Deion Sanders Skyrockets Up Power Four Coaches Rankings: Too High, Too Low?

Compared to his spot last year, Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders flew up CBS Sports’ latest college football coach rankings. In 2024, the Buffs’ lead man led Colorado to a 9-4 record and first bowl game in a full season since 2016.

Nov 25, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders on the field against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. | Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

While Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders has a long way to go before reaching the upper echelon of college football’s coaches in the eyes of CBS Sports, he is well on pace.

Before the 2024 season, CBS’s yearly Power Four college football coach rankings tabbed “Coach Prime” as No. 61 among the 68 listed names and second to last in the Big 12.

Sanders had a bone to pick with the mark in the buildup to 2024. When a reporter identified himself with CBS Sports Colorado during a press conference last August, Coach Prime refuted a question to express his discontent.

Feb 6, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Deion Sanders on the red carpet before Super Bowl LIX NFL Honors at Saenger Theatre. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"You are who you are," Sanders said. "CBS is CBS. It ain't got nothing to do with you. I respect you. That's why I told you that, I’m looking you in the eye as a man. I respect you. I got love for you, but what they did was foul."

This year, the national news outlet thinks much higher of Sanders, placing him No. 33 overall. The list was compiled by vote of CBS Sports and 247Sports reporters.

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Sanders sits a spot ahead of the coach he ended last year’s regular season with a blowout win over, the Oklahoma State Cowboys’ Mike Gundy. He’s two spots in front of the coach he opened his tenure in Boulder against, the TCU Horned Frogs’ Sonny Dykes.

Among the Big 12 coaches, Sanders comes in around the middle of the pick at seventh out of 16. Iowa State Cyclones’ Matt Campbell (No. 10), Utah Utes’ Kyle Whittingham (No. 11), Kansas State Wildcats’ Chris Klieman, No. 14), Kansas Jayhawks’ Lance Leipold (No. 15), Arizona State Sun Devils’ Kenny Dillingham (No. 18), and BYU Cougars’ Kalani Sitake (No. 26) ranked ahead of "Coach Prime."

Here’s what Tom Fornelli of CBS wrote on Sanders’ slot:

“Only one coach climbed higher than the 28 spots Coach Prime leaped this season, and this jump shouldn't come as a surprise. While the on-field results didn't match the off-field hype in 2023, Sanders' Colorado team improved to 9-4 and was in the hunt for a conference title until the end of the season. Oh, and Travis Hunter won the Heisman. Now, we sit back and see how things will go with Hunter and Shedeur Sanders off to the NFL. I won't be surprised by any outcome, honestly. The team could crater, or it could win the Big 12.”

Dillingham was the lone lead man to launch a larger leap on the list.

Alliteration aside, Sanders had a somewhat high variance from the reporters’ point of view. His highest rating was No. 23, while the lowest had him at No. 43.

Mar 1, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers football coach Matt Rhule watches the game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

Prime placed one spot behind rival Nebraska Cornhuskers coach Matt Rhule and three spots under the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets’ Brent Key, who Sanders will stand opposite of to open next season on Aug. 29.

CBS is no Nostradamus and acknowledged it the most of any program with Colorado, struggling to predict how Coach Prime will fare without Shedeur Sanders and Hunter. This season, Sanders will overlook a fierce quarterback competition between Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis, a steadily improving defense and a growing hub of fans desperate for consistent victories.