The CU Buffs have a better overall football roster than a year ago. I would say the floor is seven wins and the ceiling’s 11. But if betting, I would guess 9-3.

– Dan, sko Buffs!

Kiz: Coach Prime prints money for CU the way Coors makes beer. By the barrel. Sanders has made it hip to be a Buffs fan. And that’s way cool. But the reality is our fair state only worships the football team that plays on Sunday in Denver. Without Travis Hunter or the Son of Prime in the Colorado huddle, it’s more realistic to expect these Buffs will win somewhere between five and seven games. Go 5-7 and Neon Deion might discover something he’d abhor: What it’s like to be ignored.

The Broncos’ running game has been bad to mediocre for two seasons under Sean Payton. Expect more of the same in 2025.

– Chris, Denver

Kiz: At the outset of training camp, Payton declared even knuckleheads like me would be able to accurately evaluate the running backs during preseason. Well, my eyes tell me: J.K. Dobbins better stay healthy, or the Denver running game could again be a troublesome issue. The head-nodders who report Payton’s every word as gospel have told you RJ Harvey is special. Well, maybe there is star power hidden somewhere in his anvil-sized thighs. But we’ve seen scant actual proof of it. Would it be unfair to mention that at age 24, Harvey is 31 months older than Audric Estime, already declared a bust by the head-nodders? Here’s hoping Harvey gets a longer grace period, because he might well need it.

Trading Devaughn Vele to New Orleans for two future draft picks was a solid move. Undoubtedly, the Broncos got the better end of the deal. The Saints are getting a highly competent, disciplined receiver that a Denver team loaded with talent didn’t have room for.

– A bro, Denver

Kiz: Can I call you bruh? OK, bruh, you speak some truth and some nonsense. By securing both a fourth- and seventh-round pick for Vele, it seems Payton did his old friends in Nawlins dirty. So good on the Broncos for a savvy move. But I’m going to say it until quarterback Bo Nix and his mates prove me wrong. Slow your roll on the notion Denver is an offensive juggernaut. Too many data points, whether the evidence has been collected against Pat Surtain and the nasty Broncos D in practice or witnessed during a dress rehearsal against the sorry Saints, indicate Nix might be wise beyond his years, but has yet to graduate from the NFL’s school of hard knocks.

And today’s parting shot gives the Rockies an easy way out with general manager Bill Schmidt.

Seeing as Rockies owner Dick Monfort likes to promote from within, why not make Clint Hurdle the president of baseball operations and let him pick his own G.M. and manager? Hurdle knows what it takes to win in Colorado, probably better than anyone. This move might force Monfort to give up some of his micro-managing, but maybe he could build another party deck in his newfound spare time. Party on, Dick!

– Steve, fellow knucklehead