Colorado Buffaloes football coach Deion Sanders’ team is playing like a group that no longer believes in their leader. After a 52-17 loss to the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Field on Saturday night, The Boulder Daily Camera’s Brian Howell claimed that CU players looked like they were “checked out.”
Coach Prime’s players aren’t the only ones who have checked out, either. Howell reported that there was a “Prime Time” era-low for attendance as well, with 48,223 fans in the Folsom Field stands in Week 10.
“An embarrassing loss at Utah a week ago was seemingly the low point for head coach Deion Sanders and the 2025 Colorado football team,” Howell prefaced before saying, “On Saturday night, the Buffaloes sunk even deeper.
“Facing a gut-check moment after the rout in Salt Lake City, the Buffs were crushed by Arizona on Saturday, 52-17, at Folsom Field. In front of the smallest crowd of the Deion Sanders era at Folsom (48,223), CU fell behind 7-0 on the third play, 17-0 less than eight minutes into the game, and 38-7 at halftime.
“A week ago, the Buffs were humiliated at Utah, 53-7. This is the first time since the last three games of the 2022 season — before Sanders was hired — that the Buffs have given up at least 50 points in consecutive games.
“CU also had a season-high five turnovers, as well as a season-high 13 penalties for 105 yards. All that to an Arizona team that had lost five in a row on the road.
“At this point, however, it doesn’t seem to matter where the Buffs (3-6, 1-5 Big 12) play. Coming off the loss at Utah, the Buffs looked checked out against the Wildcats (5-3, 2-3), who snapped a two-game losing streak.”
Deion Sanders has easy out if he wants to leave Colorado
The idea of Coach Prime leaving Colorado for another Power 4 job is a remote one now after two straight blowouts and a likely non-bowl-eligible campaign. Sanders dealt with bladder cancer and almost died in May, so it’s unlikely he’s thinking too much about his long-term future in coaching.
Perhaps there isn’t one.
After coaching his two sons for four years between Jackson State University and the University of Colorado Boulder, he stayed an extra year to prove he doesn’t follow his sons. But with little motivation, for him, and worse yet, for his players, there’s no need to prolong his career too long.
He can retire after the 2025 season and go down in CU’s history for having coached a Heisman winner and brought the team to nine wins. “Prime Time” will never be forgotten in the Centennial State. Well, besides this year, and any future campaigns, if Coach Prime overstays his welcome.