It’s not easy being at Colorado football right now. For starters, they have to brave the scrutiny for entering 2026 with a 3-9 finish. And now, they are being made fun of for their height. Amid fans having a laugh about the Buffs looking seemingly smaller, the team has an answer.

It all started when a clip from CU’s spring game started circulating, which showed the Colorado players walking onto the field. But fans took notice of all of them looking much smaller than the average college football team. One person even commented that this is a “high school” team. But the Buffs are taking those digs up in stride.

In a video shared by LockedOnBuffs, CU players were giving it back to the trolls. “‘We the Smallest team in America,'” Bo Hughley said mockingly. “I’m 6’7″ and 305!”

Even Julian Lewis replied to it with sarcasm, saying, “Sorry, when we came out with our skill guys, you know. Our speed guys are not as tall as most of them. It’s always tough being on the smallest team in America.” Defensive back Ben Finneseth also echoed a similar thought.

Let’s be real here. Ben Finneseth, who is 6’2” and 205 lbs, hold a strong build for a defensive back. Then there’s Bo Hughley, who is plenty tall and big for a left tackle. Even Julian Lewis, who is 6’1” and 190 lbs, is a normal size for a young quarterback. He has a few more inches on former Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, who is 5’9″.

Out of the 98 players listed on Colorado’s roster online, only 24 are below 6 feet in height. There are 14 who are 6′ 5″ and taller. The tallest on the team is offensive lineman Leon Bell, who is 6′ 8″ and 330 lbs. More than 30 of the 98 are on the lighter side, weighing less than 200 lbs. But the rest being on the other side is a sign that this is a balanced team.

Colorado football has to beat down a lot of noise this season. As of now, 2026 is still a big unknown because of there being so many new faces in the team and the staff. But their performance in the annual spring game presents a hopeful picture. Regardless of height, these players have gelled into a cohesive unit.

What went down at the Black and Gold game

Following a dismal 2025 season, fans did not have a lot of hope. Much of Folsom Field was empty, but some still cheered on for their favorites. But the team looked in much better shape than before in the annual spring game. The highlight of the game came from Julian Lewis, who threw the game’s only pass to transfer WR Danny Scudero. Lewis’ Gold team defeated the Black team, which came up with two field goals.

Transfers stood out a lot during the game. Scudero himself emerged as a great target for Lewis. Sacramento State transfer RB Damian Henderson II also showed promise, bursting through the opposing defense for a 30-yard gain. On the defense, Tennessee transfer Boo Carter was also drawing some attention with his tackles.

Rookie defensive back Mojo Williams Jr. also made a name for himself, intercepting QB Isaac Wilson’s pass in the second half to end the game. Even though the score was a low 7-6 (there were also situational reps going on in between), this team had much more rhythm than what was last season.

“We know what we have,” Deion Sanders said after practice. “We know what we need to work on. Guys understand where they stand.”

We’ll have to wait until the opener to see if a varied-heighted Colorado is able to break free from its slump. Until then, they will have to brave whatever fans throw their way.