The most polarizing team in America, the Colorado Buffaloes, take center stage tonight on ESPN as they face Stanford. We all know how well documented the lead up to this season was. Head Coach Deion “Prime” Sanders is no stranger to being the center of attention and having an alluring presence. With that whirlwind of attention also comes a slew of detractors. There’s never been more expectation placed on a previously 1-11 team the year prior. Whether you believe the level or awareness drawn before the Buffaloes took the field was justified or not, they’ve overly produced given the stage that was set.

Now sitting at 4-2 with wins over TCU, Nebraska, Colorado State, & Arizona State, Prime’s Buffs are considerably ahead of schedule and already far exceeded expectations. They’ve quadrupled their win total from 2022. Colorado is one win away from match their win total from 2021 & 2022 combined. Regardless of the media storm, The Buffaloes are a damn solid team at the moment. Sure, there’s obvious holes on the roster, but considering where the team was a year ago I’d say even those weak points are improved based on the scheme & play style.

We can talk about coaching (which has been superb) until we’re blue in the face, but I want to highlight the players that have flashed for me. We know all about the Sanders kids, Shiloh and Shedeur. We also know about the former number one player in the country coming out of high school and two way college star, Travis Hunter. Even fan favorites like Jimmy Horn Jr, Xavier Weaver, & Dylan Edwards have all become household names. However, I want to highlight the unsung heroes & the next generation of Buffaloes alike.

Here are the players to watch for tonight:

DB Cam’ron Silmon-Craig (5’10 185): 23 tackles. 3 INT’s. 2 PBU’s. 1 sack.

Silmon-Craig, a Jackson State transfer, quickly made the leap from good SWAC player to power 5 standout. Already registering three interceptions in six games, he’s one of the best ball-hawks in the nation. Beyond that, he’s a sure tackler. Of his 23 tackles, 21 of them are of the solo variety. Silmon-Craig may be a bit undersized, but he’s as reliable as they come overall.

TE Michael Harrison (6’3 225): 26 catches. 215 yards. 4 TD’s. 8.3 ypc.

Harrison has quietly taken the reigns as Shedeur Sanders safety valve and favorite red-zone target. The converted WR is the third leading receiver for the Buffaloes and is only growing more and more comfortable playing the position. With his length and athleticism Harrison has become a matchup nightmare for defenses. He’s also as shifty as they come for the position with his route running ability. Going forward, I expect more targets for him as defenses continue to get pressure on Sanders.

K Alejandro Mata (5’9 190): 4/4 FG. 10/11 XP. 1 game winner.
Mata, another Jackson State transfer, has shined in his role as a place kicker for the Buffaloes. Coming off of a game winner against Arizona State, Mata’s confidence is as high as ever. He’s 3 for 3 on kicks between the 40-49 yard range. At the collegiate level, you cant beat that type of consistency and reliability.

DB Cormani McClain (6’2 170): 2 tackles. 2 PBU’s.

McClain is a special case for the Buffaloes. After being one of the most highly sought after recruits of the previous cycle, McClain had growing pains. Coach Prime has been very publicly hard on him, for good reason. You never want to see a player, but more importantly young man, waste the ability that McClain has. Despite his rocky start, McClain got his first action against the Oregon Ducks in the 4th quarter and hasn’t looked back since. We’re seeing the ability that we all knew he had and it projects to only continue to improve from here.

WR Omarion Miller (6’2 200): 8 catches. 205 yards. 1 TD. 25.6 ypr.

Miller, much like McClain, didn’t start from day one. We didn’t see miller thrust into action until the USC game. In that opportunity, he racked up 7 catches for 196 yards and a touchdown. While not many knew what to expect, his teammate Travis Hunter did. Hunter has been very complimentary of Miller in the Buffaloes daily vlogs via YouTube. Hunter wasn’t surprised with Miller’s play and neither will the rest of the country after the next few outings.