Once again the Colorado Buffaloes will draw more eyeballs for their next game.

But for three new reasons when looking closely at their Big 12 Conference opener vs. Baylor. From coach Deion Sanders to a look down their roster, here are the three things to watch closely on the Buffaloes' side down in Waco, Texas.

Team Chemistry Will Draw New Scrutiny Following Deion Sanders Move

The biggest conversation following the 41-7 loss to Northwestern wasn't the on-field play. It was what Sanders did afterwards.

He addressed laughter from his players by removing three names from the 2026 Colorado roster. Sanders confirmed that the Buffaloes will have a slightly retweaked roster ahead of the Baylor game.

But now comes this from Colorado: How the Buffaloes' team bond looks before and during the contest inside McLane Stadium.

Perhaps the chemistry and communication becomes stronger than ever following the first three games. Or, Colorado comes out looking even more undisciplined and disorganized amid the abrupt changes.

Sanders, however, is backing his decision to boot off the three players for what he described as "conduct detrimental to the team." He also believes he should've done this last season but allowed it to linger inside the locker room. Once again, fans should observe if Colorado comes out with a more tighter bond against Baylor.

How Julian Lewis Responds, Including Outside of Passing

The quarterback Lewis is fresh off delivering his worst outing of his young Colorado career. Which featured multiple takeaways and new criticism from analysts.

The Sept. 26 road contest presents more than a chance for Lewis to redeem himself.

This is a game where Lewis can show off an improved leadership side. Especially since Sanders brought that up during his press conference on Sept. 22.

The Baylor contest becomes the perfect storm to lift Colorado out of early adversity following a rough outing in its last game. But also rises as Lewis' biggest chance to show his leadership side that's yet to be seen. He's leading the Buffaloes now during a time three of Lewis' teammates have been removed from the roster. So this road contest earns Lewis a chance to raise more than his play another level, but also his voice.

How Defense Responds to DJ Lagway, Plus Northwestern Outing

New defensive coordinator Chris Marve earned a week one game ball for drawing up a masterful plan to stop Georgia Tech's run defense. But Colorado has since surrendered 62 points in the last two games.

Now they'll have dynamic dual-threat quarterback DJ Lagway to deal with, who's officially probable to play for this matchup.

Lagway is one of the nation's most deadliest passers when it comes to arm strength plus creating in chaos. But Marve likely has seen Lagway at his worst, including developing sloppy feet when pressured.

The Sept. 26 showdown surfaces as the most crucial outing of the season for the Buffaloes. This is their chance to prove they'll be among the Big 12's best defenses and that the Northwestern game now becomes an afterthought. Perhaps this is also the game where Marve unloads literally everything from blitzes to lineman twists to rattle Lagway. Colorado surely needs its defense to step up big in order to show the Buffaloes belong in the early conference title conversation.

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