Colorado’s bye week has arrived with the Buffaloes already under a bright spotlight, and not for the reasons Deion Sanders would want. After a 2-0 start, Colorado has dropped three straight to Northwestern, Baylor and Texas Tech, sliding to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big 12 play.
That skid has only sharpened the criticism around Sanders, and Fox Sports host Colin Cowherd went after him hard on The Herd. Cowherd questioned whether Sanders has proven he can deliver sustained success at the highest level of college football.
“I call Deion Sanders the anti-Curt Cignetti. It's all flash and no substance.
At one point they sent eight players on the field for special teams. They called a timeout, and then the next play, sent out nine.
They're just disorganized,” said Cowherd on The Herd.
“Deion can win at the lower level because it's recruiting. If you can recruit the lower level and have better players and the star quarterback, you're gonna win games. . .
He's a recruiter, he's not a real head coach. The most penalized team in his conference,” Cowherd continued.
For Cowherd, the issue isn’t one bad sequence or a single sloppy moment. His argument is that Sanders has thrived when his teams had the better roster, but the gap shrinks fast when Colorado lines up against opponents with similar or better talent.
That recruiting edge has been one of Sanders’ biggest calling cards since arriving in Boulder. He has made Colorado matter again on the national stage and brought the program back into the conversation. Cowherd’s point, though, is that attention only goes so far if it doesn’t turn into wins against quality opponents.
Colorado’s early victories over Colorado State and Weber State gave the season a clean start, but the schedule tightened quickly once Big 12 play began. Northwestern handed the Buffaloes a 41-7 loss, then Baylor and Texas Tech followed with defeats of their own. The Texas Tech game stung in particular because it came at home and was supposed to offer a chance to steady things.
Instead, Colorado was beaten 29-7 and never found much rhythm on offense. Isaac Wilson threw three interceptions and finished 26 of 55 passing, adding more uncertainty to a quarterback situation that is already shifting this season.
That quarterback room has become part of a bigger problem. Sanders has already acknowledged it publicly, and Colorado is still searching for consistency on offense against Power Four competition.
The bye week now gives the Buffaloes a chance to sort through the roster, the coaching staff and the quarterback situation before facing No. 12 Utah. Sanders has already done the work of putting Colorado back on the map, but the next step is harder: making the results match the attention.
If the Buffaloes keep stumbling after the break, the noise around Sanders’ coaching will only get louder.
In Other News...
Colorado Faces A Huge In-State Recruiting Test At Quarterback
Colorado got an encouraging look at one of its most important future targets over the weekend, with four-star quarterback Titus Huard taking in the Buffaloes game against Texas Tech. The 2027 prospect is already the programs top recruit in that class, and his connection to Colorado runs through his high school coach, Mike Sanford Jr., which gives the staff a natural opening as it works to build a relationship early.
Huard left the visit sounding upbeat about where the program is headed and said he enjoyed spending time with the coaching staff, a good sign for Colorado as it tries to stay in the mix for a quarterback it badly wants to keep close to home. The Buffaloes will have to keep pushing, though, because Oregon and UCLA are also on the list of schools he plans to see as his recruitment unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Suddenly Faces A Colorado Question Fans Can't Ignore
After another loss, the conversation around Deion Sanders and Colorado has shifted from weekly frustration to a broader question about where the program is headed next. ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum said Sanders run in Boulder may be nearing its end, a comment that underscores how quickly the temperature can rise around a high-profile coach when results stop matching the attention.
Colorado does not appear to be waiting quietly in the background either, at least not in the way outside observers are already sorting through possibilities. Dan Mullen, Willie Fritz and Jason Eck have all been floated as potential replacements if the Buffaloes decide to make a change, which is enough to show how quickly the focus can move from Sanders star power to the search for the next stabilizing voice. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Home Streak Faces Its Toughest Test Yet Against Baylor
No. 24 Colorado womens soccer heads into an October 8 Big 12 matchup at Prentup Field with a home record that has helped define its season so far. The Buffaloes have been perfect on their own field and will try to keep that run going against a Baylor team ranked No. 7 nationally, giving this one the feel of a measuring-stick night for a Colorado squad looking to keep its place near the top of the conference picture.
Baylor brings its own clean road resume into Boulder, and both programs have players recognized on the MAC Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch List, adding even more weight to a matchup already loaded with stakes. For Colorado, the challenge is as much about defending its home turf as it is about proving it can handle one of the Big 12s best in a game that should say plenty about where the Buffaloes stand. [Read more 🡒]