The 2023 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado Boulder as a member of the Pac-12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This was the program's 13th and final year in the Pac-12 before they rejoined the Big 12 Conference in 2024. The Buffaloes were led by first-year head coach Deion Sanders. They played their home games on campus at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado. The Colorado Buffaloes football team drew an average home attendance of 53,180 in 2023, the 36th highest in college football.
Schedule The Colorado Buffaloes and the Pac-12 announced the 2023 football schedule on January 18, 2023.
Rankings
Preseason Spring game The Colorado Buffaloes spring game was held on April 22, 2023 at Folsom Field. The 2023 spring game sold out for the first time since 1996 and was the highest attended spring game to date in program history with 47,277 in attendance. The game was televised nationally by ESPN and was the only spring game to air on the main network.
Game summaries at No. 17 TCU
Statistics COL TCU First downs 30 27 Total yards 565 541 Rushes/yards 34–55 37–262 Passing yards 510 279 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 38–47–0 24–42–2 Time of possession 34:33 25:27 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 38/47, 510 yards, 4 TD Rushing Sy'veon Wilkerson 13 carries, 45 yards, TD Receiving Dylan Edwards 5 receptions, 135 yards, 3 TDTCU Passing Chandler Morris 24/42, 279 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Emani Bailey 14 carries, 164 yards Receiving J. P. Richardson 6 receptions, 63 yards
vs Nebraska
Statistics NEB COL First downs 15 23 Total yards 341 454 Rushes/yards 41–222 33–58 Passing yards 119 396 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–22–1 32–44–0 Time of possession 29:41 31:19 Team Category Player StatisticsNebraska Passing Jeff Sims 9/15, 106 yards, INT Rushing Gabe Ervin Jr. 17 carries, 74 yards Receiving Billy Kemp IV 5 receptions, 57 yardsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 31/42, 393 yards, 2 TD Rushing Dylan Edwards 9 carries, 55 yards Receiving Xavier Weaver 10 receptions, 170 yards, TD
vs Colorado State
Statistics CSU COL First downs 23 23 Total yards 499 418 Rushes/yards 39–102 25–70 Passing yards 397 348 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 35–48–3 38–47–1 Time of possession 34:37 25:23 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado State Passing Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi 34/47, 367 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT Rushing Kobe Johnson 15 carries, 54 yards Receiving Tory Horton 16 receptions, 133 yards, TDColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 38/47, 348 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Dylan Edwards 10 carries, 57 yards Receiving Xavier Weaver 9 receptions, 98 yards, TD
at No. 10 Oregon
Statistics COL ORE First downs 13 30 Total yards 199 522 Rushes/yards 25–40 38–240 Passing yards 159 282 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–33–0 30–35–1 Time of possession 24:54 35:06 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 23/33, 159 yards, TD Rushing Anthony Hankerson 5 carries, 31 yards Receiving Xavier Weaver 9 receptions, 75 yardsOregon Passing Bo Nix 28/33, 279 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Bucky Irving 10 carries, 89 yards Receiving Troy Franklin 8 receptions, 126 yards, 2 TD
vs No. 8 USC
