Colorado football preseason offensive MVP predictions for 2026

Colorado is one of the interesting case studies in college football. An overhauled roster, including at the quarterback position, but a team led by Deion Sanders that still seems to have a ton of talent. There is a lot of new around the program, which creates mixed expectations heading into a pivotal year for Colorado football.

The offense is one of those new pieces with the hiring of Brennan Marion as offensive coordinator and him bringing his trademark Go-Go offense to Boulder. Several potential candidates could emerge as statistical leaders, but which will be most crucial to this year’s offense?

After sharing our bold predictions for the Buffaloes this season, the time has come to give our predictions for the team’s offensive MVP.

Here is what we had to say about Colorado’s offensive MVP for the 2026 season:

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Ariana Pensy: This is a rather unoriginal answer, but Colorado’s top offensive player this season will be quarterback Julian Lewis. Lewis was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school, and while he saw minimal action as a true freshman last season, he is now going to be Colorado’s starting quarterback this year. In the four games he appeared in last season, Lewis had 589 passing yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. His first start was against West Virginia, and while the Buffaloes ultimately lost, he was named the Big 12 quarterback of the week. Overall, it does not seem like Lewis is going to disappoint fans this year and could help Colorado win some close games this year.

Charlie Strella: Lewis is an unoriginal pick, as my colleague points out, but quarterback is the most important position in sports, and Colorado, unlike last year, has one that everyone around the program can feel confident in. A true workhorse running back and notable offensive lineman may have changed my mind, but the Buffs do not have either, and Lewis is the easy choice.

CU has a bunch of talented wide receivers, but if they cannot get the ball, they are fairly useless. Even an average season from Lewis should vault the Buffs into the bowl game conversation, and anything more than average should only produce more wins.

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James Carnes: I think Joseph Williams takes a big leap in this offense. His quickness and separation ability out of the slot make him the most reliable target for Julian Lewis.

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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado football preseason offensive MVP predictions for 2026