Where Colorado football lands in initial 2026 ESPN SP+ power rankings
ESPN's initial 2026 SP+ rankings are out, with Colorado in a familiar spot. What does this mean for the Buffs?
Another important milestone of the college football offseason passed on Friday morning: ESPN metric guru Bill Connelly released his initial SP+ rankings for the 2026 season. The metric combines each team's returning production , recent recruiting (transfers included) and program history to forecast the upcoming season's results. It is the leader in predictive metrics and provides us with our first legitimate team-by-team comparison.
Here is the disclaimer Connelly adds when it comes to SP+: As a reminder, SP+ is a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency. It is a predictive measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football, not a résumé ranking. Along those same lines, these projections aren't intended to be a guess at what the AP Top 25 will look like at the end of the season.
These are simply early offseason power rankings based on the information we have been able to gather. Colorado 's SP+ ranking before the games begin largely reflects its disappointing 3-9 2025 season. With the team improving in all facets this offseason, including the coaching staff, the Buffs' ranking once the season starts is likely to rise, especially if wins stack up.
Still, it is all projection, and games decide everything. Much will change between now and when the season kicks off in late August. Each team will hold its spring practice period, position battles will be decided, and injuries will, unfortunately, happen.