Statistics USC COL First downs 26 32 Total yards 498 564 Rushes/yards 25–95 45–193 Passing yards 403 371 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 30–40–1 30–45–1 Time of possession 27:55 32:05 Team Category Player StatisticsUSC Passing Caleb Williams 30/40, 403 yards, 6 TD, INT Rushing MarShawn Lloyd 13 carries, 88 yards, TD Receiving Tahj Washington 8 receptions, 117 yards, TDColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 30/45, 371 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Anthony Hankerson 16 carries, 74 yards, TD Receiving Omarion Miller 7 receptions, 196 yards, TD
at Arizona State
Statistics COL ASU First downs 19 25 Total yards 295 392 Rushes/yards 30–56 29–57 Passing yards 239 335 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 26–42–0 32–50–0 Time of possession 25:12 34:48 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 26/42, 239 yards, TD Rushing Anthony Hankerson 10 carries, 58 yards Receiving Javon Antonio 5 receptions, 81 yards, TDArizona State Passing Trenton Bourguet 32/49, 335 yards, TD Rushing Cameron Skattebo 13 carries, 49 yards, TD Receiving Elijhah Badger 12 receptions, 134 yards
vs Stanford
Statistics STAN COL First downs 30 32 Total yards 523 532 Rushes/yards 39–124 35–132 Passing yards 399 400 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 28–49–0 33–47–1 Time of possession 34:42 25:18 Team Category Player StatisticsStanford Passing Ashton Daniels 27/45, 396 yards, 4 TD Rushing Ashton Daniels 16 carries, 39 yards Receiving Elic Ayomanor 13 receptions, 294 yards, 3 TDColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 33/47, 400 yards, 5 TD Rushing Shedeur Sanders 13 carries, 37 yards Receiving Travis Hunter 13 receptions, 140 yards, 2 TD
at No. 23 UCLA
Statistics COL UCLA First downs 20 26 Total yards 242 487 Rushes/yards 24–25 45–218 Passing yards 217 269 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 27–43–0 20–28–2 Time of possession 26:46 33:14 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 27/43, 217 yards, TD Rushing Alton McCaskill 2 carries, 14 yards Receiving Xavier Weaver 5 receptions, 86 yardsUCLA Passing Ethan Garbers 20/27, 269 yards, 2 TD Rushing T. J. Harden 20 carries, 78 yards, TD Receiving Logan Loya 7 receptions, 111 yards
vs No. 16 Oregon State
Statistics OSU COL First downs 25 15 Total yards 418 238 Rushes/yards 46–195 19–-7 Passing yards 223 245 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–25–0 24–39–0 Time of possession 35:58 24:02 Team Category Player StatisticsOregon State Passing DJ Uiagalelei 12/24, 223 yards, 1 TD Rushing Damien Martinez 21 carries, 115 yards Receiving Jack Velling 3 receptions, 69 yardsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 24/39, 245 yards, 2 TD Rushing Sy'veon Wilkerson 4 carries, 17 yards Receiving Travis Hunter 8 receptions, 98 yards, 1 TD
vs No. 21 Arizona
Statistics ARIZ COL First downs 22 18 Total yards 421 339 Rushes/yards 27–207 30–88 Passing yards 214 262 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–35–0 22–35–0 Time of possession 24:50 31:48 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Noah Fifita 21/35, 214 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jonah Coleman 11 carries, 179 yards Receiving Tetairoa McMillan 9 receptions, 107 yards, 1 TDColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 22/35, 262 yards, 2 TD Rushing Shedeur Sanders 13 carries, 29 yards, 1 TD Receiving Xavier Weaver 5 receptions, 84 yards
at Washington State
Statistics COL WSU First downs 15 23 Total yards 255 469 Rushes/yards 41–91 32–127 Passing yards 164 342 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–27–1 20–33–0 Time of possession 29:25 30:35 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 6/10, 86 yards, 1 TD Rushing Sy'veon Wilkerson 13 carries, 49 yards, 1 TD Receiving Travis Hunter 4 receptions, 82 yards, 1 TDWashington State Passing Cam Ward 18/30, 288 yards, 2 TD Rushing Nakia Watson 8 carries, 47 yards Receiving Josh Kelly 6 receptions, 130 yards
at Utah
Statistics COL UTAH First downs 13 22 Total yards 262 329 Rushes/yards 17–37 53–268 Passing yards 225 61 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–25–0 6–10–0 Time of possession 20:56 39:04 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Ryan Staub 17/24, 195 yards, 1 TD Rushing Sy'veon Wilkerson 7 carries, 32 yards Receiving Travis Hunter 8 receptions, 107 yards, 1 TDUtah Passing Luke Bottari 6/10, 61 yards Rushing Jaylon Glover 17 carries, 107 yards Receiving Mikey Matthews 2 receptions, 19 yards
Personnel Roster
Depth chart
Recruiting class
Transfers Outgoing Maurice BellWRWithdrewIsaiah LewisSWithdrew Montana Lemonious-CraigWRArizonaTaylor UpshawDEArizonaJordyn TysonWRArizona StateJ. T. ShroutQBArkansas StateXavier SmithSAustin PeayTy RobinsonWRBall StateChase PenryWRBoise StateDeion SmithRBBYUKaylin MooreCBCaliforniaJack HesteraWRCharlotteAustin JohnsonOLCharlotteZach CourtneyTECoastal CarolinaChase SowellWREast CarolinaCasey RoddickOLFlorida StateShakaun BowserLBGarden CityOakie Salave'aDLHawaiiAubrey SmithLBHoustonDevin GrantDLIncarnate WordMister WilliamsILBIncarnate WordLuke EckardtOLIowa Western Community CollegeTyas MartinDLJackson StateMason MaddoxDLKent StateJoshua WigginsCBLibertyVictor VennRBLibertyAustin SmithTEMemphisTyrin TaylorSMemphisMaddox KoppQBMiami (OH)Jalen SamiDLMichigan StateSeydou TraoreTEMississippi StateDylan DixsonSMissouri StateYousef MugharbilOTNC StateBrendon LewisQBNevadaTravis GrayOTNew MexicoEdgar AmayaOLNorth AlabamaZion MagaleiLBNorthern ArizonaAshton LoganPOklahomaJeremy Mack Jr.SOld DominionKaden LudwickTEOregonNikko ReedCBOregonJason OliverCBSacramento StateTayvion BeasleyCBSan Diego StateKeyshon MillsCBSMUNoah FenskeOLSouthern IllinoisAaron AustinDLStephen F. AustinAlex HarkeyOLTexas StateChance MainEDGETexas StateJanaz JordanDLTowsonDrew CarterQBUC Davis (basketball)Jake WileyOLUCLACole BeckerKUtahGrant PageWRUtah StateSimeon HarrisCBUtah StateJackson AndersonOLUTSAOwen McCownQBUTSAAllen BaughDLValdosta StateJames MottQBVillanovaNa'im RodmanDLWashington StateRyan WillamsDLWestern KentuckyNigel Bethel Jr.CBTBDEoghan KerryOLBTBDJayle StacksRBTBDAlvin WilliamsEDGETBDJordan WoolvertonSTBD
Incoming Demouy KennedyLBAlabamaJahquez RobinsonDBAlabamaJace FeelyKArizona StateJuwan MitchellLBArizona StateJordan DomineckDLArkansasMyles SlusherSArkansasTar'Varish DawsonWRAuburnJaylen EllisWRBaylorKareem HardenOLButler Community CollegeChampion JohnsonRBCaliforniaLaVonta BentleyLBClemsonShane CokesDLDartmouthDavid ConnerOLFloridaOmarion CooperCBFlorida StateBrendan GantLBFlorida StateDerrick McLendon IIDEFlorida StateBishop ThomasDLFlorida StateTravis JayCBFlorida StateLeonard PayneDLFresno StateAlton McCaskillRBHoustonJeremiah BrownLBJackson StateTyler BrownOLJackson StateWillie GainesWRJackson StateTravis HunterCB/WRJackson StateAlejandro MataKJackson StateJacob PolitteLSJackson StateShedeur SandersQBJackson StateShilo SandersSJackson StateCam'Ron Silmon-CraigSJackson StateSy'veon WilkersonRBJackson StateJack BaileyOTKent StateSavion WashingtonOTKent StateKavosiey SmokeRBKentuckyVito TisdaleSKentuckyReggie YoungOLLibertyMark VassettPLouisvilleKhairi MannsDEMaineArden WalkerDEMissouriLandon BebeeOLMissouri StateGavin KuldQBNortheastern Oklahoma A&MJavon AntonioWRNorthwestern StateD'Vion HarrisDEOld DominionChazz WallaceDTOld DominionKyndrich BreedloveCBOle MissJ. J. HawkinsDEOle MissRodrick WardSSouthern UtahAmari McNeillDTTennesseeJimmy Horn Jr.WRUSFXavier WeaverWRUSFSav'ell SmallsDEWashingtonJaylen EllisWRWest VirginiaTaijh AlstonDEWest VirginiaMarshawn KneelandDEWestern Michigan
References