NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Colorado Buffaloes can win the Big 12, but they will need to do so with a ground game. Having Shedeur Sanders is a great option, but having a balanced offense is something else. Defenses can lock in on receivers if you’re one-dimensional. But if the Buffaloes can find a way to gain some traction on the ground in the next three games, watch out.
The hype is real. It doesn’t matter if you are a fan of Colorado Football or even Deion Sanders. At 7-2, the Colorado Buffaloes are bowl eligible and 4 wins away from a College Football Playoff spot. Yes, you read that correctly. If they win out, they will secure a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game and if they win that, they will secure an automatic spot. Talk about a turn of events. But there is still an issue that must be resolved.
On the season, the Buffaloes are averaging just 78 rushing yards per game. For a team with title hopes, that’s not going to cut it. No matter what hype Sanders is building through the media, his team needs to put their best foot forward and that means making things easier for Sanders and the offense.
Travis Hunter, LaJohntay Wester, and Jimmy Horn Jr are threats on the outside. But what’s happening and not happening between the tackles is dragging this offense down a notch.
The Colorado Buffaloes are averaging 398 yards per game but mostly done by the arm of Sanders. Against Texas Tech this past Saturday, Colorado was forced to rely on the arm of Sanders late in the 4th quarter which almost resulted in a loss. They could not lean on the ground game to take time off the clock, instead, it was quick passes that fell incomplete which gave the Red Raiders life.
Even if they run the table and face BYU in the Big 12 Championship Game, do they have enough firepower in the backfield to contend? We can look at other Heisman hopefuls and top-ranked teams and there is some sort of balance on the offensive side. For some reason, during Coach Prime’s tenure in Boulder, his team has struggled at running the ball.
Is it the RBs with bad vision or the offensive line who can’t create running lanes? That’s the big question. But it’s also one that must be resolved if they are to be taken seriously.
Having possibly two Heisman hopefuls and two players poised to be top 10 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft is a good thing but right now, they’re fighting their own worst enemy— themselves.
Imagine where this team would be if they could run the ball. Not having to rely on their QB throwing the ball 41 times a game would help this team tremendously. Sanders doesn’t mind because he’s NFL-ready but taking some of the pressure off and giving the defense another weapon to worry about would open the door for the offense to hit another level.
Despite their lack of a running game, Colorado is heading to a Bowl Game. That’s set in stone. But they want more. They want a shot at a National Championship. However, to do that, they have to consistently produce out of the backfield.
