Ranking Colorado's Most Difficult Opponents in 2026

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during his main stage press conference at Big 12 Media Days 2026 (Photo by Zach Woodbury/Sko Buffs Sports).

With the 2026 Colorado Buffaloes football season fast approaching, the discourse among fans centers around the toughest games on the schedule. Before fall camp begins, here are Sko Buff Sports’ thoughts on the toughest to easiest matchups for Colorado in 2026.

1. vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders, Oct. 3: While transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby was ruled ineligible after a gambling scandal, the Red Raiders still have the most talented roster in the Big 12. Joey Maguire’s team is the reigning conference champion, and poised to become the first team to retain that crown since Oklahoma in the 2020 season. 

Colorado running back Micah Welch dives towards the end zone against the Kansas State Wildcats (Photo by Brody Rector/Sko Buffs Sports).

2. vs. Kansas State Wildcats, Oct. 31: After the hiring of Collin Klein, the Wildcats are one of three conference opponents the Buffaloes face with a new head coach. Kansas State returns Avery Johnson, a dual-threat quarterback who ran for eight touchdowns last season. Colorado fans will remember how the Wildcats spoiled the party the last time these teams played at Folsom Field.

Colorado wide receiver Quentin Gibson drops a touchdown pass in the end zone against the Utah Utes (Photo by Ryan Asaro/Sko Buffs Sports).

3. vs. Utah Utes, Oct. 17: Colorado has a bye week before the Utes come to Boulder for the 73rd meeting of the Rumble in the Rockies rivalry. Longtime Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham departed for Michigan this offseason, but convincing quarterback Devon Dampier to stay was a coup. In 2025, the Utes rushed for 422 yards on their way to beating the Buffaloes 53-7 without Dampier. 

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter rolls out to his right against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (Photo by Ryan Asaro/Sko Buffs Sports).

4. @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Sept. 3: The Yellow Jackets are Colorado’s season opener once again, but this time the 1990 co-national champions will clash in Atlanta. Last year’s contest ended as a 27-20 Georgia Tech win, putting revenge on the menu and minds of the Buffaloes in this curtain-raiser. 

The Colorado Buffaloes hold an all-time 1-1 record against the Houston Cougars after losing in 2025 (Photo by Tyler Phillips/Sko Buffs Sports).

5. vs. Houston Cougars, Nov. 13: Colorado’s homecoming weekend has a Friday night main event. Houston head coach Willie Fritz is revolutionizing the program and gaining more national attention after a 10-3 season in 2025. This is the only Friday night home game for Colorado, a welcome sign for fans accustomed to plenty of late-night kickoffs in Boulder over the past few years. 

6. @ Oklahoma State Cowboys, Oct. 24: The Cowboys are now led by former North Texas head coach Eric Morris, who brought the nation’s leading passing yards leader, Drew Mestemaker, along to Stillwater. This is a game and program in Oklahoma State that is most comparable to Colorado in the number of transfers each roster brought in during the offseason. The Cowboys and Buffaloes brought in 55 and 43, respectively.

Colorado running back Micah Welch stiff-arms an Arizona State Sun Devils defender (Photo by Christian Blanco/Sko Buffs Sports)

7. @ Arizona State Sun Devils, Nov. 7: It was a debate over which game was the hardest between this and the former, but the Sun Devils’ loss of quarterback Sam Leavitt to the transfer portal makes this matchup more winnable for Colorado. Deion Sanders is always full of praise for Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham, however. 

8. @ Baylor Bears, Sept. 26: Colorado’s Big 12 opener is a trip to Waco and the third of four road games to begin the season. Incoming transfer quarterback DJ Lagway will be getting all the headlines in the week leading up, but it’s the Bears' defense that has something to prove. That unit gave up 32.2 points per game in 2025, good for 122nd best in FBS. This game has shootout written all over it. 

9. @ Northwestern Wildcats, Sept. 19: The Wildcats are gearing up to open a new stadium, but it won’t be quite ready for when Colorado lands in Evanston. Instead, the game will be played at the campus’ Martin Stadium, which holds a 12,000-fan capacity. If the Buffaloes drop the game against Georgia Tech two weeks prior, this non-conference clash could make or break their momentum even before the calendar turns to October.

10. @ Cincinnati Bearcats, Nov. 21: Colorado travels to the home of the Bearcats for the first time in program history, and this game appears the most likely road win on the slate. Cincinnati replaces the aforementioned Sorsby and will be trying to recover from back-to-back road games before the Buffaloes come to town. 

11. vs. UCF Knights, Nov. 28: Senior Day for Colorado will be the sleepiest day of the season in Folsom Field as students will be off campus for Thanksgiving Break. Here’s to hoping this game won’t make fans at home too stressed to break from a holiday afternoon nap.

12. Weber State Wildcats, Sept. 12: The pronunciation of WEE-BER or WEB-ER State should be the only conflict for Colorado to prepare for the FCS opponent. After two straight 4-8 seasons in the Big Sky Conference, the Wildcats face a tall task in winning at Folsom Field.