Colorado football is three weeks away from kicking off its 2026 season, meaning ESPN metric guru Bill Connelly has updated his SP+ rankings for the final time before the season begins.
Since the initial rankings release in late March, Colorado went down from 0.9 (No. 65 in the nation) to 0.7 (No. 66).
The metric combines each team's returning production, recent recruiting (transfers included), and program history to forecast the upcoming season's results. It is the leader in predictive metrics and provides us with our first legitimate team-by-team comparison.
Here is the disclaimer Connelly adds when it comes to SP+:
Colorado's slight drop in the rankings is likely more due to other teams improving over the spring than to anything the Buffaloes did since March. With the team improving in all facets this offseason, including the coaching staff, the Buffs' ranking once the season starts is likely to rise, especially if wins stack up.
With fall camp in full swing, here is where the Buffaloes stand in Connell's final preseason 2026 SP+ update:
- SP+ Rating: 0.7 (No. 66 in the nation)
- Offensive Rating: 26.1 (No. 66)
- Defensive Rating: 25 (No. 60)
- Special Teams Rating: -0.5 (No. 116)
- Returning Production: No. 56 (55%)
Colorado ranks No. 14 in the Big 12, only ahead of Iowa State (No. 69) and West Virginia (No. 72), proving that nearly everything going into the Buffaloes' current prediction is riding on 2025 results. A solid start to the year should see the Buffs climb the SP+ charts relatively quickly.
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado football falls slightly in final preseason SP+ rankings