Colorado’s quarterback picture is still unsettled, but Deion Sanders sounded encouraged by what he saw from Isaac Wilson in the second half against Baylor.
That matters now more than ever, because the Buffaloes are staring at an undefeated, No. 12 Texas Tech team in their next matchup, and the quarterback spot remains one of the biggest questions hanging over the program. Sanders’ remarks on the Colorado Football Coaches Show offered a clearer look at how he views Wilson and where the Buffaloes may be headed offensively.
On Wilson, Sanders was direct.
"Isaac's not scary. And JuJu's not either, contrary.
But Isaac is gonna. . . I started out like that because I want you to know he's gonna go out there and try it.
Like, give you an example. When I saw Isaac, we threw the seam down the middle of the field, down hashmarks, and he missed, widely," said Sanders.
"It was a miss, but you know what I said? 'Okay, he's getting there.'
And he came off the sideline and I went at him, it was like a temperature check. 'What's wrong with you?
You grindin' to get in and get your butt going.' Yes sir.
That's all he needed. He needed a temperature check.
You can do that, you can check him and he’s gonna be ready to go.”
Wilson came on after Julian Lewis played the first half against Baylor. Lewis finished 11 of 16 for 75 yards before handing things over to Wilson, who went 12-of-25 for 156 yards and a touchdown.
Sanders didn’t treat Wilson’s uneven stretches as a deal-breaker. Instead, he seemed to view the performance as part of the process for a quarterback who entered the game midstream and had to settle in on the fly.
Wilson gave Colorado a different spark after he entered and helped the offense move the ball through the air, giving Sanders more to work with as he weighs the position moving forward. The coach has made it clear before that quarterback play is about more than the stat line; the player under center has to run the offense, make decisions and get the ball to Colorado’s playmakers.
That evaluation now comes with real urgency. Colorado has dropped back-to-back games to Northwestern and Baylor after opening 2-0, and the Buffaloes are now 2-2 heading into a matchup that could help reset the season.
For Sanders, Wilson’s confidence and willingness to keep firing appear to be part of the appeal. And with Texas Tech coming to Boulder, the quarterback situation is still very much one to watch.
In Other News...
Colorado Homecoming Just Took An Unexpected Turn Before Texas Tech
Ticket prices for Colorados home date with No. 12 Texas Tech have taken a noticeable dip in the days before kickoff, adding a strange little wrinkle to a game that was already carrying plenty of significance. The matchup is set for Saturday at 5:30 p.m. MT at Folsom Field, with Homecoming and the universitys 150th anniversary celebration giving the afternoon an even bigger stage than a typical Big 12 showcase.
Colorado wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. has already framed Texas Tech as the kind of opponent that demands full attention, and the Buffs know the setting at home is supposed to matter. Even with the off-field buzz shifting around the ticket market, the real test remains the same for Colorado: protecting its own field against a ranked team that will arrive with plenty on the line. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Could Soon Feel This New Realignment Fight Firsthand
College sports latest effort to rein in the chaos of conference realignment is moving closer to becoming law, and Texas Tech could wind up feeling the effects of it sooner than most. The Protect College Sports Act has already passed the Senate and now heads to the House, where it would try to put firmer rules around realignment, NIL standards, revenue sharing and transfer policy in a landscape that has been defined by constant movement.
One of the bills most aggressive provisions would require schools changing Power Conference homes to compete independently for three academic years, a safeguard aimed at slowing the kind of instability that has rattled the sport. Universities are expected to push back on that idea, and even if the measure advances, questions remain about how much it would really prevent future shake-ups, especially in a league like the ACC where the pressure points are already obvious. [Read more 🡒]
Dave Aranda Just Framed Baylors Biggest Competitive Problem
College footballs spending divide was back in focus after Baylor coach Dave Aranda laid out how much roster budget now matters when teams are trying to keep pace. Aranda pointed to the gap between Baylor and the heavier spenders around the sport, saying the Bears do not operate with the same financial muscle as some of their rivals or the national championship contenders. For a Big 12 team trying to stay relevant in a tougher era, it is a reminder that the margin for error is shrinking.
Arandas comments also gave a clearer look at the challenge facing Baylor as it tries to build and sustain a winner. He stressed that toughness still has to be part of the formula, because money alone does not decide everything, but he also acknowledged that spending is central to assembling a competitive roster. For the Bears, the question is no longer whether resources matter, but how far grit and coaching can carry them against programs with more to spend. [Read more 🡒]