Shedeur Sanders: Colorado Being Ranked in AP Top 25 'Doesn't Really Even Matter'

Colorado jumped into the Associated Press poll at No. 23 after defeating Cincinnati 34-23 last Saturday, but it's clear Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders isn't concerned with the ranking (conversation begins at 3:10 mark).

"It doesn't really even matter," Sanders said during a conversation on his 2Legendary podcast. "I don't think the rankings really matter, honestly to us. Because you can be ranked one week and not ranked the next week."

Colorado made its first appearance in the poll since Sept. 17, 2023, when the team was 19th following a 3-0 start.

Sanders had Colorado offensive lineman Justin Mayers on as a guest this week, and he gave his take on the matter as well.

"We're bowl eligible now, but that's not the end goal. We're trying to make a championship. I feel like a lot of big teams when they start looking at the AP stuff, they lose themselves. But us, we've been through so much as a team that it doesn't matter to us...so we just keep working week in and week out, we'll get what we really want."

Colorado did become bowl-eligible with the victory, but it's clear Sanders and the rest of the Buffaloes have greater goals. The Buffaloes are still in the mix to make the Big 12 Championship Game, and a win there would solidify a top-four spot in the College Football Playoff.

Right now, Colorado is tied for third with Kansas State at 4-1 in conference, looking up at 5-0 BYU and 4-0 Iowa State. Colorado's lone conference loss was to KSU, 31-28 on Oct. 12.

The bad news for Colorado is that the team doesn't control its own conference destiny at this juncture. The Buffaloes notably don't play BYU or Iowa State down the stretch. But Colorado has averaged 35.0 points per game and looked primed for a strong finish that could at least put them in position to maybe steal a top-two spot with some help down the stretch.

Up next is a bye week before Colorado hits the road to visit Texas Tech on Saturday, Nov. 9.