Coach Prime leads Colorado with raised expectations in second year

Colorado kicked off last season by shocking the world, but no one will raise an eyebrow if the Buffaloes start this season with another win.

The big picture: The Buffs will welcome Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) powerhouse North Dakota State to a Thursday night showdown at Folsom Field.

State of play: It's a game that, at least on paper, the Buffs should win.

• The Bison play in the second tier of college football, but they aren't cupcakes: The team has won nine FCS national championships since 2011.

Flashback: Longtime Buff fans will recall CU's memorable losses against FCS schools, including Sacramento State in 2012 and Montana State in 2006 — both in Boulder.

Context: Second-year head coach Deion Sanders — who made headlines recently over CU's decision to ban a Denver Post columnist from asking questions — is still as boastful as ever despite a 4-8 finish in 2023 .

• Sanders added former NFL coaches Robert Livingston and Pat Shurmur to his staff as offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively.

What they're saying: "I love what I'm seeing on a day-to-day basis, not only from the players but from the staff as well," Sanders told reporters during a Sunday press conference .

• "I'm surrounded by a bunch of pros who know how to attack the game."

The bottom line: Starting the season with a win is no longer the exception, it's the expectation for the Buffs, who are newly in the Big 12 this season and guided by a coach whose optimism hasn't waned.

What's next: The 6pm game will appear on ESPN.