CSU QB Slams Deion Sanders, Colorado: 'We'll See How Far IG Followers Gets Them'

Colorado State quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi dished out some serious trash talk ahead of the Rams' rivalry game against Colorado on Saturday.

"They came out with that attitude and thought it was going to be a cakewalk," he said of the Buffaloes' 43-35 double-overtime victory in 2023 to Romi Bean of CBS Colorado (via The Athletic's David Ubben). "They got a rude, rude awakening real quick. I think it goes to show the hype, the media train, all that only gets you so far. At the end of the day, you have to line up 11 guys against our 11 guys and we'll find out who wants it more. We'll see how far Instagram followers gets them."

Last year's meeting had some extra spice thanks to comments from coaches Deion Sanders and Jay Norvell leading up to the game.

Colorado was the heavy favorite going in but fell behind 28-17 with a little over 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Jimmy Horn Jr.'s 45-yard touchdown grab tied the score inside the final minute and forced overtime, where the Buffs eventually prevailed.

Bragging about what amounted to a moral victory isn't exactly a great flex. Fowler-Nicolosi and his teammates still came up short in the end.

But the Rams playing Colorado close was a harbinger for Coach Prime's squad, which lost eight of their next nine games.

Fowler-Nicolosi's comments call to mind what Oregon head coach Dan Lanning told his players in the locker room before the Ducks' 42-6 shellacking of the Buffs triggered their rapid descent.

Colorado State has long played second fiddle to Colorado in the Centennial State. The Buffs are 68-22-2 all time against the Rams and have won the last six, though the rivalry was on pause from 2020 to 2022.

Fowler-Nicolosi's remarks will be remembered fondly if CSU finally gets the better of Colorado. Should the losing streak extend to seven games, however, he can count on getting his trash talk thrown back in his face.