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As much hype as there was coming into the 2023 college football season for the Colorado Buffaloes, no one had them as a threat to win the Pac-12. The hype was to see just what new head coach Deion Sanders had actually constructed in Boulder, while most were looking to see how it would fail. Now, after each passing game, the threat of Colorado football becoming a real contender to win the conference is looking like a real possibility. Early preseason favorites to win the conference were teams like last year's winner Utah, or runner-up USC, and then maybe Oregon and Washington. But Colorado? The one-game winner from last season was picked to finish 11th, just ahead of Stanford, per the Pac-12 media preseason poll. But is two weeks enough evidence to resemble a real threat to overtake those aforementioned teams and be real contenders in the Pac-12?
Colorado football has to be considered a real threat to win the Pac-12
It's only two weeks of play, but it's true — Colorado has to be considered a real threat in the Pac-12 now. How could they not be? It's evident they have talent, particularly offensively, but even defensively, they have shown the ability to make clutch plays late in games. Not only that, but they've thus far lived up to immense pressure and hype, most of which has been brought on simply from the name of their polarizing, outspoken head coach in Sanders.
This isn't automatically USC's conference to lose this season. The Pac-12 has loads of special talent on multiple teams. Colorado can now be added to that list as not just a threat but as real contenders to upset the entire college football world. Colorado has upset the so-called established order of the entire conference.
Colorado has brought legitimacy and recognition to the Pac-12
In a year that seems to be the last of the Pac-12 conference, it might be the best the conference has ever looked since its inception. With the inclusion of Colorado into the mix as one of the conference's best, the Pac-12 now has five legitimate teams that could win the title, with the other four being USC, Utah, Oregon, and Washington. The addition of Colorado has made the waning days of the Pac-12 conference all the better, making what may be a bittersweet ending by season's end.
With Sanders as the head coach, he's added value to the Pac-12 conference that had too little to none left after the continuous conference realignment moves — some of which included Colorado — this offseason. It's made them must-see every time they're on television or in a nearby stadium. Ticket sales have certainly shown this to be a true trend, particularly at Colorado football home games. But that's now not just because of Sanders; it's because of the product he's put on the field.
Shedeur Sanders is in class with other Pac-12 best quarterbacks
Let's face it, the Buffaloes are flat-out fun to watch. Watching guys like Sanders' son, Shedeur Sanders, throw the ball around to his talented receiving corps, one of whom is two-way player Travis Hunter, averaging 40.5 points a game, makes them a real contender in the conference. The Pac-12 is full of good offensive talent, specifically at quarterback. Colorado's Shedeur — who is now getting early Heisman discussions — is now in the same conversation as guys like last year's Heisman winner, USC's Caleb Williams, and others like Oregon's Bo Nix, and Washington's Michael Penix Jr.
