Deion Sanders Has Harsh Words For Colorado Ahead Of Oregon Clash

Colorado may be 3-0 but Deion Sanders is far from happy. Sanders had some harsh truths for his team as they prepare to open Pac-12 play against #10 Oregon. "We haven't played a complete game. We have not played a game where the offense, defense as well as special teams has all shown up in the same manner. If the offense is playing well, the defense is hot garbage. If the defense is playing well, offense is horrible and special teams aren't special, so we got to put it all together to be able to defeat a team like Oregon," Sanders said.

The comments come after Colorado beat in-state rivals Colorado State by eight in double overtime despite entering the game as 23.5-point favorites. Furthermore, the Buffs needed an 11-point fourth-quarter comeback to even force overtime in the first place. They enter their first Pac-12 matchup of the season as 21-point underdogs. Of the other five ranked v ranked matchups this week, only one other (Iowa @ Penn State) has a double-digit favorite.

Sanders Invested In Long-Term Plan For Sons

BOULDER, CO - SEPTEMBER 16: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes walks off the field at halftime of a game against the Colorado State Rams at Folsom Field on September 16, 2023 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

Elsewhere, and despite the criticism, Sanders is clearly preparing to build the Buffs around his sons Shedeur and Shilo. While Shilo (senior) and Shedeur (junior) are draft-eligible in 2024, Coach Dad doesn't seem thrilled at the idea of losing the two key starters. “Shilo said, ‘Oh, wow, Shedeur, look. You gonna be in the NFL next year.’ I said, ’No he ain’t.’ …You all ain’t going nowhere,” Deion said in a video posted by Well Off Media. The comments were made while taking in the Denver Broncos' loss to the Commanders.

The Sanders brothers have been key additions to a surging Colorado squad this year. Shedeur (QB) has 1251 yards and 10 touchdowns through three games. His respective career bests are 3732 yards and 40 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Shilo (Safety) has 19 tackles and a pick-six. Both would likely be high draft picks if they declared. Pat McAfee has already labeled Shedeur as a top-three pick. However, it appears that they will have to wait until at least 2025 before they leave for the pros. If true, that means they will play a season of Big 12 football before leaving college.

[via]