Deion Sanders Explains Why He's Optimistic as Colorado Prepares For Texas Tech

The Colorado Buffaloes are approaching a difficult challenge against the No. 12 Texas Tech Red Raiders, but coach Deion Sanders is feeling optimistic.

Sep 26, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders looks on during the second half against the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the Colorado Buffaloes prepare to face the No. 12 Texas Tech Red Raiders, they have a quick turnaround to fix a lot of issues that surfaced against the Baylor Bears.

Still, coach Deion Sanders feels optimistic about the Buffs as they prepare for their homecoming matchup.

What has Deion Sanders feeling optimistic

Sep 26, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders looks on during the first half against the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"Contrary to what you guys may think, we have two coordinators who are really good, and one coordinator, I think he's averaged 33 points a game in his entire career. We just got to fix it. We got to score. We score that many points. We're probably losing one game right now, if that, because if we keep that time of possession, they don't get the ball to Northwestern that many times. But we just got to do something with the football and score it," Sanders said.

"Defense, we got to stop breaking when we're bending. We got to stop like we're good enough not to bend and break. Like we're making some really good plays. As I read the statistics, not giving up a rushing TD in 3-of-4 games this season. No rushing plays longer than 25 yards. But pass interference, you know, certain things they're doing. [Gavin Freeman] made a phenomenal play in Baylor, where he jumped over the whole durn team and the cheerleaders, and he did his thing," Sanders said.

"So you give them credit when the other team makes plays, great plays. You've got to give them credit, but the quarterback enabled them to do some things as well," Sanders said.

Opening statement

"Great day at practice. Great, great, great, great. I'm on a natural high because today we looked really good. Texas Tech, coach [Joey] McGuire, good friend of mine. Much love and respect. Met his wonderful, beautiful wife while at Big 12 Media Day, and just an extension of who he is: just charming and just pleasant, pleasant. I mean, wonderful. I've been knowing this man for a long time," Sanders said.

"He changed high school football in the Cedar Hill area, and my son, Junior played for him at one point. So I used to go up there and sit at the top of the bleachers like I still do when I'm watching my kids, and it was great though. Joey has done a lot with this program. He's a winner. He's proven he can win. He's proven that he can go against the grain, and he don't give a darn. And I love him to life, especially when I saw him in that that vet, that Corvette, that all hooked up," Sanders said.

"Was he Coach of the Year last year? He wasn't. He should have been. He should have been. He was named to the Texas High School Coaches Hall of Honor in 2020, and just an overall great dude. Students of the week: Cam, Newton, Prosper, Texas, my old stomping grounds, [Josiah] Manu in Loveland, Colorado. Proud of both these young men and how they represent us academically as well. Chris Hudson, young man who I adore, great guy. Can't wait to see him this weekend," Sanders said.

"Won the Thorpe Award in '94, so he's in that Thorpe family. Being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame this year on campus. The salute will take place this weekend. Love that. Soccer; those are my favorite guys. It is one of my favorite teams on this campus. Went one and one on the weekend. They're 8-2-1 overall, 2-1 in Big 12 season. Volleyball: 1-1 as well. And they're now 10-2, which is awesome. They travel to Texas to play TCU and Baylor this weekend," Sanders said.

"Men's golf is hosting a home tournament today and tomorrow at Boulder Country Club. You think we get in there? I think I get in free since I'm the head coach. I remember going there to eat that with Rick [George]. I don't know if we could just walk in there, though. The tennis, women's golf and cross country teams continue to impress. Joseph Williams became the first player in Colorado history to catch 11 passes in a game and complete a pass.

"Yeah, it was nice too. Beautiful, beautiful play. Last three games, he's totaled 20 receptions for 338 yards. Toby [Anene] has recorded a tackle for loss, in every game this season, including two tackles for loss and a sack against Baylor. The rushing defense has not given up a touchdown in 3-of-4 games this season. Not allowed to rushing play longer than 25 yards this season. We got to build on that."

Isaac Wilson's thoughts on the quarterback battle

Sep 26, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Isaac Wilson (16) throws a pass against the Baylor Bears during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"I haven't talked to JuJu [Julian Lewis]. I've talked to Isaac. Kid is excited about the possibilities, stood up in a meeting and really talked to the team about this and that and challenged them in many ways. So I'm proud of that young man. I really am. I know some people are running with the narrative that [the quarterback battle]'s already decided. I think I'm the one who makes that decision. I don't know where they get that from, and they didn't get it from me. So we'll see how our practice plays out this week," Sanders said.

How the 'Go-Go' offense can find a spark

"It starts off with many things. Starts off with a running game. It starts off with a passing game. It starts off with not turning the ball over. Starts off with better field position. Unclose those hitting yardage we're getting on some special teams. We can't fair catch the darn ball inside the five-yard line or something like that. But that that's a way because it starts out great, but we got to make the plays," Sanders said.

"The plays are there. If we just sat down with all of you and just turned on the film and watched the film, you would say, 'Dang, you for real'. So that that's us. We got to take advantage of the plays that are there," Sanders said.

What he's seen from the secondary

Sep 26, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders speaks with an official during the first half against the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"We've given up a couple of plays. Really, one big play last week, but we had some penalties that aren't indicative of who we are. Other than that, when we give up a play that's a bang-bang play, like the quarterback makes a great throw, the receiver makes a great catch, you live with it. But we get given up plays that we've game-planned, and we understand what they're going to do. That's hard to live with. I think we gave up maybe one of those," Sanders said.

"Other than that, the quarterback got out, scrambled. That's on us. Too much time. Let's keep them contained. That's on us. We can fix those types of things," Sanders said.

Jason Stokes Jr.'s first career interception

"Yeah, but he got he can't give up the big play. It's not a trade-off because when they score, they score. When we got an interception, we just got a turnover. Like if you score with the interception, that's a trade-off. We can't do that, and he understands that. And guess what, he and Cree [Thomas], those guys are young. They're freshmen, right? I like it. They're redshirt freshmen. I like it. I like it," Sanders said.

Why the Colorado Buffaloes have struggled on third down

Sep 26, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders watches warmups before the game against the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"That's decision-making. That's all it is. That's decision-making, and that's understanding what we need to do. Like, I think the fourth and one or fourth and an inch that we went for and didn't get it-that-that's absurd. That's attitude, man. Let's trade that attitude. We got something for that this week, though," Sanders said.

"The young men out there have to make the decision to execute the play that's called. And when we all do that, we're fine. That's it. It can't be that one guy misses this block, or we miss this read, or we miss that. It can't be that. There are no more excuses. We got to make those plays. We got to make those plays," Sanders said.

How Cree Thomas has responded to his poor game against the Baylor Bears

"Cree ain't built like that to keep his head down. He's not like that. Today he had on mittens and gloves, and I told him one more penalty, I'm gonna cut his darn hands off so he can't grab. So he's gonna be out there with straight wrists. But Cree, he don't get down upon himself. He gets more upset that he hurt us, but he's there; he's there. He hasn't given up many catches, especially when he's bumping," Sanders said.

"When he's off, he thinks he's giving up maybe three, but when he's bumping, he ain't playing it, man. So I'm pretty excited about the possibilities of those two young men, and you know what Boo [Carter] is doing at the slot, so we're good," Sanders said.

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