan Seaton and cornerback DJ McKinney were both significant contributors a year ago and are not only back, but tabbed as preseason first-team All-Big 12 selections.
Others, such as running backs Dallan Hayden and Micah Welch; defensive linemen Anquin Barnes and Amari McNeill; edge rushers Samuel Okunlola, Keaten Wade, Arden Walker and Quency Wiggins; nickel Preston Hodge; and safety Carter Stoutmire are back from last year, as well.
“The guys (who graduated from last year’s team), they definitely set the foundation for the leadership,” McKinney said. “They kind of made it to where the guys who are still here would pick it up and raise it, raise the ceiling, honestly.”
To help raise the bar, the Buffs brought in plenty of newcomers expected to play important roles, most notably at quarterback. Shedeur is gone, but the Buffs have fifth-year senior Kaidon Salter – the Conference USA MVP in 2023 at Liberty – and five-star freshman JuJu Lewis to take his place.
A load of talent at receiver – including AAC 2024 freshman of the year Joseph Williams – was added. Nine transfers on the offensive line – four of which might start, including first-team All-Conference USA guard Xavier Hill from Memphis – were brought in. The defensive line, linebackers and secondary have been bolstered, too.
Most of the newcomers have been in Boulder since January, and the offseason has brought the Buffs together, many of them say.
“I feel like this is the most tight-knit team we’ve ever had,” Stoutmire said. “Just going into the season, we got a whole lot closer this offseason.”
Coach Prime had a theme for each the previous two seasons. In 2023, it was “Hope,” after taking over a program that went 1-11 the year before. In 2024, it was “Expectation,” with the Buffs’ stars ready to win.
While Coach Prime said he hasn’t come up with a theme this year, it just might be that the 2025 Buffs will rally together to prove they’ve still got what it takes to make noise in the Big 12 Conference.
“You’re seeing guys coming together and just all have the same mindset and goals,” McKinney said. “So it’s just an amazing feeling. I’m excited for the season.”