Deion Sanders Wants a 'Prime Award' for Best CB, Suggests Travis Hunter Should Win
Nov 20, 2024
BOULDER, CO - NOVEMBER 16: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes directs his team in the first half of a game against the Utah Utes at Folsom Field on November 16, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Deion Sanders has an idea for a new college football award.
The Colorado head coach suggested a new award named after him called the Prime Award, which would go to the best corner in college football. He also believes his star player Travis Hunter should be the recipient of that award.
"Travis is the best defensive player and the best offensive player in the country," he said. "If that stabilizes and authenticates who he is, so let it be. But I don't see anybody better, I don't see anyone projected better. The scouts will tell you, everybody will tell you who knows this game of football. He should win the Thorpe, Biletnikoff, the Jerry Rice, the Prime Award. He should win every dern award you got. Matter of fact, why don't they have me an award? Wouldn't that be good if a player that played for me won the Prime? Best corner in college football should be called the Prime."
Coach Prime thinks the nation’s best corner should be given the Prime award 🏆
While Sanders is hopeful for an award named after him, the Jim Thorpe Award goes to the best defensive back in a given year, so the NCAA might not feel the need to add another award anytime soon.
Sanders is certainly worthy of an award named after him given his outstanding collegiate career at Florida State. He had 186 tackles, 14 interceptions, three defensive touchdowns and 27 passes defended across his four years with the Seminoles.
Sanders believes his star two-way player is worthy of a number of awards, and for good reason.
Hunter has 911 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 74 receptions this year along with 23 tackles, eight passes defended, three interceptions and a forced fumble on the defensive end.
His outstanding season has made him a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy. If he wins the coveted award, he'd be only the second two-way player after Charles Woodson to win it.
He has some fierce competition for the Heisman right now as stars like Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Miami quarterback Cam Ward have also made convincing arguments in their favor.
Sanders, Hunter and the Buffaloes have more important things to worry about for now as the end of the regular season nears. Colorado, which improved to 8-2 with a win over Utah last week, can secure a spot in the Big 12 championship if it takes care of business in its final two games.
From there, a win in the title game would likely earn the Buffs a spot in the College Football Playoff.
BOULDER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 26: Shedeur Sanders #2 of the Colorado Buffaloes runs with the ball during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Folsom Field on October 26, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
The East-West Shrine Bowl announced Wednesday that University of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders has accepted an invitation to play in the annual postseason All-Star game.
The Shrine Bowl also landed commitments from Colorado wide receivers Will Sheppard, Jimmy Horn Jr. and LaJohntay Wester.
The 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl, which will be the 100th edition of the game, will be played at the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Jan. 30.
Sanders, who has led the Buffaloes to an 8-2 record so far this season, is in the mix to be the first quarterback taken in the 2025 NFL draft.
After beginning his collegiate career at FCS Jackson State alongside his father and head coach, Deion Sanders, Shedeur followed Coach Prime to Colorado.
In his first season at the FBS level in 2023, Sanders put up some huge numbers despite inconsistent play from his offensive line.
Over 11 starts, Sanders completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns and only three interceptions, while also rushing for four scores.
Colorado went just 4-8 after starting the season 3-0, but it was still a marked improvement from the previous season when the Buffs went 1-11, which prompted the school to make a play for Deion as head coach.
Coach Prime's second season in Boulder has exceeded all expectations, as the Buffaloes control their own destiny in terms of playing in the Big 12 Championship Game, and winning that game would ensure an automatic College Football Playoff berth.
Shedeur's play has been a huge reason for Colorado's success in 2024, as he is completing 72.9 percent of his passing attempts for 3,222 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven picks, and has also rushed for four touchdowns.
Sanders seems to be neck and neck with Miami's Cam Ward for the distinction of top quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft, so a strong performance at the East-West Shrine Bowl could be significant in terms of draft stock.
