Who are the Colorado Buffaloes this season? It’s like watching a team that forgot how to play football. Just a few months back, they were flexing 9‑4 in 2024, feeling like they’re on top of the world, and now in big 2025? 1‑2 and stumbling out the gate. Big 12 opponent Houston straight-up ran through them. Brent Key’s run-game ran a train on Colorado’s defense, and even the 31-7 dub against unranked Delaware wasn’t impressive by any means. And now, the frustrations are getting louder in Boulder. The strongest sign did not come from Deion Sanders, instead it came from defensive line coach George Helow, who made it crystal clear: the losing is eating at this staff.

On September 19, Helow, who is also the Buffs’ run-game coordinator, wasn’t holding back on Thee DNVR Pregame Show. The host asked if the urgency around the team was real, and Helow fired back like he’d been waiting all week for that question. “I mean, no one likes getting their butt kicked, you know? And everybody should be ticked off about it. I know I am. You high achievers don’t like mediocre people and mediocre people don’t like high achievers.” He humbly reminded everyone of his multiple championships to show he knows what winning feels like.

Helow dug deeper, talking about standards. “When you’re around stuff like that, you have very high expectations and standards, and it’s not okay to lose. It’s not okay to not fix the problems that have gone on and, you know, I’m ready to get it right, and I’m looking forward.” Helow also touched on the human side too: “It’s putting your arm around, you know, your players, and saying, hey, man, I believe in you.” His message was clear. Losing isn’t normal, and mediocrity isn’t acceptable.

Colorado’s defense has been the team’s weak spot so far, giving up 320 rushing yards to Georgia Tech in the opener and another 200-plus to Houston. George Helow’s job is to fix the run defense, but what he’s really driving at goes beyond schemes.

He’s demanding urgency in a locker room that’s starting to feel the sting of disappointment. Every player has to own their role and hold themselves accountable if Colorado wants to turn things around this season.

Colorado struggles all over the field

It only took 2 weeks of football to figure it out that Colorado is nowhere near the team they were last season. Losing Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter to the NFL has left holes this roster can’t cover. They sit at 1‑2, scoring 23.7 points per game while allowing 23.3, a barely break-even mark that screams mediocrity rather than contender status. Yardage tells an even harsher story: the offense averages 334 yards per game, but the defense was selling the game by gifting up 430.

The ground game is one of the biggest red flags. Colorado has managed just 372 rushing yards and five scores in three games. Opponents? They’ve piled up 613 and six scores. And it’s not just the backs hurting them. Quarterbacks like Haynes King and Conner Weigman have turned games into nightmares, combining for 239 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the Buffs. When you can’t set the edge or contain QBs, you’re basically letting opponents dictate pace from the first snap.

Even with backup Ryan Staub, their passing numbers were down. The Buffs have thrown for 631 yards, four TDs, and two picks. But the defense has given up 677 yards and four scores right back. The yards-per-play gap (5.3 on offense, 6.1 allowed) shows why Colorado’s always chasing instead of calling the shots. They’re only hitting 37% on third downs, opponents are clicking at 38.5%, and the other team’s holding the ball over four more minutes a game. It’s a bunch of small leaks stacking up, and the Buffs are bleeding out snap by snap.

Right now, things in Boulder feel heavy. The Buffaloes aren’t getting blown out, but they’re not winning either. Helow’s fire and Deion’s blunt honesty are a reminder this team has more in them than they’ve shown. Until that energy turns into stops, touchdowns, and real wins, the locker room carries a weight only success can lift.