Analyst Shares Strong Doubts for Deion Sanders in Year Four at Colorado

One national analyst said Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes tenure has been a “mirage” after three seasons, while Coach Prime insists the Buffaloes are ready to win in 2026.

Sep 20, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colorado coach Deion Sanders turned the Buffaloes into one of the most talked-about teams in college football when he arrived in Boulder, but not everyone believes he can win big without the core of the 2024 team. After three seasons, ESPN analyst Jordan Rodgers used one word to describe Sanders’ tenure so far: “mirage.”

Jordan Rodgers Takes Aim at Colorado’s Rise

Sep 16, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) and head coach Deion Sanders following a two point conversion in the fourth quarter against the Colorado State Rams at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Rodgers made the comment last week on ESPN’s Get Up after Big 12 Media Days, when he was asked to sum up Sanders’ time at Colorado in a single word. 

“A mirage,” Rodgers said. “You’re driving down the highway. The road is hot. You feel like you see something. It’s a little blurry. It’s Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter and Deion Sanders.”

Rodgers’ point was that Colorado looked, at least from a distance, like a program on the verge of becoming something bigger while Sanders coached two of the sport’s most recognizable stars. But once both players moved on, Rodgers believes the picture became much clearer.

“You’re like, ‘Wait, that’s a program on the rise. That’s a program that’s going to be competing for national championships,’” Rodgers said. “The closer you get, Travis Hunter disappears, Shedeur Sanders disappears.”

Talent Gap Still a Concern

Sep 20, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Rodgers didn’t stop there as he argued that Colorado has not yet built enough depth or overall talent to keep pace with the top teams in the Big 12 once the spotlight moved away from its biggest names.

“What you’re left with is a roster and a team that, frankly, just hasn’t been able to have the talent, outside of those two guys, to compete,” Rodgers said.

That has been the central critique of Colorado since Sanders arrived. The Buffs have drawn national attention, but turning that attention into consistent wins has proven harder. Colorado went 9-4 in 2024 before sliding to 3-9 last fall, a drop-off that only sharpened the criticism around where the program really stands.

NIL Changed the Equation

Jul 7, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks to reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Rodgers also said Sanders may have arrived in Boulder at the wrong time from a roster-building standpoint. In his view, the modern NIL era has made it harder for a coach like Sanders to rely on reputation and development alone.

He added that Sanders still has wide appeal, but Colorado cannot always match the financial offers of programs with deeper pockets.

“Everyone would love to play for Deion,” Rodgers said. “He’s just not able to accumulate the same type of talent because they’re not able to stroke the same kind of checks that everybody else is.”

Coach Prime Pushes Back

Jul 7, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks to reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sanders has not shown much interest in dwelling on outside criticism. At Big 12 Media Days, he made it clear he believes Colorado can bounce back in 2026.

“Oh, we better win,” Sanders said. “That’s going to be the surprise. That’s the surprise. We better win. We’re going to win. I love what I got. I love what I see.”

He also dismissed the idea that preseason opinions matter much inside his locker room.

“We don’t care about what people say,” Sanders said. “People are always going to have an opinion … Our kids know who, what, when, where, and how they are.”

That confidence has been a trademark of Sanders’ approach in Boulder. Even after a difficult 2025 season, he has continued to sound like a coach who believes the turnaround is close.

What Lies Ahead for Colorado Buffaloes

Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) before the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colorado opens the 2026 season on the road against Georgia Tech, a game that will quickly show whether Sanders’ confidence is backed by a stronger roster and a more stable quarterback team. The Buffs will then move into a Big 12 schedule that will provide even more pressure and even more opportunities to prove Rodgers wrong.

For now, the debate around Colorado remains the same one it has been for most of Sanders’ time in Boulder. The attention is real, the expectations are real, but the next step is still waiting to prove if he can win outside of Shedeur and Hunter. 

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