Ward has the Hurricanes off to a 9-1 start, and he is in the thick of the Heisman Trophy race, completing 66.8 percent of his passes for 3,494 yards, 32 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Several teams poised to pick near the top of the draft have a significant need at quarterback, including the New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns among others, so both Sanders and Ward have a chance to come off the board inside the top five.
There is a long list of legendary players and future Hall of Famers who played in the East-West Shrine Bowl over the years, including Brett Favre, Will Shields, Willie Roaf, Larry Csonka, Kellen Winslow, Gale Sayers, Raymond Berry, Joe Greene and a host of others.
Sanders has a long way to go before reaching that level, but many players have parlayed an East-West Shrine Bowl invite into enormous success at the NFL level, and he will look to follow in those players' footsteps.
Deion Sanders Shuts Down NFL, Cowboys Rumors: 'I've Got a Kickstand Down' at Colorado
Nov 19, 2024
BOULDER, CO - NOVEMBER 16: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes runs on the field before a game between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Utah Utes at Folsom Field on November 16, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Deion Sanders isn't going anywhere.
Despite speculation that he could leave Colorado this offseason for an NFL job, potentially with the Dallas Cowboys, the Buffaloes head coach told reporters on Tuesday he was more than content to remain in Boulder.
"I'm happy where I am, man," he said. "I've got a kickstand down. You know what a kickstand is? ... That means I'm resting. I'm good, I'm happy, I'm excited. I'm enthusiastic about where I am. I love it here, truly do."
Given the Cowboys' 3-7 start this season under embattled head coach Mike McCarthy—and Colorado's 8-2 mark thus far, which has them ranked 17th in the country and atop the Big 12—it isn't a surprise that Sanders has been floated as a potential successor. He also played for the Cowboys during his NFL career, giving him additional familiarity with owner Jerry Jones and the organization.
A number of former Cowboys players, including Michael Irvin and Dez Bryant, have called for him to replace McCarthy:
I spent Friday night with Jerry Jones. I spent Saturday with @DeionSanders. I spent Sunday with the lord PRAYING for ???? ????? (GUEST WHAT) Now after what the @dallascowboys look like on Monday Night Football. 😳😳😮😮🤷🏾🤷🏾I must work harder!!!!! pic.twitter.com/3l0mFHKIRv
I'm the @dallascowboys to the heart. If I'm the Cowboys, I'd fire everyone after this season. There's young, hungry talent in the upcoming draft. Also, I'd consider @DeionSanders as the next head coach.
At this point, it seems likely that McCarthy is coaching his last season in Dallas. He's already in the final year of his contract, and even before Dak Prescott's season-ending hamstring injury, the Cowboys were underachieving.
Granted, the inability to add quality players this offseason at positions of need, like running back, has played a major part in the team's struggles. But McCarthy will likely be the scapegoat for those failings rather than Jones, who serves as the de facto general manager.
As for Sanders, he's never offered any indication that he's ready, or interested, in making the leap to the NFL. There has also been reporting to back up that lack of stated interest:
How real are the Deion Sanders and Dallas Cowboys rumors?
"It's not real... I think Deion actually wants to stay in college. I know he's been public about that as well." @DMRussini on Deion Sanders being linked to the Dallas Cowboys job.
Cowboys DC Mike Zimmer said he talks to Deion Sanders weekly. He said he is not going to speculate on jobs because it's not fair but he said Sanders has told him he loves it on the college level.
"Don't start that," Sanders told Irvin multiple times last week, smiling, when he attempted to bring up the Cowboys
"I love it where I am," he repeated several times.
So while the Cowboys almost assuredly will have a new head coach in 2025, it appears unlikely—at least for the time being—that it will be Sanders.
Michael Irvin Believes Deion Sanders Would Take Cowboys HC Job If Team Drafts Shedeur
Nov 19, 2024
BOULDER, CO - NOVEMBER 16: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes directs his team in the first half of a game against the Utah Utes at Folsom Field on November 16, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Amid an outstanding second season at the helm at Colorado, Deion Sanders' name is coming up in the NFL world.
