Deion Sanders Jr. on Colorado Not Receiving Vote in AP CFB Week 5 Poll: We Shouldn't
Sep 23, 2024
EUGENE, OR - SEPTEMBER 23: Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders talks with his son Deion Jr. on the field during a PAC-12 conference football game between the Colorado Buffaloes and Oregon Ducks on September 23, 2023 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
After a 3-1 start to the season, Colorado didn't receive any votes in the AP Poll, but head coach Deion Sanders' son, Deion Sanders Jr., admitted that the lack of votes is fair.
Sanders said on social media that the Buffs "shouldn't" be receiving votes in the AP Poll.
Colorado started the season with a win against North Dakota State before a blowout loss to Nebraska. The Buffs bounced back with wins against Colorado State last week and Baylor on Saturday.
The Buffs' win over North Dakota State seemed somewhat impressive at first, as the Bison are typically one of the best schools in the FCS. North Dakota State has clearly taken a step back this season though, facing a scare in Week 3 against ETSU.
A loss to Nebraska in Week 2 was somewhat expected with star freshman Dylan Raiola under center, though the game being so one-sided doesn't bode well for Colorado. The Buffs at least managed to pick up a 28-9 win over Colorado State in Week 3 after last season's double-overtime thriller, showing some signs of growth.
Colorado went down to the wire with Baylor on Saturday as quarterback Shedeur Sanders completed a Hail Mary as time expired to send the game to overtime, where the Buffaloes won thanks to Travis Hunter forcing a fumble out of the end zone.
While Colorado walked away with a win, it's not necessarily an impressive one as the Bears are expected to once again be near the bottom of the Big 12. A dominant win likely would have led Colorado to receive a few votes.
But the Buffs' hopes of being ranked this season are far from lost, as they'll have plenty of chances to pick up notable wins later on this year. After taking on UCF on Saturday, Colorado will get a date with No. 23 Kansas State, where a win could push it into the Top 25.
Deion Sanders, Colorado Get 0 Votes in AP College Football Poll After Huge Baylor Win
Sep 22, 2024
BOULDER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 21: Shedeur Sanders #2 of the Colorado Buffaloes runs on the field during the first quarter against the Baylor Bears at Folsom Field on September 21, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
The Colorado Buffaloes defeated the Baylor Bears on Saturday in a dramatic, thrilling overtime showdown. It wasn't enough to move voters for the Associated Press' Top-25 poll, however.
The Buffs remained unranked and didn't receive any votes in the Week 5 poll. That was the same as the Weeks 3 and 4 polls, when Colorado didn't receive a single vote.
The Buffaloes were also unranked coming into the season, though they received one vote in the preseason poll and one vote in Week 1. A 28-10 loss against Nebraska on Sept. 7 pushed them out of the minds of voters completely for a few weeks, however.
But Colorado is now 3-1 on the season after an incredible win over Baylor on Saturday night. Shedeur Sanders threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns, none more important than his final-play heave into the end zone that somehow was caught by LaJohntay Wester to force overtime.
The Buffs promptly scored on a touchdown plunge from Micah Welch in their first possession of overtime before Heisman candidate Travis Hunter forced a fumble at the goal line to end the contest.
It was a vintage victory for the Buffaloes, even if Baylor are just 2-2 on the season. But Colorado marked its return to the Big 12 in style.
Now, its fans will be wondering when—or if—the team will make its 2024 debut on the AP Top-25 poll. The Buffs will face UCF next week before going on a bye and then continuing its Big 12 schedule with a matchup against Kansas State on Oct. 12.
Video: Deion Sanders Apologizes to BU HC for Not Shaking Hands, Colorado Celebration
Sep 22, 2024
BOULDER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes runs on the field during the first quarter against the Baylor Bears at Folsom Field on September 21, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
The end of Saturday's game between Colorado and Baylor featured a stunning Hail Mary to force overtime, an incredible forced fumble at the goal line in the extra period to clinch the win for the Buffaloes and the chaos of two different field storms from the student section.
