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The Colorado Buffaloes are set to begin Year 1 under new head coach Deion Sanders. Colorado will face off against TCU in a season opening contest that will show where the program stands following an offseason of change.
One CBS analyst is picking the upset, predicting the Buffs to walk out of Fort Worth with a big win over the national runner-up. Should it come to fruition, it would give the sense that Coach Prime is ahead of schedule in Boulder.
Colorado has undergone a full makeover in the last few months, finding a new leader and upgrading the roster.
Immediately after landing the gig, Deion Sanders encouraged current players to “jump in the portal” as he looked to replace them with new talent. That approach to roster management certainly ruffled some feathers, but early reviews suggest it could be working.
Urban Meyer gave his feedback after dropping by preseason practice this summer. He was surprised by the number of playmakers he saw on the field, singling out Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders.
Terrell Owens gave a similar response after seeing a week of camp, saying that the program is going to “put the world on notice” in 2023.
The first step in that process would be winning Week 1. CBS analyst Randy Cross believes that it will happen.
Analyst predicts a Colorado upset over TCU.
The former NFL offensive lineman is picking Colorado to upset TCU in the opener.
Inside College Football has a Coach Prime believer 👀
What chances are y’all giving the Buffs in Week 1? pic.twitter.com/5zER50MWND
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) August 22, 2023
The game will feature two programs in flux.
TCU is coming off a national championship appearance, though the outcome of that game wasn’t the result they’d hoped for. The Horned Frogs will look a little different in 2023 following the losses of offensive playmakers Max Duggan and Quentin Johnson.
We’ve already mentioned the change in Boulder, and Cross believes one team is trending up while the other will take a step back.
“I’m not going to discount what Deion Sanders is going to do at Colorado, and I think it gets started with an upset at TCU,” Cross said.
The highly anticipated matchup is set to kick off on September 2nd at noon EST.
TCU head coach Sonny Dykes has already said he doesn’t plan to watch much game film from the 2022 Colorado season, noting the differences both on staff and on the roster.
Still, the Buffs will be overwhelming underdogs upon entering that first contest, as they will be in most every game this season.
Cross isn’t the only CU believer as bettors race to the sportsbook to place their wagers on Colorado hitting the over on the season win total, which currently sits around four games.
A Week 1 victory would go a long way in helping cash those bets. We’ll soon see if Cross’s prediction comes to fruition.