The college football season is 93 days away, but that doesn't mean fans don't want their fix in one way or another.
The offseason buzz is fading after what was an eventful transfer portal cycle in both the winter and spring windows. In total, On3 reported that over 4,000 players entered their names into the portal, with approximately 2,500 finding a new home. With the portal settling and spring ball having come and gone, fans will have to wait for the 2025 season to roll around.
They can use this time to convince themselves how good their favorite team is, or tell others just how much better their favorite team is expected to be heading into 2025. While speculation and hopes are fun, ESPN's Bill Connelly released his more scientific post-spring SP+ projections.
The projections are based on three key categories, starting with returning production, which accounts for transfers added and players lost. It also factors in recruiting and a team's recent history, which encompasses the four prior seasons, to help pinpoint a team's current standing.
For a team like the Colorado Buffaloes, which just had their best season since 2016 and finished the year as the No. 23 team in the country, fans likely hoped they'd be found near the top of the rankings.
However, as shared on social media, the Buffs were not included in the top 25.
In fact, the Buffs ended up being nowhere near the top 25, coming in as the No. 52 squad in the country. They rank near the middle of the pack both offensively (No. 46) and defensively (No. 60), which is likely a result of having three wide receivers drafted, headlined by No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter, and losing quarterback Sheduer Sanders, who went in the fifth round.
For those who may be upset with the model, Connelly expressed it is a "predictive measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football."
Colorado is one of the least predictable teams, ranking No. 75 in returning production. They'll have a new quarterback, receiving corps, starting running back, four new offensive linemen, two new safeties, two new linebackers and a few new defensive linemen.
It's not to say the team isn't talented, but clearly the Buffs had far too many changes for the algorithm to view them as a top team in the sport just yet.
More must-reads: