With the Colorado football team coming off a 3-9 season in 2025, and with a roster thatap been overhauled once again, there aren’t high outside expectations for this season.
At BetMGM.com, CU’s over/under win total is projected at 4.5, the lowest in the Big 12. Athlon magazine predicts the Buffs to finish 14th in the 16-team Big 12. As other projections roll in this summer, they are likely to be similar.
Ultimately, exceeding those expectations is up to head coach Deion Sanders, his staff and players. Yet, athletic director Fernando Lovo knows he plays a key role, too, and outgoing athletic director Rick George believes there are pieces in place for a successful 2026 season on the gridiron.
“I have a mentor of mine who once said that players and coaches win games and administrators win championships, and I take that mindset and that approach every day because we have great coaches,” Lovo said in a recent interview with BuffZone. “I’ve got to provide them — first and foremost, our coaches — with the resources that they need to be successful and competitive.”
Thatap true for all sports, Lovo said, and CU has invested in other sports, including signing three head coaches — JR Payne (women’s basketball), Danny Sanchez (women’s soccer) and Jana Weinberger (skiing) — to contract extensions this spring.
Football, however, is the lifeblood of most athletic departments, and Lovo said the Buffs have to strive for success on the field.
“We’re going to do that because we need to invest in football, we have invested in football, and without a successful football program, itap hard for us to advance as a department,” he said. “Thatap my commitment there, and coach (Sanders) knows that.”
In addition to trying to provide financial resources, Lovo said the fan experience at Folsom Field is a priority going into the fall.
“It can’t just be a football game, itap got to be an event,” he said. “Itap got to be a celebration of what it means to be a Buff.”
Lovo said he and his staff are working on “really exciting” ideas to create a good pre-game and in-game atmosphere, including in-game scripting from the public address announcer.
“We are fully committed to creating an incredible fan experience, and I will tell you this and I want to echo this every time I can talk about it: Fans, I want to hear from you. If there’s things that we can do better, let me know,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lovo understands the challenges facing CU and a lot of other programs around the country to compete for top players. There are schools that reportedly have rosters valued at $30-$40 million because of deep pockets in the NIL (name, image and likeness) space. CU isn’t at that level — the actual value of the roster is unknown — but Lovo likes where the Buffs are going into 2026.
“I will tell you this, that I feel we’re competitive, when we look at our peers in the Big 12 of where we are,” he said. “But doesn’t mean that we’re going to put our feet up and say, ‘We’re good,’ because we’re not. We’ve got to continue to push and provide more resources.
“In the absence of rules and some sort of federal intervention that can help that, we’ve got to continue to push forward. I’m comfortable where we are right now, but we’re certainly not resting and saying that we are where we need to be. … We’re going to continue to try to elevate that because we need to (do that) to be competitive.”
George, meanwhile, believes the Buffs will be competitive on the field this season.
“The staff that we have, I think, is outstanding,” said George, who is transitioning out of his athletic director role but will be involved with football going forward. “I love both of our coordinators (offensive coordinator Brennan Marion and defensive coordinator Chris Marve). I think Deion and both coordinators are really building a good culture and camaraderie with this team.”
CU lacked leadership and strong culture last year, in part because Sanders missed so much of the offseason with health issues. He’s been heavily involved this offseason.
“Coach has been as engaged as I’ve ever seen him with his football team,” George said. “I think thatap exciting because I think his presence means a lot and I can see it. I can see that we’ve got a really strong culture down there. I think we’ve got a really strong togetherness, which is what you need.
“I can’t wait for the football season. I think itap going to be great. I’m looking forward to having an incredibly successful year.”
