College Football

Deion Sanders faces his greatest coaching challenge yet at Colorado

Updated Sep. 25, 2023 3:49 p.m. ET

As Colorado players shuffled to their buses outside Autzen Stadium after a dispiriting 42-6 loss to Oregon on Saturday, they carried standard-issue team backpacks with some rather specific branding. The words, right next to the school logo, read: "I believe."

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It's the same mantra that was shouted at reporters after Colorado's season-opening upset win at TCU. It has also come to represent the whole Deion Sanders Colorado experiment in one singular question.

Do you believe?

For casual fans who were drawn in by the celebrity of Coach Prime, it's an inquiry that now brings more skepticism. How could it not after Saturday?

"People around the country will say, ‘This is what they needed to humble themselves,'" Sanders said after his worst loss as a college coach. "We wasn't arrogant or whatever. We're confident people. If our confidence offends your insecurity, that's a problem with you, it's not us. We expect to do well. We expect to play well. We expect to win every game."

The backpack lettering is not just some simple marketing, it's an attitude that Sanders has consistently preached from the very beginning. It has seeped into everything the Buffs do and is now something he will reemphasize ahead of his biggest challenge — and opportunity — as a head coach, with Pac-12 favorite USC and Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams coming to town for a seismic "Big Noon Kickoff" showdown.

Joel Klatt reacts to Oregon thrashing Deion Sanders and Colorado

Previous wins over the Horned Frogs and former rival Nebraska certainly turned heads. Sanders' late-game management to secure an overtime victory against Colorado State opened eyes even further.

But Coach Prime's greatest coaching job could end up playing out at practice and in meeting rooms this week, as his Buffs try to recover from a dispiriting loss and also focus on a Trojans team that could run them right out of the building if they're not ready to play.

"It's not something that was needed. That's like saying you get in car wreck or something and saying, ‘Oh, you needed that.' You didn't need that. That's just stupid," Sanders said of the loss to Oregon. "It's just something that happened. They got the best of us today. That's just it."

Sanders not only has, as he put it, "a gold jacket in the back," but might be the best defensive back ever. But even he allowed the occasional key catch for a first down, or even a touchdown — that's simply the nature of the position. Prime's greatness rested not just on his physical gifts, but also his mental one: the ability to move on to the next play.

After getting beat, Sanders was able to either return the favor or make a big play. He'd let you know it, too, by having the last laugh.

Now Sanders has to bring the same approach to the team he coaches. Every defensive back understands he has to be a goldfish: forget the failure, move on to the next play. The Buffs must forget the drubbing in the Pacific Northwest and move on to the next game.

This is not a week to be dwelling on the past. Not with a USC squad featuring the highest-scoring offense in the country, not to mention a defense ranked third in sacks and first in tackles for loss.

This is certainly not the moment to stop believing.

Colorado let one slip against Oregon, but that doesn't have to mean it bursts the Buffs' bubble. Instead, it allows for the question to be asked yet again.

Do you believe?

First and 10

1. If you were left incredulous over the ending of Ohio State's dramatic 17-14 win over Notre Dame, you weren't alone.

What quickly became apparent soon after the Buckeyes punched it in to cap off a remarkable game-winning drive, was why it wound up being so easy for them to score. In an occurrence that reflects poorly on Marcus Freeman and his coaching staff, the Irish had only 10 players on the field for the final two plays.

It's one thing to lose, it's another when such a simple (and easily correctable) mistake compounds it.

"Yeah, it's on us," Freeman told reporters. "We've got to be better."

The thing is, those words are just not good enough. It's not good enough for a Pop Warner coach, much less a Notre Dame head coach who was on the verge of a program-defining win.

Freeman twice had the opportunity to rectify the situation, but he did not. He said afterward that he told a fourth defensive lineman to stay off because the team "couldn't afford a penalty" and didn't have any timeouts to use. In what world does that make sense? You couldn't afford a half-yard penalty to set your defense correctly for a do-or-die final play? The Buckeyes wound up scoring over the spot where the missing lineman would have been.

It's not a pretty picture.

Across 19 games as head coach, Freeman's Irish have now blown a 21-point lead in a bowl game, lost to Marshall at home, been tripped up (again, at home) by a rival who had lost 11 straight games to FBS competition, and now failed to have 11 men on the field at the end of a critical top-10 matchup.

