The 2024 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado Boulder as a member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Colorado rejoined the Big 12 Conference after having originally being a charter member of the conference before leaving for the Pac-12 Conference in 2010. The Buffaloes were led by second-year head coach Deion Sanders. They played their home games on campus at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado.
Following a win over Cincinnati on October 26, the Buffaloes became bowl eligible for the first time since the shortened 2020 season and for the first time in a full season since 2016. Colorado was a contender to the Big 12 Championship and potentially the College Football Playoff. However, a loss to Kansas in week 13 and Arizona State, BYU, and Iowa State winning tiebreaker games the following week eliminated the Buffaloes from contention. Nevertheless, Colorado accepted an invitation to play in the Alamo Bowl against conference opponent BYU after the conclusion of the regular season where they were defeated by a score of 36–14. At the end of the season, the Buffaloes finished ranked 25 in the both final AP and Coaches polls, their first finish in the top 25 since 2016.
Colorado cornerback and wide receiver Travis Hunter was awarded the Heisman Trophy for his performance during the season, becoming the second Buffalo to win the Heisman.
Preseason Spring game The Colorado Buffaloes spring game was held on April 27, 2024, at Folsom Field. The game was televised by the Pac-12 Network. It was the last ever Colorado football game on that network.
Big 12 media poll The Big 12 media preseason poll was released on July 2, 2024. The Buffaloes were predicted to finish in 11th place in the conference.
Schedule The Colorado Buffaloes and the Big 12 announced the 2024 football schedule on January 30, 2024.
Rankings
Game summaries vs. No. 2 (FCS) North Dakota State
Statistics NDSUCOLO First downs 25 22 Total yards 449504 Rushing yards 43–15723–59 Passing yards 292445 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–24–026–34–1 Time of possession 36:44 23:16 Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Dakota State Passing Cam Miller 18/22, 277 yards, TD Rushing Cam Miller 16 carries, 81 yards, 2 TD Receiving Braylon Henderson 5 receptions, 72 yardsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 26/34, 445 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Dallan Hayden 9 carries, 20 yards Receiving Jimmy Horn Jr. 7 receptions, 198 yards, TD
at Nebraska (rivalry)
Statistics COLONEB First downs 15 22 Total yards 260 334 Rushes/yards 22–16 35–149 Passing yards 244 185 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–40–1 23–30–0 Time of possession 24:39 35:21 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 23/38, 244 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Dallan Hayden 5 carries, 32 yards Receiving Travis Hunter 10 receptions, 110 yardsNebraska Passing Dylan Raiola 23/30, 185 yards, 1 TD Rushing Dante Dowdell 17 carries, 77 yards, 2 TD Receiving Rahmir Johnson 8 receptions, 49 yards, TD
at Colorado State (Rocky Mountain Showdown)
Statistics COL CSU First downs 23 17 Total yards 419 340 Rushes/yards 19–109 31–130 Passing yards 310 209 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–40–1 22–39–2 Time of possession 30:07 29:53 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 36/39, 310 yards, 4 TD Rushing Micah Welch 9 carries, 65 yards Receiving Travis Hunter 10 receptions, 110 yardsColorado State Passing Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi 23/30, 185 yards, TD Rushing Avery Morrow 3 carries, 67 yards Receiving Jamari Person 7 receptions, 51 yards
vs Baylor
Statistics BU COLO First downs 15 24 Total yards 314 432 Rushes/yards 41–166 42–92 Passing yards 148 341 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–21–0 25–41–0 Time of possession 23:52 36:08 Team Category Player StatisticsBaylor Passing Sawyer Robertson 11/21, 148 yards, 2 TD Rushing Sawyer Robertson 9 carries, 82 yards, TD Receiving Hal Presley 2 receptions, 43 yards, TDColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 25/41, 341 yards, 2 TD Rushing Isaiah Augustave 12 carries, 41 yards Receiving Travis Hunter 7 receptions, 130 yards