While it might take a lot to pull Sanders away from the Buffaloes, Michael Irvin believes that if the Dallas Cowboys selected Shedeur Sanders in the NFL draft, Sanders would take the head coaching job if it were presented to him.
"I believe 100 percent and I can tell you, good sources have told me that," Irvin said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Tuesday. "Great sources have told me that. That's all I can say about that without violating anything else."
.@michaelirvin88 on if Deion Sanders would accept Cowboys job if they draft Shedeur Sanders:
While the Cowboys' head coaching job is filled at the moment, a 3-7 start to the season means current coach Mike McCarthy is on the hot seat. If he is fired, conversations about Sanders heading to Dallas would only get louder.
In recent weeks, Sanders has rebuffed rumors about him leaving Colorado for the NFL. Last week, he told Irvin that he had no plans of taking a job with the Cowboys if it were presented.
"I love it where I am," he said when Irvin suggested he take over in Dallas.
The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported last week that Sanders has drawn no NFL coaching interest "as of now," and NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Sanders "has had no official conversations with anyone" about an NFL job.
That of course could change as more coaches get fired later this season. So far, just two coaches have been fired: Robert Saleh of the New York Jets and Dennis Allen of the New Orleans Saints.
Another factor to pay attention to is whether the Cowboys would even consider drafting Shedeur Sanders given they already have a star in Dak Prescott. Shedeur Sanders has 3,222 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions and will almost certainly be one of the first quarterbacks off the board, but Dallas might not be the best fit for him.
For now, Sanders will keep his focus on his team in Boulder.
The Buffs, who won just nine games in the three seasons prior to Sanders' arrival, are 8-2 on the year and control their own destiny in both the Big 12 and the College Football Playoff race.
If Colorado wins its last two games against Kansas and Oklahoma State, it can punch a ticket to the Big 12 Championship. A win in the title game would give the Buffaloes an automatic bid to the CFP, something that seemed unimaginable a few years ago.
Video: Deion Sanders Honors Viral Colorado Fan Miss Peggy on Her 100th Birthday
Nov 19, 2024
BOULDER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 16: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes is interviewed by Jenny Taft after the game against the Utah Utes at Folsom Field on November 16, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
Ahead of Saturday's game against Kansas, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders made time to honor a special fan.
In a touching moment during Tuesday's press conference, Coach Prime welcomed longtime Buffaloes fan Miss Peggy, who is celebrating her 100th birthday:
Coach Prime brings Miss Peggy into the press conference on her 100th birthday
“She is the epitome of Buff Nation, she is the rock that holds us all together” 🥺 pic.twitter.com/aq82dHFHUb
Sanders announced that Colorado will be launching a special line of apparel to honor Miss Peggy with part of the proceeds being donated to her and her family.
"She's always greeted me with love, compassion, support, stability and hope," Sanders said. "I'm thankful to know her, I'm thankful that she can get to me anytime she desires to, and I'm thankful to be celebrating her 100th with her."
The Buffaloes (8-2) are riding a four-game win streak into their matchup against the Jayhawks (4-6). Colorado has a 6-1 record in the Big 12, tying for first place in the conference with BYU. The team is ranked No. 17 in the second edition of the College Football Playoff Rankings and No. 16 in the AP Top 25.
During their four-game win streak, the Buffaloes have scored over 30 points in each game, including reaching the 40-point mark in their last two outings. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Coach Prime's son, has performed at a high level as he tries to set himself apart from the other signal-callers in the 2025 NFL draft class. Two-way phenom Travis Hunter has continued to put on epic performances in his march toward contending for the Heisman Trophy.
Colorado is hoping to keep the good vibes going by capping off Miss Peggy's birthday with a win over Kansas on Saturday.
Deion Sanders, Colorado Move Up In Week 13 AP College Football Poll After Utah Win
Nov 17, 2024
BOULDER, CO - NOVEMBER 16: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes celebrates with Shedeur Sanders #2 after a fourth quarter touchdown against the Utah Utes at Folsom Field on November 16, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Following a dominant win over Utah on Saturday, the Colorado Buffaloes achieved their highest ranking of the season in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll on Sunday.