Those are concerning enough results to witness on their own, but even more of a red flag when lined up together sequentially (and not even mentioning this offseason's meandering OC search). Is it hyperbolic to think that Saturday's end-of-game gaffe may have officially started the clock on his tenure? Not at all.

Not at a place like Notre Dame, especially given that a new athletic director is waiting in the wings and the opportunities to knock off teams like the Buckeyes are fleeting at best for even the most established of programs.

Reacting to Ohio State's win over Notre Dame

2. If it weren't for the Irish blowing the ending, we might all be drilling down even more on how fiery Ohio State coach Ryan Day was afterward. Though the emotions of the moment surely amped up the normally even-keeled Buckeyes coach a few notches, it was still pretty jarring to see him going after Lou Holtz several times on Saturday night.

Coaches and players love to latch on to any sort of negative criticism, and Day certainly followed that same playbook after Holtz made several comments last week alluding to OSU's perceived lack of physicality stemming, in part, from recent losses to Michigan.

Day has every right to call it out. He's paid handsomely to not just coach his players to win but to stick up for them, too. In beating Notre Dame in that manner, he backed it up between the lines to further his point.

But let's not kid ourselves that such a narrative is going to go away just because Chip Trayanum got across the goal line with one second left. This is going to remain something that hovers over the Buckeyes unless they get to the Big House at the end of the year and walk away with a victory. Given that Day is a still remarkable 49-6 at OSU, there's not a lot to nitpick. Yet this talking point coming up so prominently on Saturday night indicates it's touched a nerve for many around Columbus beyond the head coach.

3. After Lane Kiffin needled pretty much everybody in the Alabama program in the lead-up to a trip to Tuscaloosa, particularly his old boss Nick Saban, Ole Miss allowed the most suspect Tide squad in at least a decade pull away in the second half for an unexpectedly comfortable 24-10 win. As much as the contest wound up being a second-half masterclass from Saban by doubling down on a feisty defense and riding Jalen Milroe's ability to pick up yards with his legs, the final score also reflected poorly on the Rebels' head coach for squandering the opportunity that was clearly there for the taking.

Ole Miss looked unprepared for the moment. It would have been one thing had all the pre-game chatter added an element of intrigue, but it felt largely like an additional amount of pressure that Kiffin's players clearly started to feel whenever there was a negative play. As much as you would have liked them to play free and in the moment, the Kiffin's antics appeared to have the opposite effect.

Kiffin is smarter than he likes to be portrayed and has done some good things since arriving in Oxford — a place that's typically tough to win at with much consistency. Given some truth serum, the Rebels head coach would probably admit now that he played things the wrong way for this one — even if he is unlikely to stop anytime soon.

Alabama still has a path to the College Football Playoff

4. When we look back months or years from now, Clemson kicker Jonathan Weitz spoiling his storybook ending by missing a 29-yard kick late in the fourth quarter on Saturday — sending the Tigers to an eventual overtime loss against Florida State — may best be viewed as a blessing disguise for the program. Perhaps we'll reflect on that moment as the one where Dabo Swinney finally realized that the status quo around the program was no longer working — nor is it acceptable after the Tigers dropped to 0-2 in conference play for the first time since 2010.

For a near decade, Swinney rightfully earned a place right behind Saban on every list ranking the best coaches. He made several shrewd hires (Chad Morris, Brent Venables), created an enviable and unique culture, recruited top-tier players, and was a singular force in having fun while elevating a yesteryear program into one that won the ACC and made the CFP with striking regularity.

That is no longer the case at little ol' Clemson, which has been on a downward trajectory well before 2023 rolled around. Though average quarterback play has been a primary focus for many, that's not the root cause after numerous seasons of subpar offensive line play and a glaring omission of explosive playmakers on the roster.

As other coaches took to the changing environment in college football to correct some of their issues, Swinney has instead doubled down. Instead of using assistant departures as a way to bring in fresh ideas, Dabo became insular and promoted young and inexperienced staffers into bigger roles that they clearly haven't been able to handle. Even bringing in Garrett Riley as offensive coordinator has been undercut by not giving him full reins to run things as he did last year at TCU, something that has been readily apparent in watching a mish-mashed approach in the red zone and the general lack of rhythm.