at UCF
Statistics COLO UCF First downs 26 14 Total yards 418 461 Rushes/yards 29–128 44–177 Passing yards 290 284 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 28–35–1 20–35–2 Time of possession 29:57 30:03 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 28/35, 290 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Isaiah Augustave 4 carries, 39 yards Receiving Will Sheppard 4 receptions, 99 yards, TDUCF Passing KJ Jefferson 20/35, 284 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing RJ Harvey 16 carries, 79 yards Receiving RJ Harvey 4 receptions, 92 yards, TD
vs No. 18т Kansas State (rivalry)
Statistics KSU COLO First downs 22 20 Total yards 423 359 Rushes/yards 43–185 19–-29 Passing yards 238 388 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–26–1 34–40–1 Time of possession 35:00 25:00 Team Category Player StatisticsKansas State Passing Avery Johnson 15/23, 224 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing DJ Giddens 25 carries, 182 yards Receiving Jayce Brown 6 receptions, 121 yards, 2 TDColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 34/40, 388 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Dallan Hayden 7 carries, 11 yards Receiving Omarion Miller 8 receptions, 145 yards
at Arizona
Statistics COLO ARIZ First downs 21 16 Total yards 398 245 Rushes/yards 39–148 34–107 Passing yards 250 138 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–34–2 16–26–1 Time of possession 30:34 29:26 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 23/23, 250 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Charlie Offerdahl 7 carries, 56 yards Receiving LaJohntay Wester 8 receptions, 127 yardsArizona Passing Noah Fifita 16/26, 138 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Noah Fifita 12 carries, 24 yards Receiving Tetairoa McMillan 5 receptions, 38 yards
vs Cincinnati
Statistics CIN COL First downs 22 25 Total yards 351 446 Rushes/yards 32–171 40–123 Passing yards 180 323 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–30–0 25–31–0 Time of possession 27:18 32:42 Team Category Player StatisticsCincinnati Passing Brendan Sorsby 16/30, 180 yards, 2 TD Rushing Corey Kiner 17 carries, 94 yards Receiving Tony Johnson 4 receptions, 54 yards, TDColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 25/30, 323 yards, 2 TD Rushing Isaiah Augustave 22 carries, 91 yards, TD Receiving Travis Hunter 9 receptions, 153 yards, 2 TD
at Texas Tech
Statistics COL TTU First downs 22 25 Total yards 351 388 Rushes/yards 27–60 46–113 Passing yards 291 275 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 30–43–0 24–41–1 Time of possession 29:36 30:24 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 30/43, 291 yards, 3 TD Rushing Shedeur Sanders 9 carries, 16 yards, TD Receiving Travis Hunter 9 receptions, 99 yards, TDTexas Tech Passing Behren Morton 24/40, 275 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Tahj Brooks 31 carries, 137 yards, TD Receiving Josh Kelly 8 receptions, 106 yards
vs Utah (Rumble in the Rockies)
Statistics UTAH COL First downs 15 17 Total yards 272 405 Rushes/yards 30–31 20–65 Passing yards 241 340 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–41–3 30–41–1 Time of possession 35:38 23:55 Team Category Player StatisticsUtah Passing Isaac Wilson 21/40, 236 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Rushing Mike Mitchell 7 carries, 28 yards Receiving Carsen Ryan 4 receptions, 78 yardsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 30/41, 340 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Isaiah Augustave 7 carries, 59 yards Receiving Drelon Miller 6 receptions, 108 yards, TD
at Kansas
