In Colorado’s efforts to protect quarterback Shedeur Sanders this season, the Buffs’ starting offensive linemen delivered in their first game against North Dakota State.

Jordan Seaton, Justin Mayers, Hank Zilinskas, Kahlil Benson and Tyler Brown allowed Sanders to play in a clean pocket for the majority of the evening last Thursday against the Bison. Some plays broke down, of course, and there were moments when Sanders had to scramble in order to connect with his receivers, but overall, he came out of the game unscathed with just two QB hurries and one sack.

“For the first game as a unit, I think it was like a couple of pressures, I heard and one sack. The goal is to have no sacks a game,” Mayers said on Tuesday. "Compared to last year, I know it's like night and day I've heard, compared to the old lines. But we're not worried about last year, worried about this year and setting the tone.”

Mayers is correct, at least for the first-game, as last year’s offensive line allowed four sacks (loss of 32 yards) and two QB hurries against TCU. The Horned Frogs, the national runner-up in 2022, and NDSU, an FCS team, consist of very different personnel and talent, but despite the teams being disparate, Colorado’s 2024 offensive line has shown it's a much different and improved unit with a new mindset.