It's safe to say it wasn't easy for Colorado head coach Deion Sanders to find his counterpart in Dave Aranda and shake his hand amid the pandemonium, although he tried.
"I want to apologize to [be in] the position where we stormed the field and I didn't get an opportunity to go and shake the head coach's hand," Sanders told reporters (1:22 mark). "But I did try to go over to the locker room and wait it out until he came out. But I don't think they got the word to him."
Aranda was informed of the situation during his postgame press conference (eight-minute mark) and said he was unaware that Sanders attempted to find him:
The postgame scene was so chaotic because Colorado students stormed the field after what proved to be the winning play.
But that wasn't official until replay review confirmed as much.
Travis Hunter forced a Dominic Richardson fumble at the goal line in overtime with the Buffaloes leading by seven. The ball rolled out the back of the end zone for a touchback and Colorado win, which is why the students stormed the field.
Only officials had to review the play to see if Richardson crossed the goal line before losing control, which meant the students had to be cleared off the field. Once it was ruled a fumble, the field storm was back on.
"I don't like what transpired at the end of the game," Sanders said (1:45 mark). "But I love what transpired at the end of the game. We have a fanbase that's phenomenal. We have some young kids on this campus that love and breathe CU football, and I'm thankful. I walk the campus every day, and they give us so much love and respect and honor."
The second field storm was the end of a dramatic stretch that saw Shedeur Sanders force overtime with a Hail Mary to LaJohntay Wester on the final play of regulation. The Colorado offense maintained that momentum with a touchdown drive to start overtime, and then Hunter won the game with his defensive play.
Sanders ended up throwing for 341 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions while also scoring on the ground, and Hunter posted seven catches for 130 yards to go with his game-winning defensive play.
Deion Sanders may not have had the chance to shake Aranda's hand, but he does have a winning conference record for the first time in his Colorado tenure. It may only be one game with a number of challenging opponents ahead, but it was a game Buffaloes fans will surely never forget.
Video: Deion Sanders Blamed 'Horrible' Special Teams for Colorado Losing at HT to BU
Sep 22, 2024
BOULDER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes walks the field prior to the game against the Baylor Bears at Folsom Field on September 21, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
Saturday's dramatic 38-31 victory over Baylor ended up being arguably the most memorable and impactful win of the Deion Sanders era at Colorado, but it wasn't a celebration for the entire night.
After all, the Buffaloes found themselves trailing 24-17 at halftime in large part because of special teams blunders. And the head coach let them know about it during intermission.
"If our teams were special, we wouldn't be in this situation," Sanders said at halftime (28:25 mark). "Our special teams are horrible right now. Horrible right now. That's the reason we're in this situation. Special teams. You're supposed to be special."
Jamaal Bell scored a touchdown for Baylor on a 100-yard kickoff return in the first half. Josh Cameron also averaged 30.3 yards per punt return during the game and returned one for 54 yards.
It was a special teams performance to forget for the Buffaloes, but they probably did forget it by the end of the game.
Everyone probably did.
That's because they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with an incredible ending. With his team trailing by seven, Shedeur Sanders uncorked a Hail Mary in the final play of regulation that fell into the waiting hands of LaJohntay Wester.
Colorado started with the ball in overtime and scored on a Micah Welch touchdown run, and it appeared as if Baylor was going to respond with a touchdown of its own to force double-overtime.
However, Travis Hunter had other ideas.
The versatile star forced a Dominic Richardson fumble at the goal line, and it went out of bounds for a touchback. That clinched the win for Colorado, although the student section stormed the field before that was official and the play was still under review.
It was announced as a fumble and turnover after the crowd was cleared off the field, which prompted the second field storm of the evening.
The result was just the second conference win of the Sanders era at Colorado and some reason for optimism heading into the teeth of a Big 12 schedule that may not be as daunting as last year's Pac-12 slate that featured games against Oregon, USC, Oregon State, Arizona and others.