Statistics COL KU First downs 15 26 Total yards 308 520 Rushes/yards 13–42 57–331 Passing yards 266 189 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–29–0 14–21–0 Time of possession 19:49 40:11 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 23/29, 266 yards, 3 TD Rushing Shedeur Sanders 4 carries, 26 yards Receiving Travis Hunter 8 receptions, 125 yards, 2 TDKansas Passing Jalon Daniels 14/21, 189 yards, TD Rushing Devin Neal 37 carries, 207 yards, 3 TD Receiving Devin Neal 4 receptions, 80 yards, TD
vs Oklahoma State
Statistics OKST COL First downs 10 26 Total yards 147 471 Rushes/yards 31–70 29–33 Passing yards 77 438 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–34–2 34–42–1 Time of possession 27:31 32:29 Team Category Player StatisticsOklahoma State Passing Maealiuaki Smith 11/29, 70 yards Rushing Trent Howland 9 carries, 57 yards Receiving Brennan Presley 8 receptions, 42 yardsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 34/41, 438 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing Micah Welch 12 carries, 39 yards, TD Receiving LaJohntay Wester 11 receptions, 175 yards, 2 TD
vs No. 17 BYU (Alamo Bowl)
Statistics BYU COLO First downs 22 9 Total yards 331 210 Rushes/yards 42–180 19–2 Passing yards 151 208 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–23–3 16–23–2 Time of possession 35:56 24:04 Team Category Player StatisticsBYU Passing Jake Retzlaff 12/21, 151 yards Rushing LJ Martin 17 carries, 93 yards, 2 TD Receiving LJ Martin 2 receptions, 33 yardsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 16/23, 208 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Micah Welch 5 carries, 25 yards Receiving Travis Hunter 4 receptions, 106 yards, TD
Personnel Roster
Recruiting class
Transfers Outgoing Alton McCaskillRBArizona StateChamon MetayerTEArizona StateMarvin HamLBArkansas StateJahquez RobinsonSAuburnIsaiah JattaOTBYUVictory JohnsonLBCal PolyCole BosciaWRCaliforniaAdam HopkinsCBCharlotteJeremiah McCrimmonOTCoahoma CCCaleb FauriaTEDelawareVito TisdaleSEastern KentuckyCormani McClainCBFloridaEric Brantley Jr.EDGEFlorida AtlanticKasen WeismanQBFlorida AtlanticOmarion CooperCBFlorida StateBishop ThomasDLGeorgia StateSy'Veon WilkersonRBGeorgia StateIsrael SolomonCBHawaiiOwen WestemeyerIOLIowa StateTar'Varish DawsonWRJacksonville StateKhairi MannsOLBJMUDylan EdwardsRBKansas StateGavin KuldQBMars HillDevee HarrisOLBMarshallJ.J. HawkinsDLMarshallWillie GainesWRMurray StateChazz WallaceDLNC StateJack BaileyOTNorthwesternGerad Christian-LichtenhanIOLOregon StateAnthony HankersonRBOregon StateVan WellsIOLOregon StateKyndrich BreedloveCBPurdueMichael HarrisonTESan Diego StateTrent CarrizosaPSan Jose StateJaden Milliner-JonesSSMUJack WiltyGSouth FloridaKendal StewartWRSussex County CCSavion WashingtonOTSyracuseDavid ConnerOTTexas StateChernet EstesWRUtah TechKofi Taylor-BarrocksLBUTEPCameron WarchuckLSWashingtonZach BlackwoodDLTBDDante CapolungoWRTBDAndi EtokCBTBDDemouy KennedyLBTBDEoghan KerryLBTBDJacob PageWRTBDJacob PolitteLSTBDMyles SlusherSTBD
Incoming Anquin Barnes Jr.DTAlabamaKameron HawkinsLSArizonaB. J. GreenDLArizona StateIsaiah AugustaveRBArkansasTaurean CarterDTArkansasRJ JohnsonCBArkansasColton HoodCBAuburnDominiq PonderQBBethune–CookmanNikhai Hill-GreenLBCharlotteChamon MetayerTECincinnatiZechariah OwensOTClemsonPhillip HoustonOLFIUJohnny ChaneyLBFlorida A&MKardell ThomasIOLFlorida A&MJaylen WesterLBFlorida AtlanticLaJohntay WesterWRFlorida AtlanticIvan YatesDBFurmanTyler JohnsonIOLHoustonChidozie NwankwoDLHoustonHerman SmithSIdaho StateKahlil BensonOTIndianaAmari WardOTJackson StateDestin WadeQBKentuckyKeaten WadeEDGEKentuckyPreston HodgeDBLibertyTawfiq ThomasDLLouisvilleQuency WigginsDELSUSavion RileySMiami (FL)Rashad AmosRBMiami (OH)Ethan BoydOTMichigan StateTerrell Timmons Jr.WRNC StateNikhil Webb WalkerLBNew Mexico StateRayyan BuellDTOhioSam HartTEOhio StateDallan HaydenRBOhio StateD. J. McKinneyCBOklahoma StateDayon HayesDLPittsburghSamuel OkunlolaDEPittsburghCordale RussellWRTCUPayton KirklandOLTexasYakiri WalkerIOLUConnCharlie WilliamsTEUNLVJustin MayersIOLUTEPWill SheppardWRVanderbiltWalter TaylorQBVanderbiltWyatt HummelOTVillanova
Notes
References