ESPN FPI Predicts Colorado Will Be Hot Garbage In Deion Sanders' First Season

Colorado football fans might want to tap the brakes on the Deion Sanders hype train.

It was recently revealed that more than 8% of all BetMGM wagers for the national champion this upcoming season have been placed on Sanders and the Buffaloes.

That's pretty wild considering sportsbooks are setting the team's wins total over/under at 3.5. Remember, those huge casinos aren't built because of winners. It's people throwing away money, and the latest data about Colorado appears to indicate betting on them to have success is just lighting money on fire.

ESPN's Football Power Index data projects Colorado as the 95th best team in the country with a projected record of 3-9 (data rounded from 2.6-9.4).

Is Colorado in for a rough season?

All the data indicates the Buffaloes and Deion Sanders are going to be in for some serious growing pains.

The problem for Colorado fans is Sanders has done such an incredible job hyping up fans that it seems like reality is being ignored.

Colorado has already undergone incredible roster turnover, and while Deion Sanders brought in some nice pieces, it's foolish to believe he'll have the team rolling in 2023.

If he does, it will be one of the quickest turnarounds in the history of college sports. Remember, the Buffaloes went 1-11 last season. He didn't inherit a winning program or culture.

There's plenty of work to be done, and all the data indicates it's not going to be easy sledding. Just don't tell that to people throwing down big money on Colorado to win the national title. MGM might already be planning a new Las Vegas Strip property with that money. It's as good as gone.

Fans only have to wait a few more months to see how everything shakes out, but it's definitely time to start dialing back expectations.

Written by
David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture. He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics. Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.