On September 16, 2023, everything was fine in Boulder, Colorado.
After a thrilling overtime win over Colorado State, Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes led 3-0, ranked 19th and were the talk of the college football world.
But just a week later, the Buffaloes were defeated by the Oregon Ducks and their great success and season were wiped out at lightning speed.
That 42-6 loss was the beginning of an incredible collapse last fall. Sanders and Colorado finished the season 4-8 and Buffs fans were left wondering how it all went wrong.
Although each new season is a fresh start, it appears that the lack of momentum from 2023 has carried over into 2024, as evidenced by Colorado’s lackluster performance against Nebraska on Saturday.
Matt Rhule and the Cornhuskers deserve credit for an impressive 28-10 victory, but Colorado’s lack of intensity and physicality was painfully obvious on a night when Sanders could only watch helplessly.
Sanders earned his flowers for his time as head coach at Jackson State from 2020-2022, but if it wasn’t obvious in 2023 that he’s not ready for the spotlight of Power Four football, Saturday’s game was just another example of that.
It’s not like Colorado would still be fielding players from its 1-11 roster in 2022. Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are both potential NFL prospects, and Sanders’ reputation as a football legend has attracted a number of talented players capable of winning games in the Big 12.
Unfortunately, whether it was due to culture, tangible issues with the coaching staff or a lack of experience in big games, Sanders and the Buffs have failed to produce results since September 2023. A weak 31-26 season-opening win over North Dakota State did little to quell doubts in Boulder, and Saturday’s result only reinforced the notion that Colorado simply isn’t built to be a championship contender.
It may be true that a coach with only 14 games under his belt at a Power Four school shouldn’t be scrutinized as much, but when a program is as hyped and promoted as Colorado’s, that’s just a perk (or a drawback, depending on the outcome) of the job.
The only way for Sanders and Colorado to regain their credibility? Win football games. They have a home game against Colorado State next Saturday and also face Big 12 heavyweights Kansas State, Utah and Oklahoma State.
The Buffs still have time to turn this season around, but Sanders’ honeymoon is officially over.
