It is best to bygones be bygones, but if you cast your minds back to Selection Sunday, the discourse on both new and traditional media alike would’ve had you thinking the new CFP field hosts about 24 teams, not 12. Almost every fanbase believed their team was going to get in but the three cursed words broke many dreams: Strength of schedule. Fast forward to the present day, and those very words have circled back to haunt Deion Sanders and Colorado.

How did a team that lost six on the bounce to end the 2023 season (and went 4-8) find themselves 9-4 in the 2024 season? Sure, Deion Sanders got the requisite help in terms of personnel. Travis Hunter went up another gear, and Shedeur Sanders’ pass protection held up better. However, one of the keys to the upturn was a relatively ‘soft’ schedule.

Colorado, who finished the season ranked 25th in the final AP Poll of the season, played a grand total of zero playoff teams. To be fair to them, their average margin of victory was pretty solid. Colorado beat everyone they should’ve beaten handsomely. But it’s not a good look that the ‘best’ team Deion Sanders and Co. faced all season, BYU, blew the brakes off them.

Alas, allegations of an easy path into the 12-team CFP are back! In fact, it’s not the adversaries that are making said allegations. It’s Colorado fans themselves. One glance at the 2025 fixture list and they’re not being irrational either. Here is the Buffs’ 2025 schedule:

• Aug. 30: vs. Georgia Tech
• Sept. 6: vs. Delaware
• Sept. 13: at Houston
• Sept. 20: vs. Wyoming
• Sept. 27: vs. BYU
• Oct. 4: at TCU
• Oct. 11: vs. Iowa State
• Oct. 18: BYE
• Oct. 25: at Utah
• Nov. 1: vs. Arizona
• Nov. 8: at West Virginia
• Nov. 15: BYE
• Nov. 22: vs. Arizona State
• Nov. 29: at Kansas State

As visible, they will seven home games for the first time in more than four decades. In comparison to their new schedule, here’s their 2024 schedule:

• Aug. 31 vs. North Dakota State
• Sept. 7 at Nebraska
• Sept. 14 at Colorado State
• Sept. 21 vs. Baylor
• Sept. 28 at UCF
• Oct. 12 vs. Kansas State
• Oct. 19 at Arizona
• Oct. 26 vs. Cincinnati
• Nov. 9 at Texas Tech
• Nov. 16 vs. Utah
• Nov. 23 at Kansas
• Nov. 29 vs. Oklahoma State

A couple of things to note. There are a lot of misconceptions in the wider CFB sphere, and they only increase as newer fans delve into this growing world. First up, the easier schedules aren’t exactly by design. These schedules are made well in advance and there’s no way to foresight which program will present a challenge years down the line. The Buffs themselves would’ve been perceived as a cakewalk two years ago.

Playing the Utah Utes in 2023 was an entirely different proposition from playing them in 2024. Deion Sanders actually did have to play them last season, but it transpired to be a non-challenge when the time came. Utah was considered the best team in the Big 12 by many in the preseason, and a tough challenge. Colorado beat them 49-24. However, another factor to pay heed to is the conference matchups.

As part of the Big 12, Colorado played 6 of their 12 games against fellow conference members. You’d think that it should alleviate some criticism from Deion Sanders. He can’t help the fact that the conference is overall not in a very healthy position in terms of the strength of its members at this time. Whichever way you construe it, a Big 12 schedule is bound to seem weak. The crux of people’s disdain in this scenario is the other six games.

At least on paper, those aren’t particularly difficult either. Now, ‘Coach Prime’ won’t have any complaints. Looks like a double-digit win season is on the horizon, which could propel them into the playoffs. That will quell all concerns. However, an easy schedule does not instill the spirit of competition or excitement within fans. As a result, Buffs fans didn’t mince words in letting Deion Sanders and the program know of their verbal wrath.

Colorado fans verbalize their disdain for the schedule Deion Sanders and team will traverse!

Despite a relatively easy strength of schedule, the Buffs will have some important games to play. Think about Week 1 vs. Georgia Tech. It will be their season opened, which will tell the Buffs’ fans a lot about what the 2025 campaign will look like. With Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter or true freshman Kaidon Salter under center, Colorado will look different offensively. But it seems fans aren’t too keen with how their schedule looks. Fans wrote:

• “Can’t lie this schedule weak as s–t”
• “Strength of schedule gotta be one of the lowest for a power 4 school ;)”

Regardless, the game against BYU will be an interesting one to watch. It will make for a good rematch after BYU ended the Buffs’ season with a defeat in the 2024 Alamo Bowl. The fact that the game will be played in Boulder is quite an advantage for the Buffs, yet their fans can’t help but dream of bigger games.

• “If they had this schedule last year they probably would’ve lost none or 1” 

This will be Deion Sanders’ third season at Boulder and CU has signed 31 names: 14 are via high school and 17 through the portal. A great aspect for fans to look forward to is the fact that five-star QB Julian Lewis will headline the class from high school.

With some of their key players having departed for the NFL Draft, it will be interesting to see how the team develops their new talents. While fans have a lot to look forward to, for now, the strength of schedule is all they can think about.

• “No Colorado State game is weird now. It’s kinda like a smaller rivalry of Michigan vs Ohio st😂”

However, there might be another issue that could affect fans. One social media user mentioned:

• “How about game times?? 8 PM? No thx.”

More comments about the challenging nature, or lack thereof, followed suit. These strength of schedule debates are, unfortunately, a perpetual occurrence. There’s no real solution on the horizon. Certain ideas have been floated about by the likes of Joel Klatt, but adopting them is its own can of worms.

Perhaps something will happen down the line. However, in the foreseeable future, Deion Sanders will seek to reap the rewards, get the monkey off his back, and reach the CFP. What do you think?