Colorado Buffaloes Prepare for Revenge Game Against Utah

Deion Sanders' squad looks to avenge last season's blowout loss to the Utes in a key early-season matchup.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 12:07pm

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The Colorado Buffaloes will face a tough early-season schedule in 2026, including a home game against the Utah Utes on October 17th. This matchup will be a revenge game for Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes, who suffered a 53-7 loss to Utah last season. With a new-look roster and quarterback Julian Lewis leading the offense, Colorado will have a chance to make a statement against the reigning Big 12 champions.

Why it matters

This game could be a turning point for the Colorado program under Deion Sanders. After a disappointing 3-9 season in 2025, the Buffaloes have a chance to show they have improved and can compete with one of the top teams in their conference. A win over Utah would be a major confidence boost and could set the tone for the rest of Colorado's season.

The details

The Buffaloes will host the Utes at Folsom Field on October 17th, one week after facing the reigning Big 12 champion Texas Tech Red Raiders. Last season, Utah routed Colorado 53-7 in Salt Lake City, handing the Buffaloes their worst loss of the year. Colorado managed just 140 yards of total offense in that game, and Deion Sanders called it 'the worst beating I've ever had.' This time around, the Buffaloes will have a new-look roster, including a quarterback change to Julian Lewis, who showed promise in limited action last season.

  • The Colorado Buffaloes will host the Utah Utes on October 17, 2026.
  • One week prior, Colorado will host the reigning Big 12 champion Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The players

Deion Sanders

The head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, who is looking to turn the program around after a 3-9 season in 2025.

Julian Lewis

The Buffaloes' starting quarterback, who showed promise in limited action last season and will lead the offense in 2026.

Morgan Scalley

The new head coach of the Utah Utes, who has served as the team's defensive coordinator for the past 10 years.

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What they’re saying

“It's probably the worst beating I've ever had. Total offense, 140 yards, you're not winning. They had 587 yards of total offense; you're not winning with that. Special teams gave up a fake punt as well as a blocked punt; you're not winning. So all three phases, we got our butts kicked.”

— Deion Sanders, Head Coach, Colorado Buffaloes (SI.com)

What’s next

The Buffaloes will look to build momentum heading into the Utah game with a strong performance against the reigning Big 12 champion Texas Tech Red Raiders the week prior.

The takeaway

This matchup against Utah represents a crucial early-season test for Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes. A win over the Utes would be a major statement and could set the tone for the rest of the season, showing that the Buffaloes have made significant improvements since their disappointing 2025 campaign.