The questions around Deion Sanders at Colorado are getting louder with every loss, and the math behind a possible breakup is starting to matter just as much as the on-field results.
After Colorado’s 20-10 loss to Arizona State in Tempe, the Buffaloes are still stacking up defeats against opponents they should be able to handle. That’s a bad look for a coach being paid like one of the elite names in college football, and it’s the kind of trend that usually keeps dragging on until someone finally decides enough is enough.
Sanders signed a five-year, $54 million extension in March 2025 that keeps him in Boulder through the 2029 season. His salary for this year is $10.8 million, which ranks 14th in college football. If he stays through the rest of the deal, he would make $11 million in 2027, $11 million in 2028 and $12 million in 2029.
For a while now, Colorado fans have been asking what it would take to move on from Sanders. The answer: a lot, but not an impossible amount.
If Colorado fires Sanders before the end of 2026, his buyout would be $25.5 million. That figure drops to $17.25 million in 2027. If Sanders were to leave for another job before December 31, 2026, he would owe Colorado $10 million.
There is also the possibility of a negotiated split, with Colorado and Sanders agreeing to reduce the buyout. But that feels like the least likely path, especially during the season.
The real question is whether Colorado could actually handle the cost. The short answer is yes. If Sanders is paid roughly $34 million over the next three seasons, then the $25.5 million buyout would save the university a little more than $8.5 million, or about $2.8 million per year.
Even after paying the buyout and hiring a new coach at $4 million to $4.5 million annually, Colorado would be looking at a total of about $37.5 million to $39 million over three seasons. That works out to roughly $1.5 million more per year. If the school went cheaper and hired a current Group of Six coach, the added cost could be less than $1 million a year.
In Other News...
Deion Sanders And Colorado Are Drifting Toward A Bigger Reckoning
Colorados trip to Arizona State brought another frustrating afternoon for an offense that never found a rhythm, as the Buffs were repeatedly stalled by three-and-outs and turnovers in a 20-10 loss. While the scoreboard stayed within reach, the game never really tilted in Colorados favor, and the contrast was obvious as Arizona State leaned on true freshman quarterback Jake Fette, who completed 68 percent of his passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns.
There were still a few bright spots in the loss, most notably linebacker Gideon Lampron, who filled the stat sheet with 18 tackles and multiple sacks. But individual efforts only go so far when the broader problems keep surfacing, and this one felt like another reminder that Colorado is still searching for answers on both sides of the ball as the season moves deeper into November. [Read more 🡒]
Buffs Loss Exposed A Problem Fans Cant Ignore
The Colorado mens basketball team left the National University Bill Walton Classic with a loss to San Diego State, but the bigger takeaway was how uneven the performance looked before the Buffaloes ever found their footing. In a game that marked the first meeting between the programs in 50 years and served as part of a hometown tribute to Walton, Colorado spent the opening stretch digging a hole it could not fully escape, even with a much better second-half effort.
Barrington Hargress gave the Buffaloes a lift with a career-high scoring night, and Colorado did outplay the Aztecs after halftime. Still, the result underscored a problem fans are likely to keep watching closely: this team can show flashes, but the early-game lapses are costing it too much against quality opponents, especially when the margin for error is already thin. [Read more 🡒]
Joseph Williams Calls Out Whats Really Hurting Colorados Offense
Colorados offense had one of its roughest afternoons of the season in a 10-point showing against Arizona State in Week 10, even as Joseph Williams turned in a productive day with seven catches for 121 yards and a touchdown. Afterward, the wide receiver pointed away from the matchup itself and toward the Buffaloes own operation, saying the bigger problem was execution.
That message lands at a critical time for Colorado, which now has little margin for error with bowl eligibility still in play. Williams stressed the need for a stronger team mentality and cleaner execution, a reminder that the Buffaloes next stretch will be judged less by flashes of individual production and more by whether the offense can put together complete drives when it matters most. [Read more 🡒]