Urban Meyer. Syndication Detroit Free Press

Urban Meyer Gives a Harsh Reality Check to Deion Sanders Before 2025 Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nate Lunak | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 11:40 AM ET

Led by head coach Deion Sanders, the Colorado Buffaloes had one of their most successful seasons since 2016, compiling an overall record of 9-4 while going 7-2 in Big 12 matchups.

However, they lost a lot of talent this offseason, including two-way star Travis Hunter, quarterback Shedeur Sanders and wide receivers LaJohntay Wester and Jimmy Horn Jr., all selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.

It's a lot of change, and during an episode of "The Triple Option," former Ohio State Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer was asked whether Sanders' third season would be harder than his first. His answer was clear.

“I do because he set a standard. You know, once you hit a nine-win [season], it’s like, okay, the crowd will probably start to thin out if they start losing, and then you got some issues,” Meyer said. “You know they’ve been the talk of college football, and another thing I want to point out is that this Colorado team, we don’t know what it’s going to look like. We knew last year was going to look like you had Travis, you had Shedeur, you had the certain look to it. This would be completely different. They don't have the transfer portal, the 40 guys, it's much less ... but we got to see."

Since taking over the program, Sanders has helped the Buffs improve, as they went 1-11 in 2022, which improved to 4-8 in 2023 in his first year and nearly hit double-digit wins last season, though a bowl win remains elusive.

Considering the gradual growth, it would be hard for fans to see the team's success once again dip, as CBS Sports' Shehan Jeyarajah predicts Colorado could go 8-4, which is the best-case scenario, or 5-7, the worst.

Meyer's point about Sanders also being less active in the transfer portal is valid, as the team brought in a total of 52 players in 2023, followed by 43 in 2024, which has dipped down to 33 in 2025.

However, some of the players it did land, such as four-star wide receivers Sincere Brown and Hykeem Williams, as well as three-star quarterback Kaidon Salter, could fill the holes previously mentioned and play a key role in the team's success.

It will remain to be seen, though, as Colorado and Sanders will be tested early on with a matchup against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, where ESPN BET has them as 4.5-point underdogs.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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