Sanders also knows his team has plenty to work on if it is going to build momentum from Saturday's win, and that improvement may start with special teams. Fortunately for his side, it survived the special teams mistakes this time that could prove costly in conference play down the line.
Video: Deion Sanders Told Colorado Players Not to Provoke Police After Win vs. Baylor
Sep 22, 2024
BOULDER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes walks on the field during the first quarter against the Baylor Bears at Folsom Field on September 21, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders advised his players to celebrate responsibly following a 38-31 overtime victory on Saturday night.
In his postgame speech inside the locker room, Sanders told his players they're "not gonna do nothing stupid tonight."
"Let's not get out there and do nothing crazy that would provoke the police to arrest you," he said, noting that that would result in a dismissal from the team (53:05 mark).
The Buffs had plenty to cheer about as they opened Big 12 play in victorious fashion. They trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half and needed LaJohntay Wester's 43-yard touchdown reception as time expired to force overtime.
Micah Welch's one-yard touchdown run gave Colorado the advantage in overtime before a fumble by Baylor's Dominic Richardson on 1st-and-goal doomed the Bears to defeat.
Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns while two-way star Travis Hunter had seven receptions for 130 yards along with three tackles.
Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter Electrify CFB Fans in Deion, Colorado's Win vs. Baylor
Sep 22, 2024
BOULDER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 21: Shedeur Sanders #2 of the Colorado Buffaloes runs with the ball for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Baylor Bears at Folsom Field on September 21, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
Colorado improved to 3-1 on Saturday with a 38-31 win over Baylor in overtime that had no shortage of excitement.
The Buffs and Bears traded blows throughout regulation and Baylor mounted what it hoped would be a game-winning drive in the final minutes. Shedeur Sanders had other plans, though, as the quarterback led Colorado on a miraculous final drive that ended with a 43-yard Hail Mary to LaJohntay Wester as time expired. The Buffs sank the field goal to send the game to overtime.
In overtime, Colorado scored first putting the pressure on Baylor. While the Bears managed to get the ball to the goal line, two-way star Travis Hunter forced a fumble to seal the win for the Buffs.
GUESS WHO DISLODGED THE BALL AND SAVED THE GAME -- TRAVIS HUNTER, WITH HIS SHOULDER INTO THE BALLCARRIER AT THE 1 YARD LINE. WHAT A GAME FOR HIM AND SHEDEUR.
Shedeur Sanders is the best QB in College Football. Travis Hunter is the best player in College Football Travis and Shedeur should be 1 & 2 on all Heisman watchlist
The win marked Colorado's first victory in the Big 12 since 2010, which was the Buffs' final season in the conference before it departed for the Pac-12. Now back in the Big 12, Colorado is 1-0.
But the Buffaloes still have a tough conference schedule ahead of them and Saturday's opponent was relatively manageable compared to who they'll face moving forward. Next week, Colorado will face UCF before taking on No. 13 Kansas State after its bye week.
Video: Deion Sanders Says NFL Game 'More Suited' for Travis Hunter to Be 2-Way Player
Sep 21, 2024
FORT COLLINS, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 14: Travis Hunter #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes runs with the ball during the second quarter against the Colorado State Rams at Canvas Stadium on September 14, 2024 in Fort Collins, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders believes it will be easier for Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter to succeed at both wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL than it has been in the NCAA.
"The thing about Travis is, if you put him on, if he plays cornerback, and he's being dominant out there, and you sit up there and you can't move the ball at the next level, you're gonna say 'Well, my best receiver's on the sidelines, somebody come on'... Travis is a football player, and you can't have a football player on the sidelines," Sanders said Saturday on Fox Sports' Big Noon Kickoff (1:44 mark of the video below. "That's one kid that we know exactly what we're gonna get at practice, as well as in the game.
"And the pro game is much slower. Everybody goes to the huddle. There's no tempo. You don't hit anybody in practice, you barely hit anybody in the game now... the pro game is much more suited for Travis to do what he's doing now."
This is not the first time Sanders has professed his face that Hunter could succeed on both sides of the ball in the pros.
