The best wins and worst losses of the Deion Sanders era at Colorado

Brian Schaible

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The best wins and worst losses of the Deion Sanders era at Colorado image

With last night’s 24–21 loss at home to BYU, Colorado is now 30 games into the Coach Prime era. The Buffs sit at 15–15 in a journey that began in December 2022 when Deion Sanders was hired to revive the program.

Colorado jumped out to a 14–0 lead in the first quarter and later led 21–17 in the second half, but the Cougars rallied late to remain unbeaten. For the Buffs, it was the second straight loss to BYU after falling in last year’s Alamo Bowl, making this defeat sting even more in front of a Folsom Field crowd.

There have been thrilling highs, such as the stunning upset of TCU, the rivalry win over Nebraska in 2023, and the miraculous Hail Mary against Baylor. There have also been painful lows, from the Stanford collapse and now multiple losses against BYU. Breathtaking peaks and heartbreaking valleys have defined thirty games in, the Sanders era.

The Five Best Wins

  1. at TCU (2023) A 45–42 upset in Sanders’ debut, Shedeur Sanders throws for 510 yards in a record-setting performance.

  2. vs. Nebraska (2023) Rivalry statement at home, 36–14 in front of a sold-out Folsom Field crowd.
     
  3. at UCF (2024) Balanced Big 12 road rout, 48–21, with offense and defense both dominating. While not the most meaningful game, it may have been the most surprising lopsided outcome.
     
  4. vs. Baylor (2024) Miracle Hail Mary forces OT, Buffs complete dramatic 38–31 win. Coming off a 4-8 season, who knows where last year goes if they don't beat Baylor?
     
  5. at Cincinnati (2024) A 34–23 victory clinches first bowl berth since 2016. This was a milestone moment for the program. Not the most memorable game but an important one. With nine catches for 153 yards and two scores, this really launched the Travis Hunter Heisman talk.
     

The Five Worst Losses

  1. Alamo Bowl vs. BYU (2024) A 36–14 flop. Buffs manage just 2 rushing yards in a lopsided defeat.
     
  2. vs. Stanford (2023) Historic collapse, blew a 29–0 halftime lead before losing 46–43 in double overtime.
     
  3. vs. Kansas (2024, Kansas City) Devin Neal runs all over Colorado with 207 yards and 4 TDs in a 37–21 beatdown. After four straight conference wins, this game ended the Buffs’ chances of getting to the Big 12 championship game and possibly the College Football Playoffs.
     
  4. at Nebraska (2024) A 28–10 setback in Lincoln, Shedeur’s pick-six swung momentum early, Buffs overpowered up front.
     
  5. vs. BYU (2025) Last night’s 24–21 home defeat after leading 14–0, and surrendering another lead in the second half. We will see just how impactful this loss ends up being in the end. 

Other Dramatic Games That Nearly Made the Cut

  • 2023 Washington State loss (56–14) A low point at the time, though it came against QB Cam Ward, later the NFL’s No. 1 overall draft pick. This game eliminated any post-season bowl hopes for the 2023 season.
     
  • 2023 Colorado State win (43–35, 2OT) Nationally watched thriller, Shedeur Sanders led a clutch late drive to save the night.
     
  • 2024 Colorado State win (37–24)  A more routine rivalry win, but still meaningful for bragging rights. The Jay Norwell and Deion Sanders ongoing beef has been missed this season.                                  

Brian Schaible

Brian Schaible is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is an award-winning journalist with over 25 years of experience covering college and professional sports. Brian holds a master’s degree in journalism/public relations from Kent State University.