There was nothing bigger on Saturday than Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes.
Their game against TCU in Texas was a much-hyped event that officially kicked off the start of the college football season, and the game did not disappoint.
The 17th-ranked TCU Horned Frogs hosted a Colorado team with a new head coach and a 1-11 2022 season, two things that lack promise for any program.
But this Colorado team had Deion Sanders, an entity that brings a commanding and powerful tidal wave of activity that very few possess.
Sanders’ journey to Boulder is well documented. Three seasons at Jackson State with a 27-6 record, two SWAC titles and two Celebration Bowl appearances. And while the end of his tenure with the Tigers is a hotly debated topic, there’s no disputing the impact he had on the university, the football program, the city and HBCU football overall.
His arrival in Boulder, while rife with fanfare and controversy, also had its memorable moments as well.
From his team introduction, where he informed players that many of them would not be there in the fall, and a reported 90 combined players entering the transfer portal/transferring to Colorado, to a sold-out spring football game of over 47,000 fans, hundreds of thousands in new revenue, a reunion with the Big 12 and a media frenzy that swarmed the campus, the Coach Prime train had officially arrived in Boulder with every car in tow.
Couple that with Sanders’ big personality, and there’s no wondering why Fox Sports was gassed up to broadcast Saturday afternoon’s big game.
Yet questions still lingered.
Could Deion really lead an FBS program?
Was his son, Shedeur Sanders, truly talented enough to play at this level?
Could Colorado compete with last year’s CFP runner-up?
Was Deion Sanders really worth the hype?
At around 3:45 pm EST yesterday afternoon, the answer to all of those questions was a resounding “yes”.
Colorado beat TCU 45-42, giving the Buffaloes its first road win over a top-20 team since 2002 (0-27).
Shedeur threw for a jaw-dropping 510 yards and 4 TDs. Travis Hunter, the former top recruit Deion got to de-commit from Florida St. to play for him at Jackson St., followed him to Colorado, played both ways and finished with 119 receiving yards and 1 INT.
The victory was an emotional one for all Buffalo players, fans and staff, including university AD Rick George, who embraced Coach Prime in a bearhug on the field after the program’s big win.
George, who hired Deion, had said at the time that he didn’t know how the school would pay for him. But all of those worries were dispelled Saturday afternoon.
After the game, Deion let loose on all those who doubted him.
“We told you we coming,” said Coach Prime to Fox Sports. “You thought we was joking. And guess what? We keep receipts.”
“What’s up, boss? You believe now?” Deion said to ESPN’s Ed Werder. “Hold on. Oh no. Hold on. Do you believe now? Oh no, I read through that bull junk you wrote. I sifted through all that…do you believe?”
Some had no issue with Deion taking reporters to task while others felt he needed to relax.
Journalists had the right and journalistic responsibility to professionally discuss any doubts or reservations they had about a new coach and a program mired in losing ways.
But Deion also had the right to clap back at his detractors, especially as he never waivered from his attitude, belief in the program, and the path he was forging in Boulder.
While it was only one game, it was an emotional moment of joy for the Colorado family and a brief opportunity for them to vent on their critics.
But it was also a moment of celebration for HBCU football, as it demonstrated that its players and coaches could compete and succeed on a national, FBS level when given the opportunity. Many doubted Shedeur simply because he played at an HBCU while others like Fox Sports’ Doug Gottlieb ripped Travis Hunter by calling his decision to play for Jackson St. an “obvious mistake.”
One big road win later, Shedeur and Travis silenced the anti-HBCU sentiment.
Deion, Shedeur, Travis and the team will get back to work on Monday to prepare for Nebraska and their new head coach, Matt Rhule, who is coming off of an opening day loss to Minnesota in his coaching debut with the Cornhuskers.
Imagine the flack Deion would have received for losing his season debut. But I digress.
Saturday was a win for all who are doubted simply because they’re different and those who are judged unfairly because they don’t fall in line with the norm.
And even though it was only one game, it was a game Colorado, Deion Sanders, his program, and all HBCUs could and should rightfully celebrate.
[…] all began with the Buffaloes’ upset of then-17th-ranked TCU on the road to officially open the college football season. That game was watched by almost 7.3 million people, […]