"Most teams you play, they run some type of a tempo or the transition is much greater than pros from snap to snap," Sanders said about Hunter's college play during a press conference last week, per USA Today's Brent Schrotenboer. "So with him getting that amount of rest, he cannot help but be a great pro."
Despite missing three full games last season, Hunter led the FBS in snaps played during his sophomore 2023 campaign as he competed on both sides of the ball for the Buffaloes.
That two-way dominance has continued in 2024. Most recently Hunter played 123 of 138 total snaps to help lead Colorado to a 28-9 win over Colorado State last Saturday, catching two touchdown passes as a wideout while recording an interception on defense.
Hunter recently told the Associated Press' Pat Graham that he has "equal" preference for playing at both wide receiver and cornerback.
Although CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz reported that some NFL scouts think that the intensity of the pros will prevent Hunter from playing more than 100 snaps her game at the next level, it sounds like both Sanders and Hunter plan for the cornerback/wideout to head into the 2025 NFL draft without deciding to specialize in either position over the other.
Ex-Colorado Coach Talks Pitching $10M Saudi Arabia NIL Deal for Deion Sanders' Team
Sep 20, 2024
BOULDER, CO - AUGUST 29: A Colorado Buffaloes helmet during the college football game between the North Dakota State Bison and the Colorado Buffaloes on August 29, 2024 at Folsom Field in Boulder, CO. (Photo by Kevin Langley/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The NIL rules have changed the way college football recruiting is handled, and a former Colorado assistant coach attempted a controversial method to help the Buffaloes on that front.
Trevor Reilly, who resigned from his position under Colorado head coach Deion Sanders on Aug. 1, explained to Jill Painter Lopez and A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports that he took a trip to Jordan, Dubai and Saudi Arabia seeking NIL money for Colorado players.
"I'm betting on myself," Reilly said, adding his aim was to "get more money so we can get better players. That's it. More money, better players. What else is there? We had no NIL money when we came there [before the 2022 season]."
A Colorado athletics department spokesperson told Painter and Lopez that Reilly "acted on his own accord," and he admitted that he funded the trip to the Middle East around Christmas last year himself. He said that part of the reason he left the Buffaloes staff was because of the university's unwillingness to commit more money to NIL, which would help improve the quality of recruits the football program would be able to pursue.
"I think Deion's getting f--ked," Reilly said. "We're asking him to do all this stuff and make all these miracles, and he only has $6 million [for NIL]. He brought it to the table, not them. There was no donor. There was donor fatigue. He shows up. They get this money. They haven't capitalized on it. All that emotion that that guy brings, all the celebrities, all the CEOs, and they don't get a single dollar."
The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia has provided millions of dollars to players, teams and leagues across many different sports like the LIV Golf Tour. The government has been accused of "sportswashing," which is when sports are used to distract from human rights violations and other unethical practices.
After an unsuccessful pitch in Jordan, Reilly eventually landed a meeting with PIF officials. He sent a pitch deck to a PIF executive that highlighted Sanders and his children Deion Jr., Shedeur, Shilo and Shelomi, as well as Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter. His pitch included a proposal for an investment of $10 million in the university's NIL collective.
"I said, 'Let's get together a formal proposal.' This is totally rough. Here is me showing up here and trying to make some s--t happen. And they understood it. They were like, 'Yeah, let's go,'" Reilly said.
Reilly ultimately never closed any deals for Colorado from his efforts in the Middle East. He said "things got weird" after he spoke to athletic department officials and some coaches, not including Sanders, about his trip.
"I didn't say Deion was going to do this, but I did say that he might be open to a conversation," Reilly said. "So that's something that I told them. I said, before we even go down any road with the collective, you guys need to decide if you want [the] Deion Sanders brand to be involved with that."
Reilly said another reason for his resignation from Colorado was when he was informed that his three children couldn't access the facility without being supervised the entire time. After his resignation, he was caught on camera getting into a physical altercation with a Buffaloes graduate assistant. He has since moved to Hawai'i and said he still roots for Sanders and Colorado.
