Deion Sanders Makes Colorado's 2026 Expectations Crystal Clear

The Colorado Buffaloes are not shying away from expectations heading into 2026. After a 3-9 season halted the momentum built during a breakthrough 2024 campaign, questions have followed the program throughout the offseason.

Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders is interviewed by ESPN during a time out in the first quarter against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Instead of lowering the bar in response to those doubts, Deion Sanders is raising it internally.

In a preview clip from Episode 2 of Colorado’s “Elevate Together” YouTube series circulating on social media, Sanders gathered his team and made the standard unmistakable.

A Season Built Around One Objective

CU football standout athlete Travis Hunter flashes a No. 1 with his finger after a win against CSU in the Rocky Mountain Showdown at Canvas Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colo. | Cris Tiller / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“We're here to win, fellas. That's it. It ain't no other option. We're here to win,” Sanders told his team. “Everything we talk about. Everything we're about. Every meeting, every rep in the weight room, every lap, conditioning. Everything we do. Your education. Your academics. The way you're taught about life. We're here to do one thing... to win.”

One goal: WIN 🏆

Built in Boulder Ep. 2 is live

Watch now ➡️ https://t.co/lrhyacH0db pic.twitter.com/nQqysbh02E
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) February 20, 2026

The message connected performance to preparation. Winning, in "Coach Prime's" view, isn't reserved for Saturdays in the fall. Winning can be achieved daily, in the classroom, in the weight room and through discipline when no one is watching.

The team buying into that philosophy is crucial for a program trying to rebound. By defining winning as a daily habit, Sanders is attempting to eliminate inconsistency at its root.

Developing Leadership From Within

Nov 1, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose State Spartans wide receiver Danny Scudero (10) runs in for the touchdown after the catch against the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine during the third quarter at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Episode 2 also highlights how Sanders is working to cultivate internal leadership.

During a team meeting with a select group of players he identified as some of the program’s hardest workers, Sanders singled out wide receiver Danny Scudero in front of the room. The San Jose State transfer, who led the nation with 1,297 receiving yards in 2025, sat among teammates as Sanders and assistant coach George Hegamin looked on.

Scudero, who finished with 88 receptions and 10 touchdowns while earning All-Mountain West First Team honors and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist recognition, answered modestly when asked why teammates might look up to him.

“Because I played a little bit.”

Sanders immediately corrected him.

“No. They look up to you because you done balled out and your numbers exceeded everyone in college football,” Sanders said. “So they watch how you work. They watch how you prepare. They watch every darn thing you do. You have so much influence that you don't even understand.”

The exchange underscored a key element of Sanders’ philosophy. Leadership isn't about climbing alone. It's about bringing others with you on that climb. That's how standards multiply, and that's how championship teams are built.

If players like Scudero embrace that leadership role, the impact could stretch far beyond the stat sheet. Colorado’s receiving room already features high-end talent, but leadership from a proven producer could elevate the entire group.

When buy-in spreads from a veteran transfer to younger players, it reinforces the standard Sanders is trying to establish. Development then becomes peer-driven, not just coach-directed.

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Elevate Together as Cultural Blueprint

Sep 6, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Members of the Colorado Buffaloes defense celebrate following a turnover in the second half against the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Assistant coach George Hegamin echoed that sentiment.

“The secret sauce is grabbing somebody by the hand and taking them with them,” Hegamin said. “Just working out and being the hardest worker isn't the only thing you're responsible for. You're also responsible for bringing someone with you.”

That principle speaks directly to the program’s broader identity shift heading into 2026.

While the “Elevate Together” series serves as another avenue of exposure for Colorado, it also functions as a window into the cultural reset underway in Boulder. Sanders isn't just addressing effort. He's emphasizing multiplication of standards and doing what many championship teams do by ensuring leadership spreads player to player rather than relying solely on the coaching staff.

In an era when camaraderie can be fragile, Sanders appears determined to build cohesion through shared accountability.

The 2026 season is still months away, but the objective inside the facility has already been defined. There's no ambiguity in the message being delivered by Coach Prime. Winning is the expectation.