Predicting the Worst-Case Scenario for Deion Sanders at Colorado

Deion Sanders has been one of the most polarizing personalities in college football since he became the head coach of Jackson State. Like him or not, his popularity continues to rise. It continued to rise when he became the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes. Even in his first year, the training topics and polarizing view counts were astounding. Despite the views and clicks, the Buffaloes were 4-8 behind an exciting but imperfect offense and a terrible defense.

Colorado must now once again make the switch from the Pac-12 to the Big 12. This time around, there is serious pressure on the Buffs to perform as expected, as their media days and storylines would indicate. The Buffaloes have two potential top-10 picks in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft in quarterback Shedeur Sanders and wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter.

If Sanders fails to deliver for the Buffaloes this coming season, it could become harder to convince the administration and donors that he’s the right coach for the job. The hype and social media circus that come with the program are worth the risk, but if Sanders fails, the damage will be as great as the rewards of the Sanders era thus far.

What could go wrong for the Buffaloes this season?

The Buffaloes failed to win more than four games this past season, and more than one game after starting the season 3-0. Colorado had a tough schedule in its last season in the Pac-12. After thrilling wins over No. 17 TCU, Nebraska and Colorado State, the Buffaloes’ defense played like one of the worst defenses in the country. At times, the offense also fell apart, as the offensive line played inconsistently.

The offensive line could once again be an issue, as Hunter’s comments about the offensive line’s inability to block were highlighted on a livestream during NCAA Football 25. Hunter showed a fragile state of disconnect within the football team. Shedeur acknowledges the incident and believes that is not the case, but Deion has not commented despite his constant need to speak to the media.

The Buffaloes have just as tough a schedule this season as they did last season. Colorado will face seven teams that have appeared in the postseason, six of which come out with a winning record. These teams include Kansas State, Arizona, Texas Tech, Utah, Kansas and Oklahoma State to close out the season. These six opponents will play the Buffaloes’ final seven games. If Sanders can’t get his team to finish strong and stay focused, it’s going to be a long season for the Buffaloes.

What could go wrong after next season?

If the Buffaloes end this upcoming season without a bowl appearance, it will be considered a failure. Shedeur Sanders and Hunter are likely to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. This means Deion Sanders will have to find new star players to become the face of his team.

It is generally not difficult for Coach Prime to recruit and bring in great veteran players through the transfer portal. His name and the NIL have done a great job of setting up a recruiting system there. The biggest problem is that he will trust players that he did not coach or develop at Jackson State or Colorado. Some players and recruits could be taken away to play for the Buffaloes if the team continues to fall short in bowl games.

The Buffaloes’ 2025 schedule is still unclear, but the three non-conference games are set. Colorado will face Georgia Tech, Wyoming, and Delaware in 2025. These teams won’t be easy matches for Sanders and the Buffaloes. Georgia Tech is finally on the road to recovery after Paul Johnson’s triple-option era and three and a half disappointing years under Geoff Collins. Brent Key has compiled an 11-10 record at Georgia Tech overall, with last season marking the team’s first postseason bowl appearance since 2018.

Delaware will move up to the FBS in the C-USA for the 2025 season. Finally, the Wyoming Cowboys are no pushover, having won three consecutive seasons, including last year’s 9-4 mark. That’s just the non-conference schedule.

Sanders will have to think about the upcoming season and prepare for the future or his job at Colorado will be in jeopardy.