With Rick George moving up the ladder to become the special advisor for the Colorado Buffaloes, Deion Sanders and the Buffs were quick to fill the athletic director position with someone the team has had its eye on this entire season. The new AD walked in with a ‘vision’ to change the current state of the Buffs.

The new AD is none other than the University of New Mexico’s Fernando Lovo. He has come in with a blueprint for the Colorado Buffaloes. He spoke to the media during a news conference to share his plans for the Buffs moving forward.

“We have over 300,000 alumni, and that’s a powerful statement, and we need our donor base to grow, right?” AD Fernando Lovo said. “We need those alumni, whether they’re here in Colorado or in California or on the East Coast. They got to be engaged, and that starts with me. We’ve got to sell a vision.”

“We’ve got to get out because if we can all come together, if we can all be united, I really, truly believe that championships are going to become the norm here, and that’s our expectation.”

One issue that Lovo needs to tackle immediately is Colorado’s $27 million deficit for the 2026 fiscal year. The biggest reason for the projected deficit is $20.5 million for players (the maximum amount that Colorado University can pay its students) and $10 million for Deion Sanders’ salary. Those numbers are not final, as the athletic department hopes to reduce them through donations. But if they are unable to do so, then the University will need more than $41 million to fund their team.

It is safe to say that his tenure at New Mexico has been nothing short of successful. The Lobos won eight Mountain West titles in 2025, the most by any conference school. Because he is also going to join forces with an NFL legend, Lovo is convinced that Colorado will get a championship berth in the 2026 season.

Lovo brings in his connection with New Mexico and the business relationships he built during his time there, and they can help him generate program revenue. On top of it, his ability to flip top talent like Jason Eck can be an add-on. He also got Erin Olen as New Mexico’s basketball head coach, who opened his tenure at 10-2.

What’s interesting is that even Lovo’s contract comes with a to-do list. Lovo’s five-year contract pays him a whomping $1.2 million per year, which is the highest for any AD in Colorado’s history. But if he can raise $25 million in donations by June 30, 2027, then he will earn a $200,000 bonus. He could also get another $250,000 if he raises $40 million by 2030.

Sanders and Colorado seemed to have been eyeing the young AD for a while now. They were impressed with his track record as the Lobo’s AD. The New Mexico Football team has had a successful 2025 season. They ended the regular season with nine wins and four losses overall, with six wins and two losses in their conference. They are ranked number two in the Midwest.

It is also to be noted that Lovo didn’t even take an official visit to Boulder before joining them.

“This was just a perfect opportunity for me and for my family,” Lovo said. “Colorado is a beautiful place with beautiful people, and Boulder is unbelievable. It’s breathtaking here, and this is a place that we’re excited to be at, and I can’t wait to get to work and continue to build on the great foundation that Rick’s already established here.”

While Lovo’s main focus is on the financial and structural future of the Buffs, Deion Sanders is looking to improve his roster and is targeting key players in the transfer portal.

Deion Sanders eyes two major portal targets

Deion Sanders quickly addressed the roster gap after a disappointing nine-loss season. He emphasized urgency and prioritized proven production over hype. First, he got in San Jose State receiver Danny Scudero, who can take up the charge immediately, and now he’s targeting familiar talent from the Big 12.

He and Colorado are pursuing former Texas Longhorns running back CJ Baxter and wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg reported that Baxter has a Boulder visit scheduled between January 6 and 7. Baxter does bring in an immediate boost to the running back room. Despite battling with a few injuries, he has recorded 659 rushing yards along with five touchdowns in 2024.

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But a crowded depth chart stalled his progress at Texas. Now, Baxter won’t come alone, as DeAndre Moore Jr. plans to join him in Boulder during the same visiting window. Even Moore brings in excellence. He produced 77 receptions for 988 yards and 11 touchdowns across two seasons. He is also drawing interest from Ohio State. Together, Baxter and Moore combined for 1,843 yards and 16 touchdowns.

With 30 players entering the transfer portal, Deion Sanders needed this push badly. Now, let’s wait and see if these visits can turn things around for them or not.