Colorado will have a very tough start to Pac-12 play in 2023, according to a report.

Per Pac-12 insider John Canzano, Colorado will open conference play at Oregon on Sept. 23. The Buffs will then host USC the following week. Oregon and USC are arguably the most talented teams in the Pac-12 entering the 2023 season.

Colorado has a tough nonconference slate as well. It opens the season against national runner-up TCU on the road. Then it will face Nebraska and rival Colorado State at home to round out its nonconference schedule.

It’s a very tough start for Deion Sanders in his first season at the helm. Sanders has been aggressive in the transfer portal so far this offseason and that is expected to continue.

In 2022, Colorado went 1-11 — matching its worst season in program history. Sanders will be tasked with significantly improving that mark in Year 1.

Per Canzano’s report, the Pac-12’s schedule has been finalized and will be announced later this week. The other teams on Colorado’s schedule are already known: Arizona State, Arizona, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, Utah and Washington State.

Colorado has not won 6+ games in a season since 2016.