Will Colorado play a bowl game in the 2023 season? Exploring Coach Prime's Buffaloes' bowl eligibility

Colorado has been one of the biggest stories in this college football season. With Deion Sanders as the new coach, the program has received increased attention within the landscape right from the offseason, and this did not stop as the season began.

The season started fantastically for the Buffaloes as they won their first three games. However, things have fallen apart in the program as they've lost five of the last six games. CU (4-5, 1-5 Pac-12) has only one win in conference play.

Will Colorado play a bowl game in 2023?

Colorado’s bowl game eligibility is in serious doubt as the season draws to a close considering their recent run. A team needs to win at least six games with a minimum of .500 winning percentage to qualify for a bowl game in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

With a 4-5 record, the Buffaloes will have to win two of their remaining three games to be eligible for a bowl game. The team is set to host No. 23 Arizona (6-3, 4-2) in Week 11 and No. 13 Utah (7-2, 4-2) in Week 13. They will be on the road to play Washington State (4-5, 1-5) in Week 12.

At the beginning of the season, not many doubted how far Sanders could lead the team following the early results. The Buffaloes won their season opener against national championship finalist TCU 45-42 and went on to defeat long-term rivals Nebraska (36-14) and Colorado State (43-35) in the next two weeks.

Things went south in Week 4 when they suffered a blowout 42-6 loss to Oregon in Eugene. The team has struggled since then, losing to USC (48-41), Stanford (46-43), UCLA (28-16) and Oregon State (26-19). Their only win in between was against Arizona State 27-24 with a late field goal.

A prestigious bowl game awaits if they secure eligibility

According to college football analyst Richard Sherman, Colorado is expected to compete in a high-profile bowl game later this year, regardless of their overall win-loss record.

"They will go to a bowl game, and likely, will go to a bigger bowl game than their record should probably allow them to go," Sherman said on "Undisputed."

"Because bowl games are based on attendance, based on ratings, based on how much money can be made. Deion and this circus that Colorado has become with all the stars and media following them will draw a bigger bowl game."

The Buffaloes have seen a massive increase in their ticket sales and television ratings this season as Deion Sanders' influence continues to play out. Notably, the team, which went 1-11 last season, features in four of the top 10 most-watched college football games this season.