Latest preseason FBS power rankings see potential in Colorado football

Placing the Colorado Buffaloes among the 138 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams is a difficult task entering the 2026 season. The program is coming off a disappointing 3-9 season but has completely revamped its roster and coaching staff and, perhaps most importantly, shifted its culture. So how do all the new variables change the national perspective of the 2026 Buffs?

The Athletic's Chris Vannini's ranking of the 138 FBS college football teams has Colorado at No. 77 overall, a much more respectable ranking than USA TODAY Sports' national power rankings, which slotted the Buffs at No. 104.

At No. 77, CU comes in ahead of Iowa State (No. 98) as the 15th-ranked team in the Big 12. Other teams in the Buffaloes' tier include Arkansas (No. 76), Syracuse (No. 78) and Rutgers (No. 79).

Vannini writes that the addition of Brennan Marion is the highlight of the Buffs' offseason and likes Colorado's potential entering the season.

"Deion Sanders brought in Brennan Marion to run the offense, plus a bunch of lower-level transfers with experience and production. There's some potential here," Vannini wrote.

Without a doubt, Colorado enters 2026 with a higher ceiling and floor than last year's squad, and some have even argued this is a more talented team than the 2024 squad that went 9-3 and featured Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter.

Come Sept. 3, we will receive our first look at the 2026 Buffaloes as they kick off the season in Atlanta against Georgia Tech.

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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Latest preseason FBS power rankings see potential in Colorado football