College football Week 3 buzz: Colorado contending, upsets, more - ESPN

We've reached Week 3 of the season, and the Colorado Buffaloes remain the epicenter of the sport. But are they legit Pac-12 contenders? Before we really get answers with games against the Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans, CU hosts its in-state rivals, the Colorado State Rams.

The Buffaloes' starting quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, has been one of the most talked-about QB transfers, but he's not the only transfer player who is off to a hot start.

While Week 3 might be light on high-profile games, it could be the perfect opportunity for some unexpected things to happen.

We asked college football insiders Heather Dinich and Adam Rittenberg for insight on the hottest topics of the week, including what storylines we should be talking more about and what predictions we've already gotten wrong.

Jump to a section:
Colorado contending?
Under-the-radar storylines
Regrettable predictions
Transfer treasures | Upset picks
Emptying the notebook

Rittenberg: Colorado's case as a contender likely will hinge on how it fares against No. 13 Oregon (road) and No. 5 USC (home) later this month, but the Buffaloes have undoubtedly added to the nation's deepest league after going 1-11 in 2022. «Everyone chalked up Colorado as a win,» a Pac-12 coach said. «They've erased that. There's only a couple teams with two Power 5 wins, so I respect the hell out of them.» The respect extends to quarterback Shedeur Sanders in particular, as the Jackson State transfer and son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders has been poised and productive early on. «He's been the key to their two victories,» Colorado State coach Jay Norvell said. «The games are pretty even, and really, TCU and Nebraska won a lot of areas, when you look at special teams and rushing offense. The