On top of that, there's an uninspiring approach to transfers. While pretty much everybody has strategically used the portal in various ways to restock their roster and pad weak spots, Clemson has rarely even dipped its toes into such waters. Given that staffing reboots in 2010 and 2011 went hand-in-hand with changes in how the program brought in coveted players, the overall approach to recruitment and development of players lately has been downright frustrating to those who savored the journey to the pinnacle, but now find the Tigers reinventing what it means to be ‘Clemsoning.'

5. In terms of blood-pumping excitement for neutrals, Utah's 14-7 win over UCLA likely ranked last among the three critical ranked-vs.-ranked matchups in the Pac-12 over the weekend. The final score said plenty in that respect.

Yet if you watched the contest at all, you could take delight in an absolute masterclass from Kyle Whittingham and his defense. Poor freshman quarterback Dante Moore threw a pick-six on the first play and things barely improved from there, with the bulk of the team's yardage not coming until late in the fourth quarter when they finally discovered some forward progress. The Utes notched seven sacks to go along with a fumble and seemed to have an answer for everything that Chip Kelly drew up.

It was a victory that could best be described as a crockpotting. Playing before the typically raucous Rice-Eccles crowd, Utah set the tone from the jump, threw the Bruins back on every series, and just waited things out methodically until the end — a slow-cooked but delectable result for a side that is now sixth nationally in points allowed. Just as impressive, the Utes added a third win over a Power 5 opponent to their résumé, all of which have come despite some frustrating offensive play of their own without starting quarterback Cam Rising.

Should the veteran signal-caller return next week, then it's possible this is the most well-rounded of all the Pac-12 contenders in what is promising to be an absolute slugfest down the stretch out West.

Utah is the team nobody should want to play

6. Speaking of conference contenders, you can have your pick of really any of the four teams in the top 10 in terms of being the favorite, but there seems to be a growing (and maybe accurate) narrative surrounding Washington right now. The Huskies did to Cal what they've done all season to their opponents: ruthlessly attack downfield and run up the score before halftime.

Despite sitting out the later stages of every game so far in 2023, QB Michael Penix Jr. leads the country in just about every category and does so by a decent margin, too. He's thrown for 226 yards more than second-placed Shedeur Sanders, has one more touchdown pass than Caleb Williams, and averages 57 more yards per game than his next-closest competitor. Not surprisingly, his vaunted receiving corps has played a big role, too, with a remarkable three players all averaging triple digits in yards per game while each scoring at least three times, too.

Against the Bears on Saturday night, the display was even more impressive considering that Washington had scored twice (on a Rome Odunze punt return, plus a defensive pick-six) before the gifted quarterback even took a snap as they wound up tying the school record for points in a half.

The schedule and caliber of opponent picks up quite a bit in three weeks, but if you're looking for the most fun team to watch in college football, the easy answer right now is to tune into what's happening on Montlake.

7. Emotions were running high going into Oregon State's trip to Washington State given all of the realignment talk surrounding the two schools, but it was nice to see fans play into the meeting at Martin Stadium, with scores of ‘Pac-2 Championship' signs assembled with plenty of creativity. The self-deprecating humor aside, both the Cougars and the Beavers staged a match worthy of the title billing, too, and seemed to allow fans from both sides some much-needed relief, allowing them to focus on Cam Ward's heroics (404 yards, four TDs).

The 38-35 win also is a good reminder that for all the talk about some of the conference's other contenders, the Cougs are always a difficult out given the way they fight for every yard. They should not be overlooked when it comes to getting to Vegas down the road. Jake Dickert not only has his group playing inspired, but they get the added benefit of missing both Utah and USC on the schedule. That's balanced out some by having to go to Oregon and Washington, but in a division-less Pac-12 where those tiebreakers come into play, it's not unfathomable this group keeps playing like it does and has a shot to complete a memorable run in 2023 despite the questions surrounding the school's future.

Cameron Ward and Josh Kelly connect for an 11-yard TD

8. The almost macabre fascination with Iowa's quest to hit the 325-point mark and keep offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz around may have hit another gear following the team's uninspiring effort while getting shut out at Penn State, 31-0. Though it's always going to be tough to play in Happy Valley during the infamous ‘White Out' game, the ineptitude of the Hawkeyes offense was truly remarkable to neutrals with no stake in the program.

