Colorado football report card following Week 2 victory over Delaware

The Colorado Buffaloes took the field for their second game of the 2025 season this Saturday, facing off against the Delaware Blue Hens. Entering the matchup as heavy favorites by more than 20 points, the Buffs found themselves in an early battle, holding just a three-point lead for much of the second quarter.

Evaluating individual performances proved challenging, as the game felt like a tale of two quarterbacks. Some players thrived with Ryan Staub under center, while others made their mark when Kaidon Salter led the offense.

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Ultimately, what mattered most was the outcome. Colorado pulled away in the second half and secured a 31-7 victory over Delaware, improving to 1-1 on the season.

Here is the report card from the Buffs’ week 1 game:

Quarterback

Grade: Incomplete but B+?

Kaidon Salter got the start for Colorado and was efficient early, completing 12 of 15 passes for 80 yards while adding 30 rushing yards and a touchdown on four carries. However, head coach Deion Sanders decided to give freshman Julian Lewis a few series to gain experience (a decision Sanders made earlier this week). That move didn’t go as planned. Lewis struggled to find rhythm with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, and the offense stalled with the Buffs clinging to a narrow 10-7 lead.

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Looking to spark the offense, Sanders turned to third-string quarterback Ryan Staub—and the decision paid off quickly. Just before halftime, Staub connected with Dekalon Taylor on a 21-yard touchdown strike, giving Colorado much-needed momentum heading into the break. He kept the energy going in the third quarter with a perfectly placed 71-yard touchdown pass to Sincere Brown along the sideline.

Staub finished his relief appearance, going 7 of 10 for 157 yards and two touchdowns before Salter returned to the game early in the fourth quarter. It was a strange afternoon under center for Colorado, filled with puzzling quarterback rotations, but in the end, the Buffs did enough to secure the win.

Running Backs

Grade: C+

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The running back unit was another group that proved challenging to evaluate, primarily due to the rotation at quarterback and the differing play styles of each signal caller. The Buffaloes relied on a committee approach in the backfield, with Simeon Price, Dekalyon Taylor, and Micah Welch handling the bulk of the carries.

Price led the way with nine rushes for 55 yards, while Taylor added 48 yards on seven attempts. Welch had seven carries for just 14 yards but did find the end zone. Quarterback Kaidon Salter also contributed on the ground, picking up 25 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, including a scoring run in the first quarter.

Overall, it was a serviceable day for the run game, but given the level of competition, more was expected. Against an FCS opponent, the hope was to see a more dominant performance on the ground.

Receivers and Tight Ends

Grade: B

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Sincere Brown, Joseph Williams and DeKalon Taylor all turned in solid performances against the Blue Hens, each finishing with four receptions. Brown led the group with a breakout day, racking up 120 yards and a touchdown. Williams added 55 yards through the air, while Taylor chipped in 49 yards and a score of his own.

Tight ends played a minimal role in the passing game, seeing limited targets and focusing more on blocking duties throughout the contest.

In total, Colorado’s pass catchers combined for 22 receptions, 267 yards, and two touchdowns. Much of that production came after Ryan Staub entered the game and gave the passing attack a noticeable boost. Without his impact, this unit likely would have graded out much lower.

Defense

Grade: C-

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The Buffaloes’ defense had an up-and-down performance against Delaware. While the scoreboard shows they allowed just one touchdown, the box score doesn’t tell the whole story. Colorado struggled with tackling throughout the game, giving up several big runs and allowing short passes—particularly quick slants & screens—to turn into chunk plays.

Despite those issues, the defense came up with timely plays to shift momentum. They forced three turnovers, including a fourth-quarter interception by RJ Johnson. Martavius French and Keaten Wade each recorded a sack, while Jeremiah Brown led the unit with eight total tackles.

It was a performance that had its bright spots, but also raised some concerns, especially considering the nearly 400 yards of offense surrendered to an FCS opponent.

Special Teams

Grade: A

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Junior punter Damon Greaves delivered another outstanding performance for Colorado, continuing to be a key weapon in the field position battle. He punted five times, averaging an impressive 50.2 yards per kick, including two placed inside the 20 and a long of 67 yards.

Kicker Alejandro Mata was also reliable, converting his only field goal attempt from 28 yards out. On special teams, the Buffs made a major impact with a blocked punt in the third quarter, setting up the offense with excellent field position. For the second straight week, this unit stood out as the most consistent and effective group on the field for Colorado.

Coaching

Grade: C

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Deion Sanders made a bold move late in the first half, benching both Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis in favor of third-string quarterback Ryan Staub. At the time, it seemed like a questionable decision, but it ultimately sparked the offense and finally gave the Buffaloes some much-needed rhythm. Staub was sharp from the moment he stepped on the field, delivering big throws and steadying the offense.

But just as Staub was finding his groove, Sanders made another surprising call—putting Salter back in to start the fourth quarter. It was a puzzling move, especially considering Staub had all the momentum. The offense under Salter struggled immediately, and whatever rhythm Staub had helped establish was quickly lost.

While it’s clear that the quarterback competition is still ongoing, this game highlighted the importance of consistency at the position—especially as conference play approaches. Staub brought stability and production when the team needed it most, and it’s hard to ignore that impact. Resources may be invested in Salter and Lewis, but based on what we saw today, Staub appears to be the quarterback who gives Colorado the best chance to win moving forward.

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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Grading Colorado football’s performance vs. Delaware