When it rains, it pours for the Colorado football team this season.
The Buffaloes fell to 4-7 in a 56-14 loss to Washington State on Nov. 17. Head coach Deion Sanders approached the podium after the game quickly, according to team reporter Brian Howell, with a hoodie on top of his beanie before coughing. Players also weren’t made available to speak after the loss that eliminated the team from playing in a bowl game.
Deion Sanders under the weather tonight, was dealing with flu-like symptoms. Was very quick to get to his postgame presser. No players made available to media tonight. #Cubuffs
— Brian Howell (@BrianHowell33) November 18, 2023
“Thank you guys,” Sanders said to the media in his opening statement. “I’m a little under the weather, so this is going to be a little foggy for me.”
“Coach Prime” also said the team’s star player, and his son, Shedeur Sanders injured his hand and ankle in the loss.
“I think when we had an aired snap, [Washington State] rolled up his ankle, and that was it,” Sanders said of Shedeur. “He couldn’t grip the ball and his ankle, so that took him out of the game. The rest is history.”
Washington State scores off a Shedeur Sanders fumble then they dial up the ‘Shedeur’ cele 😂
COLvsWSU
pic.twitter.com/pDFe5czZgq— NFL Highs (@frito_paw) November 18, 2023
Shedeur remained in the game after the first quarter fumble, and threw a beauty of a touchdown pass to fellow star Travis Hunter.
SHEDEUR SANDERS DIME TO TRAVIS HUNTER 😮💨
(via @CFBONFOX) pic.twitter.com/RVV5iWgFIG
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 18, 2023
As Shedeur limped off the field after an early second quarter drive, Washington State fans chanted “overrated” at the junior quarterback.
Washington State fans chanting "overrated" at injured Shedeur Sanders. 1. That's lame 2. You are both 4-6 pic.twitter.com/PX87efr6lI
— Kevin Borba (@Kevin__Borba) November 18, 2023
Colorado’s final game of the season is on Nov. 25 at Utah. The Buffaloes’ season has been a strange one to summarize. In the wide scope and big picture, Colorado’s season has been a success with the program quadrupling last season’s win total and selling out every home game, transforming the program from a Pac-12 afterthought to the nation’s must-watch team. Still, many parts of the year feel like a disappointment after the season-opening road upset over TCU, where Coach Prime asked a writer if he believes in the team now.
Deion Sanders responds to a reporter: “Do you believe now?! I read through that bulljoke you wrote!” pic.twitter.com/52xJcQkH4b
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) September 2, 2023
Sanders himself has remained professional after every game and gave the media the same amount of attention, but he has grown less sure of his players after five straight losses.
“I’m still trying to figure out our identity,” Sanders said. “Still trying to find out who we are in turbulent times. I still don’t know. After all of these weeks, I still don’t know.”
On the field, Colorado appears to be going through a different type of storm after a thunderous start to the season, but the good news is the offseason is around the corner, which provides an opportunity to heal, re-vamp and get one more chance with Shedeur as the quarterback in his senior season.
