Colorado likely headed to Alamo Bowl after Arizona State wins Big 12

Coach Prime and the Buffs expected to take over San Antonio to end the year

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes concluded their 2024 college football season with a strong 9-3 record, including a 7-2 mark in Big 12 play. In just his second year as head coach, Deion Sanders has revitalized the program, steering Colorado to the brink of a conference title game appearance. Despite narrowly missing out on the Big 12 Championship Game due to a four-way tiebreaker with BYU, Iowa State, and eventual champion Arizona State, the Buffaloes are poised for a bowl game appearance.

With Arizona State securing a 45-19 victory in the Big 12 Championship Game and clinching a College Football Playoff berth, the Buffaloes are the likely choice to represent the Pac-12 legacy schools in the Alamo Bowl. This prestigious San Antonio-based bowl has traditionally featured matchups between a Big 12 school and a Pac-12 legacy school. The Buffs, along with Arizona State, maintain ties to the Pac-12's bowl agreements despite their transition to the Big 12, making Colorado a strong contender for the Alamo Bowl selection.

Colorado’s bowl opponent will likely be either BYU or Iowa State, both of whom finished the regular season at 10-2 with 7-2 records in Big 12 play. Interestingly, the Buffaloes did not face either team during the regular season, setting the stage for a fresh and intriguing postseason matchup.

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This marks just the third bowl appearance for Colorado in the past 17 seasons, with all three occurring at the Alamo Bowl. Unfortunately, the Buffs have struggled in their previous outings, losing 38-8 to Oklahoma State in 2016 and 55-23 to Texas in 2020. Their history at the Alamo Bowl dates back to 2002, when they fell to Wisconsin in a dramatic overtime contest, 31-28.

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Overall, the Buffaloes have a 12-18 record in bowl games and are looking to end a four-game postseason losing streak. Their last bowl victory came in the 2004 Houston Bowl, a 33-28 win over UTEP. Fans can look forward to the official announcement of the Alamo Bowl matchup on Sunday at Noon ET, following the College Football Playoff rankings reveal. The game is set for Dec. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.