Colorado moved up from No. 18 to No. 16 in the latest poll by virtue of a 49-24 home victory over the Utes. Head coach Deion Sanders' team improved to 8-2 overall this season and 6-1 in Big 12 play.
The Buffs were No. 17 in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings released last week, and they figure to move up in those rankings as well when they are announced Tuesday.
Colorado was 4-2 through its first six games after losses to Nebraska and Kansas State, but the Buffaloes now find themselves on a four-game winning streak with each victory being by at least 11 points.
During that stretch, two-way superstar Travis Hunter has cemented himself as the Heisman Trophy favorite, and he bolstered his case against Utah, recording five catches for 55 yards, scoring a rushing touchdown and reeling in an interception.
Now, Hunter has 74 receptions for 911 yards and nine touchdowns as a wide receiver, and 24 tackles, three interceptions and eight passes defended as a cornerback on the season.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders has also thrived, completing 72.9 percent of his passes for 3,222 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while also rushing for four scores.
After Coach Prime turned things around quickly at FCS Jackson State, expectations were sky-high when he arrived at Colorado last season.
Sanders brought Hunter and his son, Shedeur, with him from Jackson State, and the Buffaloes were the talk of college football through the first month of the 2023 campaign.
However, after a 3-0 start, Colorado won only one more game the rest of the season and finished with a 4-8 mark.
Still, it represented a significant improvement from the previous season when the Buffaloes went 1-11, and there was finally hope for the future with Coach Prime at the helm.
After beating Utah, Colorado put its destiny into its own hands in terms of qualifying for the Big 12 Championship Game, and things got even better for the Buffs during the late-night slate on Saturday.
Previously undefeated BYU lost to Kansas, meaning Colorado is now tied with BYU for first place in the Big 12 at 6-1.
If Colorado can beat Kansas and Oklahoma State over the next two weeks, it will play in the Big 12 Championship Game for the first time since 2005, and a win would clinch the Buffaloes a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Colorado Hype Faded, Only for Deion Sanders' Buffs to Legitimize Themselves
David Kenyon
Nov 17, 2024
Travis Hunter
The moment Deion Sanders accepted the job at Colorado, attention was inevitable. The smooth-operating former NFL star talked a big game immediately, overhauled a roster like nobody had ever done in college football history and turned heads on the recruiting trail.
But on-field results had to follow.
Saturday afternoon, the Buffaloes jumped to 8-2 with a 49-24 triumph over Utah. Colorado took a valuable step toward the 2024 Big 12 Championship Game, where a victory would send CU to the College Football Playoff.
This is a legitimate contender.
Even a month ago, however, it's one we didn't expect—not after a full calendar year of uninspiring play.
In the 2023 campaign, the Buffs started 3-0. Each win intensified the buzz around a program that had trudged to 1-11 in the previous year and ultimately been a disaster for the better part of 15 seasons.
They smoked TCU, the national runner-up from a year earlier, as two-way phenom Travis Hunter exploded onto the FBS stage. They soared into the AP Top 25 and wrecked rival Nebraska before navigating a double-overtime scare from in-state foe Colorado State. Behind that perfect start, CU climbed as high as 18th in the country.
That spotlight grew brighter. The noise became much louder, and sports media—B/R certainly included—latched onto the Sanders-led hysteria and would not let go.
If I'm allowed to be honest, it was pretty tiresome.
Oregon slammed the brakes on CU's click-fueled hype train, and everyone else but a rebuilding Arizona State team piled on. Colorado lost eight of its final nine contests in 2023, dealing with a porous offensive line and disastrous defense that ranked 124th or worse nationally in both sacks allowed and points allowed per game, respectively.
The 2024 campaign did not begin wonderfully for the Buffs, either. They squeaked past North Dakota State, looked overwhelmed in a lopsided loss at Nebraska and needed a last-second miracle catch in regulation to escape Baylor in overtime.
