The Buffs failed to cash in their Golden ticket and instead made it exponentially harder to reach the College Football Playoffs. The Big 12 has a four-way tie entering the final week of the season. Now, in addition to the Buffs taking care of business against Oklahoma State tomorrow at Folsom Field, Buff Nation needs to root for two of the three other Big 12 leaders (BYU, Iowa State, ASU) to lose.
In the meantime, on this Thanksgiving Day, here are ten reasons Buff Nation can be thankful:
10) Boulder, CO – No matter the record, coach or QB1 for the Buffs, there is no better town in America to work, play and see a college football game.
9) Bowl eligible – For the first time since 2016, the Buffs season won’t end when the regular season does. The Buffs are bowl eligible and fighting for more.
8) Hail Mary vs Baylor – Without the hail Mary game tying (and eventual win) vs Baylor, the season may have fallen off the rails early. Instead, the Buffs (and Buff Nation) were emboldened.
7) Shedeur Sanders – It’s been a long time since the Buffs had a QB that had the moxie #2 has. It will be fun to watch him on Sundays.
6) 2025 Recruiting class – The Buffs stand to benefit from some of the top recruits in the land come national signing day (see #5 below).
5) Julian “JuJu” Lewis’s commitment – On November 21, “JuJu” committed to play for the Buffs. In an instant the Buffs secured their heir apparent to #7 above and opened up the flood gate to #5 above and will ensure #1 below sticks around.
4) Rob’s Roost Tailgating – Along with sell outs (#3 below), so too are tailgates. Spending a Fall Saturday with the Buffs is cool once again.
3) Sell outs at Folsom are back – Free tickets are a thing of the past. Product on the field is worth the price of admission.
2) Travis Hunter – #12 has been the best player in college football all season and should be rewarded with the Heisman. Securing its second Heisman winner (Salaam ’94) would do wonders for CU recruiting. Look for Travis to have three touchdowns tomorrow against OK St as Coach Prime looks to boost Travis’ Heisman chances.
1) Coach Prime – Coach did what he said he was going to do. He turned the Colorado program around, and with the assumption he stays (see #5 above), the future is bright for Buff Nation.
“Look, ff you had one shot, or one opportunity. To seize everything you ever wanted – one moment, would you capture it or just let it slip away? – Eminem
Buff Nation –
Golden tickets aren’t just reserved for childhood Hollywood movies, they’ve come to life for our Colorado Buffaloes! We’ve found our golden ticket in Coach Prime, and it’s clear for all to see: the grand experiment in Boulder is a resounding success. Love him or hate him, no one can deny that Coach Prime has built something special. Through the transfer portal, we’ve seen that it’s possible to build an elite program—one that is powerful, resilient, and dominating.
The skeptics have been silenced, rivals have been put on notice, and the CU ticket office is gearing up for a new reality: conference title game tickets, playoff tickets—things we didn’t dare dream of just two short years ago. Thanks to the power of the transfer portal, any team, anywhere, can be transformed into a national championship contender. And Coach Prime? He’s determined to do it here, in Colorado, to leave no question about his ability to build a championship program—no matter the obstacles, no matter the location.
Yesterday’s commitment from Julian “JuJu” Lewis to join the Buffs was more than just a great recruiting win—it was a clear sign that Coach Prime is in it for the long haul. It’s proof that the future of the program is in great hands. With a star quarterback like JuJu stepping in after the legacy of Shedeur, the foundation is set for something truly special. The keys are set to be handed off.
Buff Nation, all of our hopes and dreams are alive and in front of us. But remember—every single week counts. At 8-2, we can’t afford another loss. A loss to KU tomorrow or Oklahoma State the day after Thanksgiving means no Big 12 title game. A loss in the Big 12 Championship means no playoff berth. And a playoff loss? That means no national title.
So, like little Charlie with his golden ticket, hold on tight, run home, and cash it in. Life offers no guarantees, and college football offers even fewer. Now is our time. Seize it. Seize it again. Keep seizing it, until that second National Championship banner is flying high at Folsom Field. Maybe it’s bold. Maybe it’s a stretch. But so what? This is our time—until someone dares to tell us otherwise.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
– Ferris Bueller
Buff Nation –
I have a vivid childhood memory of being in Lancaster, PA, when an Amish horse-drawn buggy came rolling by. My dad called my mom to come outside and see it. Her reply? “In a minute.” To which my dad shouted back, “Come out now—it’ll be over in a minute.” Even as a child, I understood his point. Sometimes, life hands us fleeting moments—opportunities that pass in the blink of an eye—and we have to make the choice to stop what we’re doing and look up. Whether it’s an Amish buggy rolling by or the CU Buffs controlling their own destiny for a spot in the College Football Playoffs, the time to act is now. It could all be over before we realize it.
