College Football

Shedeur Sanders claps back at Matt Rhule: 'You disrespected us first'

Updated Sep. 25, 2023 8:43 p.m. ET

The theme of the week for Deion Sanders' Colorado team was, "It's personal," and not just because the Buffaloes were renewing a longtime bitter rivalry with Nebraska.

"Coach Prime" never directly addressed thinly veiled swipes at his program that Nebraska's Matt Rhule lobbed his way during the offseason, instead praising Rhule when speaking to media this week, as Rhule did the same to Sanders.

But Colorado's players, at least, were keenly aware of Rhule's offseason comments about an unspecified program that "has cameras following them around" (Colorado has several videographers, including the eldest Sanders son Deion Sanders Jr., following the team) and gets a lot of players out of the transfer portal (the Buffaloes have 58 new transfers on its roster this season).

And Shedeur Sanders, Deion's youngest son and Colorado's starting quarterback, went right at Rhule for those comments after another stellar performance in Colorado's 36-14 win on Saturday.

"[Rhule] said a lot of things about my Pops, about the program, but now he wanna act nice," Shedeur Sanders said. "I don't respect that, because you're hating on another man. You shouldn't do that. All respect was gone for them and their program. … You disrespected us first."

Shedeur was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when he ripped off his helmet on the field after thinking he had completed an acrobatic throw across his body into the end zone while attempting a two-point conversion Saturday. Deion said later he was initially upset at Shedeur, but his son could not keep him mad for long.

Shedeur then paid further tribute to his father when, after running into the end zone for another touchdown, he copied Deion's famous "Prime Time" celebration shuffle.

Deion, however, joked afterward that he was disappointed with the imitation.

Colorado fans later rushed the field in celebration of the Buffaloes' 2-0 start, which already surpasses the win total from last season's 1-11 team. Shedeur Sanders has established himself as a Heisman Trophy contender after recording a 77.5% completion rate, 903 yards, six passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, and one interception over his first two games at Colorado.

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