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA - SEPTEMBER 7: Princewill Umanmielen #18 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers sacks Shedeur Sanders #2 of the Colorado Buffaloes at Memorial Stadium on September 7, 2024 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
Yet every week, it seemed, there was a Colorado update. Look at what the mediocre team did, folks! Mediocre again!
Tiring. Exhausting, really.
In the following weeks, however, that spotlight dimmed. The noise quieted. Sanders' team blasted UCF on the road, but a loss to Kansas State put Colorado in the backseat of a Big 12 race featuring a breakout BYU squad, then-unbeaten Iowa State and key contender K-State.
The hype faded. Those on-field results were not happening in marquee games. It wasn't that CU would never be worthy of that attention; it was that, through then, the headlines felt empty. Interest levels dropped.
And that may be the exact moment everything truly changed.
Since falling to 4-2, the Buffs have become a well-rounded group. Pick a position, and Colorado has improved. The most important spots, of course, are a product of the transfers and other additions up front. The offensive line is no longer an absolute sieve, and the defense is a full 10 points and nearly 100 yards better per game this season.
Shedeur Sanders will occasionally throw a bad ball, as any QB would, but he remains a highly efficient passer. Hunter has made himself the clear favorite in the Heisman Trophy race, and CU's receiving corps boasts a deeper cast of regular contributors in 2024.
What's happening on the sideline matters an awful lot, too.
New offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur has successfully hidden a nearly nonexistent rushing attack—one of CU's few remaining weaknesses. Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston is a strong contender for the Broyles Award, given to the nation's top assistant coach.
The phrase "changing the culture" can be overused, but there's no question Sanders has done so. This roster plays hard, and there's a confidence that simply has not existed in Boulder for many years.
Deion Sanders and Shedeur Sanders
Saturday's rout of Utah extended the winning streak to four; CU previously beat Arizona 34-7, Cincinnati 34-23 and Texas Tech 41-27.
Now 6-1 in conference play, the Buffs—and thanks to a little help from Houston and Kansas in earlier November games—are on the verge of heading to the Big 12 title game. Colorado travels to Kansas in Week 13 before hosting Oklahoma State to wrap up the regular season.
Win both matchups, and CU will lock in a shot at making the first-ever 12-team Playoff in only Sanders' second year.
As the 2023 season ended, that prospect felt inconceivable. One month into the 2024 campaign, it looked implausible. Now in mid-November, that Playoff path is impossible to deny.
Colorado, with no hesitation, is a genuine contender to make the CFP.
And somehow—after almost two years of attention disproportionate to results—the Buffs managed to get here quietly.
Deion Sanders' 'Coach Prime' Season 3 Release Date Revealed; Features Shedeur, Hunter
Nov 16, 2024
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 09: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes walks across the field before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium on November 09, 2024 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
As No. 17 Colorado cruised to a 49-24 win over Utah on Saturday, the release date for the next season of head coach Deion Sanders' Coach Prime docuseries on Prime Video Sports was revealed.
The third season will premiere on Jan. 7 and take viewers inside the locker room and on the field during games and practices throughout the Buffaloes' 2024 campaign, per a release.
Standout players such as Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders will be featured in the docuseries, which is still in production as Colorado's season continues.
The official announcement was made by Deion, Shedeur and Buffaloes safety Shilo Sanders during an appearance on the Big Noon Kickoff Show.
The first season came out in Dec. 2022 and followed Deion during his tenure as head coach of the Jackson State football team. Shedeur and Hunter were also members of the Tigers during their 2022 season, leading the squad to an impressive 12-1 record to go along with a SWAC championship.
The docuseries followed Deion to Colorado for season two. The Buffaloes started the year off strong with a 3-0 record, but they couldn't maintain the momentum and ended up dropping eight of their final nine contests.
It's also worth noting that Hunter missed three games due to a lacerated liver in 2023.
The Buffaloes are in the midst of a strong 2024 season, improving to 8-2 overall with a 6-1 record against Big 12 opponents following the win over the Utes on Saturday. Shedeur threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns to go along with an interception while Hunter picked off his third pass of the year at cornerback.