The transformation of the CU Football program has captured the attention of the nation. Whether at home or away, 8 PM or 10 AM, the Buffs are now prime-time entertainment.
It’s hard to believe that just two years ago, the Buffs were struggling, losing eleven games by an average of 32.36 points. Now, with everything still within reach, the Buffs are on a path to potentially earn a spot in the title game—one that requires fighting through five critical games ahead: Utah (11/16), @Kansas (11/22), Oklahoma State (11/29), BYU (Big 12 Title, 12/7), and the CFP Quarterfinals (12/31). Even the most seasoned pundits are now considering hot yoga to manage their nerves.
If the Buffs win the Big 12 and rank higher than the ACC champion (Miami or SMU) or the Mountain West champion (Boise), they could earn a first-round bye in the CFP. It’s all within reach. Win the Big 12, and Travis Hunter could walk away with the Heisman, Coach Prime could claim Coach of the Year, and Shedeur Sanders could be the first quarterback off the board in the NFL draft. Depending on which team holds the #1 pick, either Hunter or Shedeur could be the first name called.
The moment is here. The time is now. Don’t blink—before you know it, it’ll be over in a minute.
Lady luck shined down on the Colorado Buffaloes as they rested during their bye last weekend. Unlikely losses by Kansas State and Iowa State have thrust the Buffs into the conversation of legitimate contenders for the college football 12 team playoffs.
Win out over these final four games (the Buffs should be favored in all of them), and Colorado will find itself playing BYU on December 7 in Arlington, TX for the Big 12 championship, which comes with an automatic bid to the playoffs for the winner. A date which has been labeled one of infamy in U.S. History, would be considered a day of virtue by Buff Nation if the Buffs come away victorious.
So, in spite of the ski resorts opening early this season, let’s try not to get too far out over our skis. The Buffs can’t go 4-0 on the remainder of the season without going 1-0 tomorrow. On the road in Lubbock, TX, the Buffs will take on Texas Tech (2PM MT kickoff). Coming off a tremendous victory over Iowa State last weekend, the Red Raiders will be looking to take down the Buffs and continue to contend for a Big 12 title of their own.
Coach Prime and the 2024 Buffs have exceeded all pre-season expectations. Congratulations. Yet, too whom much is given, much is expected, and for the Buffs, two-thirds of the way through the season, expectations are sky high. To quote the great Ricky Bobby, If you ain’t first, you’re last, and for the Buffs to make the playoffs, they are going to need to be first in the Big 12.
The games to remember are played in November and the Buffs are in pole position to make it a memorable month of football for Buff nation. It’s Arlington or bust (starting in Lubbock).
Just like our boy Mark Wahlberg’s transformation from Chris Cole to Izzy in Rock Star, after a few false starts, our 2024 Buffs have transformed themselves from a one trick pony side hustle into a full fledged big top entertainment attraction which would have made P.T. Barnum proud.
While there was a lot of pomp and circumstance when Coach Prime arrived in Boulder last year with his Louis Vuitton luggage, 2024 was always deemed to be the year we would see if the grand experiment would pay off. Is it possible to build a team almost 100% through the transfer portal? A victory tomorrow night over Cincinnati, will answer that question with an emphatic yes. It will also deliver bowl eligibility (6 win minimum) which hasn’t been seen in these parts in 2,924 days (10/22/16). The 2020 Covid 4 game qualifier doesn’t count. A win also gets me $1,000 on the over/under 5.5 games for the season. So, there’s that. Baby needs shoes (baby)!
Tomorrow’s game is sold out. Not only is it Family Weekend, but the Buffs are must see TV. This is the fifth nationally televised game of the season. While the fans will be decked out in black, the sidelines will be packed with high star recruits.
It’s time to feel the the sensation of being a destination football program. It’s time to feel the vibration of the metal stands as 50+ thousand fans stamp their feet. The Buffs are back. Feel it feel it
