Deion Sanders 2023 Colorado’s football schedule is absolutely brutal

The Colorado Buffaloes went 1-11 last year and fired Karl Dorrell. However, the hiring of Deion Sanders has brought this program into a world of different opportunities and possibilities.

The Buffs have landed plenty of transfer players and high-profile recruits and should be watched in many games.

The schedule is brutal for Colorado and Jack Carlough of Buffaloes Wire looked at the schedule after it was released on Wednesday.

That includes the opener against TCU and a pair of brutal back-to-back Pac-12 games with Oregon and USC.

Here’s to Coach Primes first year in the FBS.

SEPTEMBER 2: VS TCU HORNED FROGS

TCU offensive lineman Marcus Williams (71) celebrates after the Horned Frogs beat Michigan in the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.

TCU doesn’t have a lot of players and personnel from its national runner-up team, but the Frogs should still be good. It’s definitely not an easy opening for Coach Prime.

SEPTEMBER 9: VS NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS

November 28, 2022; Omaha, Nebraska, United States; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule during an initial press conference at the Hawks Championship Center on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. Mandatory credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s play Big 8 football! Let’s also turn back the clock to 2001, when Colorado beat Nebraska a memorable 62-36 to reach the Big 12 Championship game.

SEPTEMBER 16: VS COLORADO STATE RAMS

November 25, 2022; Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; Colorado State Rams wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons (85) celebrates a touchdown with teammate Colorado State Rams wide receiver Tory Horton (14) at Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium.

Coach Prime better win this one because look who’s scheduled next:

SEPTEMBER 23: AT OREGON DUCKS

November 19, 2022; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) talks with a reporter after the game against the Utah Utes at Autzen Stadium. The Ducks won the match 20-17. Mandatory credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

Story continues

Ducks Wire reporter Zachary Neel makes a key point that the Pac-12 wants Colorado to go against conference telecasts to make sure it gets the best possible attention for Colorado games this year.

SEPTEMBER 30: USC vs. TROJANS

November 11, 2022; Los Angeles, California, United States; Southern California Trojans’ Will Rose (36) celebrates his two-point conversion against the Colorado Buffaloes with tight end Malcolm Epps (19) during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Coach Primes first Pac-12 home game will be against USC. This is no accident. The conference wanted this.

OCTOBER 7: ARIZONA STATE AT SUN DEVILS

November 25, 2022; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils running back Xazavian Valladay (1) faces Arizona Wildcats cornerback Christian Roland-Wallace (4) in the Territorial Cup at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Two first-year head coaches meet. ASU has first-year head coach Kenny Dillingham.

OCTOBER 13: VS STANFORD CARDINAL

September 3, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal center Drake Metcalf (55) picks up wide receiver Mudia Reuben (0) after scoring in the fourth quarter against the Colgate Raiders at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

This is Coach Primes best goal in a Pac-12 win. He might be able to beat Arizona State and a few other teams, but this is one game Colorado should fully expect to win. Stanford also has a new head coach, Troy Taylor.

OCTOBER 28: UCLA at BRUINS

November 19, 2022; Pasadena, California, United States; UCLA Bruins quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (1) celebrates a touchdown during the first half against the Southern California Trojans in the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Coach Prime vs Chip Kelly should be fun to watch. Points are collected.

NOVEMBER 4: vs. OREGON STATE BEAVERS

October 30, 2021; Berkeley, California, USA; Oregon State Beavers head coach Jonathan Smith on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the California Golden Bears at FTX Field at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Shedeur Sanders vs. DJ Uiagalelei is a quarterback matchup. It will be fascinating.

NOVEMBER 11: vs. ARIZONA WILDCATS

1 October 2022; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback Jayden de Laura (7) smiles after playing in the first half against the Colorado Buffaloes at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports

Will Colorado and Arizona go to a bowl this season?

NOVEMBER 17: WASHINGTON STATE AT COUGARS

October 27, 2022; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars head coach Jake Dickert celebrates a touchdown against the Utah Utes during the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

What is Washington State’s ceiling in the loaded Pac-12? Colorado may be wondering what its own ceiling is. Where will these teams be in November when they meet?

NOVEMBER 25: UTAH, UTES

December 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, United States; The Utah Utes are introduced before playing the Southern California Trojans in the PAC-12 Football Championship at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Colorado was an easy win for Utah in recent years. That’s unlikely to happen in 2023, though the Utes remain a solid favorite.

This story originally appeared on Trojans Wire