Deion Sanders: Fad or Future?
It’s no secret Deion Sanders has been captivating audiences ever since he emerged at Florida State in the late ’80s, and then as a 2 sport star in the MLB and NFL in the ’90s. What he’s done at Colorado in two games is short of remarkable. A program left for dead, coming off a 1-11 season with no prospects of improving. When they hired Sanders, many said it was a publicity stunt. Maybe it was, but who could blame the Colorado athletic department? They needed a shot of life, and boy did they get it!
The question, however, isn’t whether or not he rejuvenized a Buffaloes program on the brink of complete disaster. The real question is, has he completely turned around the program overnight?
Let’s look at this practically. TCU, is an overachieving team that lost some pieces after being completely destroyed in the championship last year by Georgia. Still, based on expectations, this was a huge upset for Colorado.
Nebraska, on the other hand, is not a very good program. Coming off a loss to Minnesota 13-10, and comments from coach Rhule that the Buffs found personal, it was not a surprise that this turned into a 22-point rout.
Next up, the lowly Colorado State Rams, who honestly are basically a joke (we didn’t even link their team site, cause it’s not worth it). The real test is coming on September 23, in Oregon. The Ducks are no joke, and their potent offense can keep up with the Buffs.
The very next week, Colorado gets USC at home. Talk about a potential 180 reversal. USC sports the Heisman and an even better offense than Oregon.
Let’s be honest, Deion has already doubled their win output, and will likely win at least 7 games. The PAC teams are horribly overrated, and Neon Swagger does shift spreads. Deion’s advantage is not only that swagger but the wild and wacky world of NIL. That’s how he swayed blue-chippers to HBCU over Power 5, and that’s how he’s going to sway them to Colorado over the Bamas of the world. Because, young kids these days would rather play with a loose, fun-filled coach like Deion over Nick Saban. The times are a changin’. So I don’t think Colorado will win a title anytime soon, but Deion is not a fad, in my opinion.
I see the Buffaloes winning around 8 games, making a bowl, and hitting the recruiting field hard. Don’t be surprised if Deion is in the expanded playoffs in 2-3 years. Our prediction? Not a fad, definitely the future.
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