Like, how does one team run sixty-four plays more than another? How can PSU nearly put up more points (31) than Iowa had offensive plays (33), or the latter average just one first down per quarter?

The Hawkeyes have the personnel to be better than this. Cade McNamara has proven he's more than capable as a Big Ten quarterback, and others like tailback Leshon Williams have been able to move the ball just fine. Yet the entire unit looked completely discombobulated against the Nittany Lions even while trying to execute basic plays.

Maybe the moment simply became too much against a Penn State side that might be the best in the Big Ten right now, but the way things have played out so far lead to more questions than answers for an offense that now sits 107th in scoring, 131st in completion percentage and 124th in third-down conversions.

9. College basketball is just around the corner, but for many schools that tilt allegiance to the hard court, this football season is rapidly becoming something you just can take your eyes off of. Duke is undefeated and hosting perhaps the biggest game of Week 5, North Carolina has a decent claim to be FSU's biggest threat in the ACC, Louisville is rolling under Jeff Brohm right now, Maryland has won every game by double-digits, and Syracuse sits undefeated with a top-10 scoring offense and defense. Meanwhile, Kansas is not only the most dangerous team in the Big 12 after the Red River duopoly, but 4-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1914-15.

Perhaps the most notable program not to jump on the pigskin bandwagon at the moment is the one which is also home to the reigning NCAA men's basketball national champion, UConn. The Huskies were a nice surprise in Jim Mora Jr.'s first year, but currently sit winless.

10. It's been a rough start to conference play for the Big 12's four new schools. After Houston fell to TCU 34-17 in their conference opener last week, BYU (to Kansas, 38-27) UCF (44-31 to Kansas State) and Cincinnati (20-6 to Oklahoma) took losses in their conference openers on Saturday as well.

Play of the Weekend

Double-Take from Week 1

Saturday Superlatives

Best Player: Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

Team of the Week: Northwestern

Coach of the Week: Jake Dickert, Washington State

Hot Seat of the Week: P.J. Fleck, Minnesota

Heisman Five: 1. Caleb Williams (USC), 2. Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), 3. Cam Ward (Washington State), 4. Travis Hunter (Colorado), 5. Bo Nix (Oregon)

Tweet of the Week

Super 16

My ballot going into Week 5 in the FWAA/NFF Super 16 poll:

Florida State
Texas
Washington
Penn State
Michigan
Georgia
Ohio State
Oregon
USC
Duke
Miami
Alabama
Notre Dame
LSU
Utah
Washington State

Just missed the cut: North Carolina

Best of the rest: Oklahoma, Kansas, Oregon State, Fresno State, Kansas State, Colorado, Syracuse, UCLA

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Pre-Snap Reads

Utah at Oregon State (Friday, 9 p.m. ET on FS1)

Despite the Beavers suffering their first setback, Corvallis has been a graveyard to highly-ranked teams in recent years, and OSU is a tough out this season. Cam Rising's potential return could make this interesting, but the initial thought is that an upset could be brewing. Oregon State +2.5

USC at Colorado (Noon ET on FOX)

Given the state of the Trojans defense, the Buffs should be able to move the ball a lot better than they did in Eugene. The problem is that Caleb Williams has an even better cast of skill position players and should be up for the big stage on Big Noon. USC -14.5

Kansas at Texas (3:30 p.m. ET)

The Jayhawks' last two trips to Austin have produced some memorable, high-scoring affairs that have come down to the end. This one could play out much the same way given the offenses involved and the Longhorns potentially looking ahead to a certain date in Dallas. Kansas +17

Notre Dame at Duke (7:30 p.m. ET)

The gut-punch nature of that loss to Ohio State may wind up refocusing the Irish on what is suddenly a critical game for both sides to remain in the hunt for hardware. This figures to be a close, low-scoring affair that comes right down to the end either way. Notre Dame -6.5

Bryan Fischer is a college football writer for FOX Sports. He has been covering college athletics for nearly two decades at outlets such as NBC Sports, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and NFL.com among others. Follow him on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.