Deion Sanders left himself just one year to make good on his promise of a national championship at Colorado. It does not seem likely that the Buffaloes are going to reach that level of success in that timeline.
In fact, they will be lucky to make the 12-team College Football Playoff at this rate!
Coach Prime arrived to Boulder in December of 2023. He took over a team that went 1-11 in the year prior and immediately flipped the large majority of the roster in unprecedented fashion. Very few players from the previous regime carried over into his first year. His two sons and Travis Hunter Jr. were among those who transferred in.
By February of his first year, Sanders was confident in what he was building. Perhaps too confident. Rather, definitely too confident.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer said that Colorado would need only “a few years” to win a national title.
His comments 14 months ago do not reflect reality. Colorado started 3-0 in 2023 but won just four games. It is currently in the process of a similar roster flip through the transfer portal.
The promise that Coach Prime made a year ago is in stark contrast to the promise he made during the Buffaloes’ spring game on Saturday. He guaranteed fans that his team will make a bowl game this year.
Finding six wins on Colorado’s schedule is a difficult task.
- vs. North Dakota State
- at Nebraska
- at Colorado State
- vs. Baylor
- at UCF
- vs. Kansas State
- at Arizona
- vs. Cincinnati
- at Texas Tech
- vs. Utah
- at Kansas
- vs. Oklahoma State
Regardless of whether Shedeur and Deion Sanders lead the team to a bowl game or not, that leaves a small window to make good on the original national championship timeline of a “few” years.
A “few” is three. The Buffaloes did not win the College Football Playoff in Year 1. They are aiming to make a bowl game in Year 2. That means that it is national championship or bust in 2025!