Colorado's 3 pivotal Big 12 games that will give Deion Sanders a hard time

Deion Sanders is entering his second year as the coach of the Colorado Buffaloes. Sanders and his program were the talk of college football last season as they started 3-0 but ended up finishing the year with a 4-8 record.

Entering 2024, Sanders has higher expectations for his team. However, with the Buffaloes now in the Big 12, their schedule has several tough games that could prevent them from being bowl-eligible. Here are three games that will give Coach Prime and the Buffaloes a hard time in the Big 12:

3 biggest games for Colorado in 2024

#1. Utah, November 16

The Utah Utes are one of the favorites to win the Big 12, and this game will be a massive test for Deion Sanders and Colorado. The good thing for the Buffaloes is that the game is at home, but regardless, Utah will be a tough test.

Currently, oddsmakers have the Utes as eight-point favorites on the road, although this could change depending on how both teams play heading into the Nov. 16 matchup.

Last season, the Buffaloes lost to the Utes 23-17 in the final game of the year.

#2. Kansas State, October 12

The Buffaloes will host the Kansas State Wildcats on Oct. 12. The program has the second-best odds of winning the Big 12 thanks to its suffocating defense. The team has the ability to pressure Shedeur Sanders, and their secondary is likely to cause problems for Colorado's passing game.

The Wildcats are six-point favorites to defeat the Buffaloes on the road, and Kansas State could really frustrate their opponent's offense.

#3. Kansas, November 23

The Colorado Buffaloes will travel to play the Kansas Jayhawks on Nov. 23, which could be a problem for Deion Sanders and his team. The Jayhawks have the fourth-best odds of winning the Big 12 and will be sizeable favorites to defeat the Buffaloes at home in the second-last game of the season.

If Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels can stay healthy, he can cause a lot of problems for the Buffaloes' defense, which is expected to struggle again in 2024.