After a slow start in 2024 quieted the hype, Colorado turned the proverbial corner under Deion Sanders.

Colorado made its Big 12 debut this season, and the Buffaloes were simply fine early on. They dropped an ugly game at Nebraska, needed a miracle to outlast Baylor and fell to Kansas State. At the midpoint of the campaign, CU held an unremarkable 4-2 record.

And then, the Buffs hit their stride.

Led by Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the team rattled off a 5-1 record down the stretch. Though a loss at Kansas hurt CU's hopes of a conference title, the Buffs had a real chance to make the Big 12 Championship Game to the very end. They closed the season at 9-4 after a loss to BYU in the Alamo Bowl.

Coach Prime has sparked what was a reeling program. But now, with Hunter and Sanders moving to the NFL, the work intensifies.

Who's Staying

Deion Sanders, Probably

Shortly before he left Jackson State for CU, Deion Sanders said he had no plans of going anywhere. He recently said the same thing, amid rumors of potential interest from NFL teams. Best guess? Sanders is back in Boulder next season. Soon enough, we'll know for sure.

Freshman All-American Left Tackle

One significant issue for Colorado in 2023 was a porous offensive line. Prized recruit Jordan Seaton quickly earned the job at left tackle this year, and he earned Freshman All-America honors. As the Buffs revamp the roster, Seaton is a rock-solid cornerstone up front.

Handful of Defensive Starters

Competitive teams prefer the word "reload" over "rebuild," but don't get stuck on semantics. Colorado has a massive amount of production to replace. At the very least, the process begins with returning contributors in edge-rushers Samuel Okunlola, Tage McCoy and Arden Walker, cornerback DJ McKinney and safety Carter Stoutmire.

Who's Leaving

The Big Names

If you're looking to invigorate a program, a decent strategy is having an elite quarterback and a generational two-way player. You know, simple stuff. Shedeur Sanders became a high-end NFL prospect while at CU, and Travis Hunter won the 2024 Heisman after playing at an All-American level both as a receiver and cornerback this season.

And So, So Many Others

Beyond the stars, Colorado has to replace wide receivers LaJohntay Wester, Will Sheppard and Jimmy Horn Jr., offensive linemen Justin Mayers and Tyler Brown and several key defenders, such as edge-rusher B.J. Green II, linebacker DaVonta Bentley, cornerback Preston Hodge and safeties Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig and Shilo Sanders.

Outgoing Transfers

The ever-relaxing rules regarding transfers have allowed CU to take an aggressive approach to the portal. While that flurry of activity is bringing talent to Boulder again, some contributors will leave. So far, the biggest name is linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green to Alabama. He finished second on the Buffs with 88 tackles this season. Trevor Woods, a former starter who redshirted in 2024, is gone, too.

Who's on the Way

Shedeur's Replacement

The expectation is that Kaidon Salter, a transfer from Liberty, will be taking over for Shedeur in 2025. Salter is a dynamic dual-threat QB who guided the Flames to a Conference USA title and Fiesta Bowl appearance in 2023 before overseeing an 8-3 campaign this year.

Dozen Transfers (and Counting)

As of this writing, the Buffs hold 12 commitments from transfers—and that number is going to rise. Salter is the headliner of the group, but CU is also bringing in Alabama defensive tackle Jeheim Oatis and productive players like Tulsa receiver Joseph Williams, Jacksonville State linebacker Reginald Hughes and South Florida safety Tawfiq Byard.

Top-25 Recruiting Class

Thanks to a late charge, the Buffs grabbed a top-25 ranking for the 2025 recruiting cycle. The perceived QB of the future is Julian Lewis, a 4-star prospect rated 36th nationally who flipped from USC in November. Colorado's other top signees are edge-rusher London Merritt (144th overall) and offensive tackle Carde Smith (223rd).