Colorado sits at No. 2 in the Big 12 standings, putting Coach Prime's team in position to potentially secure a spot in the conference championship game.
If the Buffaloes are able to close out the year strong and take home the Big 12 title, it would likely result in a College Football Playoff appearance.
Video: Deion, Shedeur Sanders Hype Travis Hunter's Heisman Case After Win vs. Utah
Nov 16, 2024
BOULDER, COLORADO - AUGUST 29: Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes and Travis Hunter #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes on the sideline during a game against North Dakota State Bison at Folsom Field on August 29, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images)
Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter received major praise from his head coach following Saturday's Week 12 win.
Colorado defeated Utah 49-24 to improve to 8-2, and head coach Deion Sanders was quick to hype up Hunter's Heisman case.
"He's a straight A student... He ain't smoking, he ain't getting high, he ain't doing nothing stupid like that or getting drunk. He's a great human being."@JennyTaft talks with @CUBuffsFootball's @DeionSanders about Travis Hunter after his dominant performance ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/SO3r1YB1Pn
"Travis is the epitome of a football player," Sanders said. "He loves the game, practices hard. He's a straight-A student... He ain't smoking, he ain't getting high, he ain't doing nothing stupid like that or getting drunk. He's a great human being."
"If they can't see, they can't see. I mean Travis is who he is."
—Prime on Heisman voters who are undecided on who they're listing first on their ballot pic.twitter.com/kScdkEF9nC
"There's not a lot of guys that can do what he does on offense and defense," Sanders said. "It's really tough to compare him to anyone else...it makes me sad that they don't give a guy like him his credit because that is generational."
Hunter finished that matchup with five catches for 55 yards, a five-yard rushing touchdown along with three tackles, a pass deflection and an interception on defense.
He is now up to 911 receiving yards with 10 total touchdowns on offense and 24 tackles with three interceptions on defense. He remains a focal point for opposing teams and is in Heisman contention.
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is a stiff competitor for the award while quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel, Cam Ward and Sanders have all put up impressive seasons as well.
However, Hunter's two-way impact and his role on a surging Buffaloes team makes him an intriguing candidate and the support from his coach and quarterback should only aid his national reputation.
Lakers' LeBron James Hypes Deion Sanders, Colorado, Calls Out Critics After Utah Win
Nov 16, 2024
BOULDER, CO - NOVEMBER 16: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes runs on the field before a game against the Utah Utes at Folsom Field on November 16, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James called out critics of head coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado football program after the No. 17 Buffaloes crushed Utah 49-24 on Saturday.
I don’t hear non of those @CUBuffsFootball@DeionSanders HATERS being up front and loud! They’re in hiding 🫣 now! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. Coach Prime said “We Coming”. Well it’s “We Here” now. Love what’s going on there in Boulder. 🦬🫡
With the win, Colorado moved to 8-2 overall and 6-1 in the Big 12, maintaining control of its own destiny to make the conference championship game.
Colorado was 1-11 in 2022, the year before the Pro Football Hall of Famer became the Buffaloes' head coach. The team improved to 4-8 but notably went 1-8 and last place in the Pac-12. Still, that win total was quadruple the one from the year before.
Colorado has now doubled its 2023 win total with two regular-season games remaining. Two-way star Travis Hunter looks like the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy, and quarterback Shedeur Sanders could very well end up being in the conversation for the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.
Outside of a Week 2 loss to Nebraska, Colorado has scored 28 or more points in each of its games. That includes 39.5 points per game during the team's four-game winning streak.
And now the Buffaloes could very well be fighting for a national championship.
If Colorado wins its next two games, it'll be in the Big 12 title game for certain. Up first is a road date against Kansas on Saturday followed by a home game against Oklahoma State on Friday, Nov. 29.
Regardless of how the season ends, Sanders has done an incredible job at Colorado, which has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in just two years. But a conference championship and CFP appearance could be in the works now too as the coach continues his magic in Boulder.
