The Colorado Buffaloes had a rollercoaster season, starting off strong at 3-0 but ending with a disappointing 4-8 record, which was also Head Coach Deion Sanders’s first season with the team. The team’s sixth consecutive loss came against Utah in a 23-17 defeat, sealing their struggles.

To add to their troubles, three highly valued recruits left the team after Sanders criticized the NCAA’s policy on allowing post-commitment visits. The departure of Winston Watkins Jr. triggered the exit of Antwann Hill Jr., Danny O’Neil, and Jamarice Walker. Now, as Colorado faces an uncertain future, they find solace in knowing that other college football teams across the country are also navigating similar challenges.

A glimmer of comfort in the numbers

As panic sets in for the Buffaloes and their fans, sports analyst Brian Howell offered a perspective that might temper concerns. Howell highlighted, “While it looks alarming for Colorado to lose all 3 class of 2025 commits before anyone hits the panic button, consider this (per 247Sports): 25 FBS teams have 3-plus commits for 2025, 11 have 2 commits, 17 have 1 commit, 80 have 0 commits. It’s very early.” Notably, 80 teams have yet to secure any commitments for the upcoming class. Howell’s statistics indicate that Colorado is not alone in facing decommitments. Across the nation, various states and positions have witnessed players reopening their recruitments. Florida leads with 5 decommits, followed by Arkansas, Georgia, and Texas with 3 each.

In fact, notable players like Joseph Albright (Arizona State), Anquon Fegans (USC), and Jontae Gilbert (Ohio State) have all opted out of their initial commitments. This trend extends beyond Colorado, providing some solace for the Buffaloes as they navigate the turbulent waters of college football recruitment.

The fallout for the Buffs continued as prized four-star quarterback Antwann Hill Jr. decommitted from Colorado on Sunday, followed by the decisions of three-star quarterback Danny O’Neil and 2025 running back Jamarice Walker to rescind their commitments on Monday. Even with long-time commitment, Wilder expressed that his recruitment is now “100 percent open.”

Read more: “Only Really Cares About Shilo & Shedeur”: Shocking Accusations Fired at Deion Sanders as Antwann Hill Decommits From Colorado

Sanders, undeterred, defended his stance, stating, “A kid ain’t even faithful to his girlfriend. You think (he’s) gonna be faithful to a school? Come on, man. That’s an emotional thing. What I wish thе NCAA would do, if you’rе committеd somеwhеrе, you can’t go on any othеr visits, ” hе continuеd. “If you’rе committеd, that mеans you’rе committеd. You can’t go on no other visits. Why would you bе committеd but you’rе still lеtting kids go on othеr visits? That means you just playing.” 

While the Buffaloes find themselves in an unenviable position, the broader landscape suggests that the current decommitment storm may be a shared experience among college football programs nationwide. As the recruiting cycle progresses, the fate of Colorado’s 2025 class remains uncertain, echoing the unpredictable nature of the sport itself.  

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