"I will always defend him and always help him. I don't care what he says about me," Reilly said. "If he says he doesn't claim me or I'm this and that or I'm crazy, I don't care. Deion gets a pass. He gave me my first job."
Colorado's Deion Sanders: Reporters Are 'Jealous' of CFB Players Making More Money
Sep 18, 2024
FORT COLLINS, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 14: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes walks the field prior to the game against the Colorado State Rams at Canvas Stadium on September 14, 2024 in Fort Collins, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
Colorado football head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders believes some reporters are "envious and jealous" of college football players now in the NIL era because they make more money than them.
Sanders made his remarks to reporters at a Tuesday press conference.
"Once upon a time you guys never attacked college players, now they're making more money than y'all and some of y'all are envious and jealous about that so you're on the attack."
College athletes are certainly making well-deserved money these days after being shut out from doing so for so long. But the NIL era, which began in 2021, has allowed certain players to reach seven figures.
On Colorado, quarterback Shedeur Sanders has an NIL valuation of $5.1 million, per On3. And two-way star Travis Hunter sports a $3.1 million NIL valuation. Safety Shilo Sanders is at $1 million. Those three make up 34 high school or college athletes with seven-figure NIL valuations.
Colorado itself has attracted a lot of attention since the Sanders trio plus Hunter traveled to Boulder from Jackson State.
Some of it has been positive, like when the team started out on a three-game win streak last year and attracted an incredible amount of attention to the program. Some has been negative as well, especially when the team went 1-8 in Pac-12 play last year and fell to Nebraska 28-10 this year.
Regardless, people are watching, and Colorado's top stars are getting paid big-time NIL money. The Buffaloes are coming off a strong 28-9 win over Colorado State to move to 2-1 and host Baylor on Saturday for their first Big 12 game.
Deion Sanders, Colorado Get 0 Votes in Week 4 AP College Football Poll After CSU Win
Sep 15, 2024
FORT COLLINS, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 14: Tawfiq Thomas #95 of the Colorado Buffaloes carries the Centennial Cup after defeating the Colorado State Rams at Canvas Stadium on September 14, 2024 in Fort Collins, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
The Colorado Buffaloes aren't in the picture for Associated Press voters just yet.
The Buffs (2-1) received zero votes in the AP's Week 4 Top-25 poll released on Sunday after Saturday's 28-9 win over Colorado State.
That doesn't come as much of a surprise for a few reasons.
For starters, the Buffaloes only received one vote in the preseason poll and one vote after a nervy 31-26 win to start the season against FCS school North Dakota State. They followed that up by getting manhandled against Nebraska, 28-10.
Beating Colorado State was to be expected. The Rams already carried a 1-1 record coming into the game, having been smashed by Texas to open the season, 52-0. The Buffs also won the rivalry game in Deion Sanders' debut season for Colorado last year, a 42-35 double overtime classic.
The rematch wasn't nearly so close.
"Personal game, emotional game," Sanders told reporters after the game. "They kind of make it like that. We just want to play some football. The disrespect was uncalled for throughout the week. We knew that coming into the game it was going to be a bit personal, and it was."
He was referencing comments made from Colorado State wideout Tory Horton and quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi this past week in the lead-up to the game. Horton said Colorado State "should have murdered them guys" last season and that the Buffs "came out with that attitude they were on top of the world, and this ain't no Cinderella story. We're coming for revenge."
"I think it goes to show that the hype, the media train, it only gets you so far at the end of the day," Fowler-Nicolosi added. "You have to line up 11 guys against our 11 guys, and we'll find out who wants it more. We'll see how far Instagram followers gets them."
That helped to explain this exchange between Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Fowler-Nicolosi following the contest:
“You can't f*ck with me”
Shedeur Sanders with some words to Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi after the game 🍿
It was clearly a satisfying win for Colorado. It wasn't enough to convince AP voters that the Buffaloes are one of the better teams in college football, however.
