Deion Sanders Accepts Blame in Blunt Comments After Ugly Colorado Loss

The Colorado Buffaloes took a beating on Saturday night, falling well short of a red-hot Houston Cougars squad. Coach Deion Sanders has some soul-searching to do after a loss without significant sources of hope for the future.

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders reacts during the second quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Thee Colorado Buffaloes had plenty of problems on the road in Houston.

After a largely uncompetitive 36-20 loss to the Houston Cougars on Saturday night, coach Deion Sanders took his lumps.

"Coach Prime" was his usual honest self after an ugly defeat, but the impact of his words is running thin. Colorado sits at 1-2 with a lesser foe in the lowly Wyoming Cowboys up next, but a return to Big 12 contender status looks like a long shot.

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks on the field before the game against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Buffs lack identity, and even stripped back of their intangible shortcomings, fail to meet the talent quota of high-level Power Four football.

Quarterback Ryan Staub had a scattershot evening, not exactly aided by his ecosystem but not providing the same spark that led to his second career college start. His offense had just 87 total yards in the second half, while the defense couldn't keep Houston

Coach Prime sounded off on Staub's evening, displayed accountability for the coaching staff but left much to be desired in the quarterback conversation.

Opening Statement:

"It wasn't good. I'm at a loss for words," Sanders said. "No one could have told me this was going to happen after this week's preparation. I take full responsibility of the foolishness that went on out there that we tried to call football. It wasn't that."

"We gotta do better in every phase of the game. We gotta do be preparing our kids. We gotta do better, period," Sanders continued.

On Ryan Staub's Performance:

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Ryan Staub (16) attempts a pass during the first quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

"Staub didn't play well. I saw what you saw. That wasn't his best, to say the least."

On Colorado's Defensive Struggles:

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars running back Dean Connors (44) runs witht the ball as Colorado Buffaloes safety Carter Stoutmire (23) attempts to make a tackle during the first quarter at TDECU Stadium. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

"Normally, when you give up 200 yards rushing, it is not in a winning cause. . . We've got to do much better in keeping control of the ball, so that the opposing team doesn't have that time of possession."

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On How To Improve Going Forward, Especially On Defense:

"We're not struggling, we're getting our butts kicked. You don't have to be polite with me, you don't have to sugarcoat it," said Sanders.

"Guys are not making plays. Got a sack, you miss a sack. . . You can't give up explosions."

On The Team's Lagging Identity On Offense:

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks off the field after the game against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

"I feel as though we have the players to be physical and run the darn football," Sanders continued.

On Night Games:

"We normally get our butts kicked at night. . . Maybe because we're a morning practice team. We even try to implement and change the schedule to accommodate the young men to give their bodies time, their sleep patterns and all that."

On The Quarterback Battle's Future:

"I have no idea. Right now, I'm not thinking about that. I'm thinking about what transpired and how we can prevent what transpired from happening again. I'm trying to self-analyze what I can do better," said Sanders.