CU Buffs
Colorado vs. No. 17 TCU: The Prime era begins in Boulder
The Deion Sanders era takes center stage on Saturday in Fort Worth against last year's national runner-up TCU. A matchup with all the hype and build up eight months in the making.
You must hand it to CU athletic director Rick George for convincing Coach Prime to come to Boulder. It was a bet that had already paid off with Colorado Football back on the map after a two-decade hiatus. The tickets at Folsom Field have already sold out, and there is a waiting list for the first time since 1996. Not to mention, the social media following has gone way up, and retail sales are through the roof. Sanders has established Colorado as a brand nobody else could've imagined, not even George, who was looking for a coach to rebuild a one-win football team.
All this is great, but the biggest change came when Coach Prime made the roster overhaul that took place when he took charge. But it was for the absolute best. He has shown his ability to recruit kids out of high school or find others through the transfer portal and has been able to convince them that Boulder is the best place to be. It's a program built to win and make your way to the NFL.
Colorado already has two five-star athletes on their roster in CB Travis Hunter and Cormani McClain. The duo happen to be the top defensive talents in subsequent national recruiting classes at the same position. Nothing like this has ever happened before in history. And more top-tier talent will be coming. Add in seven four-star recruits, and Sanders has already flipped the tables.
If you look at any big-name program, it begins with the recruiting class whether you are a highly-touted recruit or not, you have to have the ability to play and want to play and compete with the best. But for some, they don’t see this CU football team as a good roster.
ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill said “You thought UMASS was the worst roster in FBS. It may be Colorado.” And that’s fine he has his opinion. The only thing that matters, though, is results. That's why you play the game. Many like Luginbill do not feel like Coach Prime can come in and build a winning program, especially in year one.
The majority of Vegas sportsbooks say Colorado is likely to win 3.5 games this year. Anything under that will be considered a failure and pundits like Luginbill will say, 'I told you so,' and that Coach Prime is just another coach with a big personality that can’t get the job done. But if CU comes out of the gates and wins and can put together a season where they end up going to a bowl game, then once again Sanders has put the football world on notice, much like he did as a player and again after taking over at Jackson State.
All eyes will be on CU and Coach Prime on Saturday, and I like the rest of the college football world can’t wait.
