EA Sports has just unveiled the first batch of overall ratings for College Football 27, giving players an early glimpse of how each program is projected to perform in the new play‑now mode.
In those rankings the Buffaloes are listed at 81 overall, with an offensive rating of 81 and a defensive rating of 82, marking a one‑point dip from the previous year's 82 overall score.
That slide has pushed Colorado to seventh place in the Big 12, a conference where teams such as Texas Tech, BYU, Houston, Oklahoma State and Arizona sit ahead of them, while Utah trails behind.
The decline comes despite a roster that was expected to be among the conference’s strongest, and analysts point to the loss of several key players as a likely factor in the rating adjustment.
Deion Sanders' fourth season
Coach Deion Sanders is entering his fourth year at the helm of the Buffaloes after a disappointing 3‑9 campaign in 2025, a period that has added pressure to prove the program can rebound.
The team will open its schedule on September 3 in Atlanta against Georgia Tech, a game that could serve as an early indicator of whether the rating adjustments reflect a realistic assessment of the squad's current talent.