Success is a funny word in college football.
For some programs, eight wins gets a coach fired. For others, it gets a statue built. For Colorado in 2026, I don’t think success can be measured by one number alone.
Would eight wins feel good? Absolutely. Would competing for a Big 12 Championship be even better? Of course.
But this season needs to show us something bigger: Colorado football is building something sustainable.
The first few years in Boulder were defined by excitement and star power that hadn’t been seen at Colorado in decades, if ever. Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter gave Colorado two players capable of changing a game almost by themselves. That era is over. Last year was filled with the understandable hurdles that come with losing guys like the ones mentioned, and other core pieces that went to the NFL or transferred out. Now comes the really difficult part – the bounce back.
For me, that starts up front.
Colorado needs to establish a legitimate running game under Brennan Marion. It doesn’t necessarily need a 1,000-yard running back, but the Buffs can’t enter every Saturday knowing their quarterback will have to manufacture the entire offense.
Defensively, the standard should be just as clear. Colorado has invested heavily in improving a linebacker group that struggled against the run last season. That unit doesn’t need to become Georgia overnight, but opposing offenses shouldn’t be able to repeatedly attack the same weaknesses.
Then there’s Julian Lewis.
His development matters, but success shouldn’t require him to immediately become Shedeur Sanders. If Lewis finishes 2026 looking considerably more comfortable, confident and prepared than when he started it, Colorado will have accomplished something important for its future.
And yes, eventually the record matters.
Everybody has a number that would represent a successful year. For me, the number is six regular-season wins, and with the new additions on the coaching staff and players with potential to change games, I do think that is possible.
But there’s another test I’m watching.
When November and December arrives, does Colorado feel like a program that knows exactly what it is?
- Can it run when everyone knows a run is coming?
- Can it get a stop when the opponent needs three yards?
- Can it survive an ugly Saturday when the quarterback isn’t spectacular
These aren’t glamorous questions. They’re the questions good football programs eventually learn how to answer.
If Colorado can answer them in 2026, the Buffs won’t just have had a successful season. They’ll have taken another step toward building something that can last.
Players Mentioned
