Deion Sanders is not one to shy away from making his opinions known. The NFL legend has brought a sense of swagger to a Colorado Buffaloes program that was among the worst power conference teams in college football when he showed up in Boulder back in 2023.
That confidence was questioned for its effectiveness following Colorado’s 3-9 finish in 2025. Sanders and his team changed that narrative, at least for now, Thursday night in Atlanta.
Deion Sanders Reminds Critics of 1 Offseason Claim
Videos were going around earlier this year mocking Colorado for its lack of size. Jokes were made and the team had to respond leading up to their season opener at Georgia Tech.
“As the kids would say, pull up…
At some point you gotta spot the ball and see.”
So how would the team respond? They fought hard and took home a 14-13 win following a blocked field goal as time expired. More notably, they won the rushing battle in the game with 183 yards on the ground compared to Georgia Tech’s 51.
Sanders read the stats in the postgame press conference and had a clear message to the critics of his team’s size.
“I thought we were small?” he said.
Straightforward and to the point, Sanders immediately pushed back at those who spent months criticizing his team.
The Buffaloes had a balanced rushing attack in the win. Damian Henderson II ran for 65 yards on 12 carries, Micah Welch had 58 yards on 13 carries, and JaQuail Smith added 42 yards on 10 carries.
The trio helped bail out quarterback Julian Lewis, who struggled going 14/27 for 124 yards. He did, however, throw a touchdown in the low-scoring affair.
Deion Sanders, Colorado Face Critical 2026 Season
Sanders and the Buffaloes went on the road to his former NFL home in Atlanta and won as underdogs. It was a huge win that sets the team up well for a strong season.
The team’s next game is at home versus Weber State, followed by a road game at Northwestern. This poises the team for a 3-0 start before Big 12 play begins. That is where the team faltered in 2025, finishing 1-8 in conference play.
Sanders addressed the need for a turnaround year over the summer and his team backed him up Thursday night in a big way. Another losing season would give Sanders his third in four seasons as Colorado’s head coach.
Size was not a factor against Georgia Tech and that narrative may be pushed to the side now that his group proved themselves against a legitimate opponent. The key for this team will be to keep up the effort when Big 12 play begins.
Sanders signed a five-year extension in 2025 as the program decided to back him after a strong 2024 campaign. Then came the 3-9 finish last season.
His team going on the road and winning a low-scoring game against a Power 4 opponent will silence the critics for now. Yet Sanders will likely continue to bring up any and all motivation to inspire his group. Fans of the head coach from his NFL days know he is a master at finding bulletin board material from just about any source.
Deion Sanders Calls Out 1 Specific Critique Following Colorado Win