Deion Sanders Takes Blame for Loss, Defends Colorado Players from 'Quitter' Criticism
Colorado football coach Deion Sanders restricted media access to his team following Saturday's 52-17 loss to Arizona.
ESPN.com noted this was the first time he prevented his team from talking to reporters.
"Don't attack the players, come at me. Don't attack the coordinators, come at me," Sanders said after the game.
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Coach Prime also denied the idea the Buffs are starting to mentally check out on the field.
"I know this team personally, I know this team intimately, I know a multitude of players," he told reporters. "They haven't done that. I know when a player quits. I know a quitter when I see one. I haven't seen that."
That Sanders would even have to address that question is a sign of how things are trending in Colorado.
The Buffs are now 3-6 overall and 1-5 in the Big 12. On Saturday night, they trailed Arizona 38-7 at halftime and finished with five turnovers. Sanders utilized four different quarterbacks: Julian Lewis, Kaidon Salter, Ryan Staub and Dominiq Ponder.
In general, Sanders is falling victim to his own hype. He arrived to great fanfare and was happy to laugh at his skeptics during the Buffs' 3-0 start in 2023. That is the high-water mark of his tenure so far, however, and things are backsliding badly in Year 3 without Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter powering the offense.
The Hall of Fame cornerback sent a somewhat contrasting message when discussing his squad's back-to-back lopsided defeats.
"I have no idea," he said about why another blowout occurred. "If I knew, I wouldn't allow it to happen. It is on me."
Later in his press conference, Sanders tried to assure fans he'll turn things around.
"I know what the situation is, I know what the problem is, and I'll fix it," he told reporters.
One more loss will knock the Buffs out of bowl eligibility. A strong finish would at least give the program a stronger foundation heading into the 2026 season.
