Colorado head coach Deion Sanders took to national television Friday to show just how “personal” this weekend’s game against visiting Colorado State has become.
On Wednesday night, Rams head coach Jay Norvell took issue with the pomp and circumstance surrounding the game in Boulder, Colo., with much of the attention cast on Sanders and the 18th-ranked Buffaloes (2-0).
“We had to do a bunch of ESPN videos, and it was great, I loved it,” Norvell said on his coach’s show. “But our kids came out of all those videos really with a chip on their shoulder. They’re tired of all that stuff. They really are tired of it.
“I sat down with ESPN today. And I don’t care if they hear it in Boulder. I told them I took my hat off and my glasses off. And I told them, ‘When I talk to grown-ups, I take my hat and my glasses off.’ That’s what my mother taught me.”
Sanders responded with a spirited speech to his team in Thursday’s practice, with the term “personal” being repeated multiple times by both himself and the team.
Sanders continued on Friday by presenting Prime 21 sunglasses from Blenders to every player, and gifting the same to the hosts of ESPN’s “First Take” and “The Pat McAfee Show.” Sanders has been known throughout his decorated career for his “Prime Time” nickname.
“I don’t like that it happened because this is another (Black) coach,” Sanders told McAfee. “”We started out right? He was complimenting me, I was complimenting him, but it just took a quick left. What happened? Who got to him?
“After what he said previously, it threw me off and I started, I really started to contemplate, what happened? Why would you go into that direction? You know me, you know how I get down. If we really want to talk, I can do this. I’m pretty good at this, but I don’t need to, because the kids, they’re ready.”
Sanders’ youngest son and Colorado quarterback, Shedeur, and cornerback Travis Hunter also addressed the situation on “First Take.”
“All respect (is) gone,” said Shedeur Sanders, who leads the nation with 451.5 passing yards per game. He also has six touchdown passes and no interceptions.
“We know he’s got a lot of pressure, and we’re the players that have to go out there and handle the pressure for him,” Hunter said.
Colorado State (0-1), which plays out the Mountain West Conference, was thumped 50-24 by Washington State on Sept. 2.
The Rams have dropped 24 consecutive games against ranked opponents since beating then-No. 7 Colorado in 2002 during Sonny Lubick’s tenure as their coach.
Colorado State has lost the past five meetings — the most recent was in 2019 — in the Rocky Mountain Showdown.
