“Grand Canyon-Sized Gap”: Coach Prime’s Colorado Faces Lack of Support and High Scrutiny Ahead of Season-Opening Game Against North Dakota

Coach Prime had set high expectations from the moment he arrived in Boulder. With flashy displays of talent and high-spirited press conferences, he promised the revamped Buffaloes roster would achieve the impossible. True to his word, he delivered an impressive 3-0 start for a team that had only won one game the previous year. However, the initial success faded, and the Buffs finished with a mediocre 4-8 record. Despite this, hope remains high in Boulder. 

The community’s excitement soared when it was announced that the season opener would be the Buffaloes playing at home, in Folsom Field. The Buffaloes will face the North Dakota State Bison on August 29, and anticipation is building in Boulder as many still believe in the Coach Prime effect. 

Buffaloes vs. Bison season opener is making fans crazy

On the May 14 DNVR Buffs Podcast, Jake and RK discussed the upcoming season opener, noting the vast divide in opinions surrounding Coach Prime’s team. With players leaving and new ones arriving, the roster overhaul has fueled optimism and skepticism. Ryan Koenigsberg aptly described this polarization: “There is a Grand Canyon-sized gap between the haters and the believers.”

He added, “And it’s so weird to like follow on Twitter. If you go look at just any post that mentions that game, half the posts are like ‘Oh my God Colorado is going to lose to North Dakota State’ and the other half is like ‘They’re going to blow them out.'” The hype surrounding this season feels even more intense than last year when Coach Prime first arrived. Back then,  “even Colorado fans weren’t sure to what to expect yet,” although many “believed“ in the “Prime Time“ effect. But the team’s ability to win remained a question mark. Even Coach Prime himself acknowledges this, referring to the previous season as a “season of hope“ and hinting at better things to come. 

Can Coach Prime’s expectations be fulfilled?

Starting this year, Coach Prime stated that the previous seasons were filled with high hopes and that “we just didn’t know how to win.“  Despite the initial excitement, the team faced setbacks, and the “season of hope“ soon became a season of missed opportunities. Deion, however, remains optimistic, pointing out that “we could have won“ if we had scored a few more points. But for this year, Deion confidently declared that the team is ready for playoffs. He firmly believes this will be a “season of expectations,“ not just empty words. Deion has outlined a clear vision and stressed a more physical approach on both offense and defense. He summed it up with two simple goals — “Run the ball; stop the ball.”

Just as the Buffaloes are finding their new energy under Coach Prime, the Bison are also entering a new era under coach Tim Polasek. The Bison have a strong track record, finishing 11-4 last season and reaching the semifinals. Thus, they pose a massive challenge for the Buffaloes, who will need more than just hope to overcome them. However, the Buffaloes have the home-field advantage; let’s see if Folsom Field could help them in their opening game.