Deion Sanders likely won’t be bringing up his latest home opener against an FCS opponent at this year’s Big 12 media days.

Two years ago in Las Vegas, while on the main stage at Allegiant Stadium, Coach Prime said what everyone was thinking about his Colorado team’s 2024 season opener against FCS powerhouse North Dakota State.

“I’m mad at (athletic director) Rick (George) right now for putting them on the schedule, to open up with them. Like, can you give me a layup or something?” Sanders said with a laugh.

Nothing is a layup for the Buffaloes after a 3-9 season. But it’s safe to say CU should win the Sept. 12 home opener against Weber State, a program that has struggled since coach Jay Hill left after the 2022 season.

It will be the first meeting between the Buffs and Wildcats. Here’s everything you need to know about the first team to visit Boulder this fall:

2025 in review

Hill, a longtime Utah assistant under Kyle Whittingham, took over the program in 2014 and led it to its most successful run in history, including six FCS playoff berths in nine seasons and four straight Big Sky titles from 2017 to 2020.

The Wildcats went 14-21 in the following three seasons, including a second straight 4-8 campaign in 2025, under coach Mickey Mental, who was the offensive coordinator in 2022 before being promoted following Hill’s departure to BYU.

Mental was fired after 10 games last fall with Weber State in the midst of another rough showing in Big Sky play. The Wildcats started 1-6 before grabbing a home win over Northern Arizona to close the season under an interim coach.

The Wildcats lost 48-3 at Arizona in their only game against an FBS opponent, and their last win over an FBS team was a 35-7 victory at Utah State in 2022.

Offseason storylines

Weber State went in an unconventional direction in its latest coaching search and landed on a unique candidate, Eric Kjar, a longtime high school coach in Utah.

A Wyoming native who played at Division II Wayne State in Nebraska in the early 2000s, Kjar has spent over two decades coaching high school football in the Salt Lake City area, first at Jordan High School in Sandy, and most recently at Corner Canyon in Draper since 2017.

Kjar quickly turned Corner Canyon into a powerhouse — not just in Utah, but across the country. His teams regularly appeared in the national rankings. He amassed a 112-10 record across eight seasons, including a Utah state record 48-game winning streak from 2018 to 2021 and six state titles.

His program sent plenty of players to the Division I ranks and has produced a pair of current NFL quarterbacks in former Broncos backup Zach Wilson and current Giants starter Jaxson Dart.

Now, he takes on his first college job at Weber State. It won’t be easy with not a lot of returning talent from last year and nearly 50 newcomers to acclimate. 

When Kjar’s team visits Boulder in Week 2, it won’t even be the Wildcats’ first trip to Colorado in 2026. They open their campaign at Northern Colorado on Aug. 29. 

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The Weber State Wildcats file

2025 record: 4-8 (2-6 Big Sky)

Head coach: Eric Kjar (1st season)

Defensive coordinator: Gavin Fowler (1st season)

Names to know: QB Devin Brown, RB Spencer Ferguson, WR Marvin Session, TE Ammon Munyer, DE Josh Hardy, DE Chevy Robinson, S Trevian Tribble