Colorado secures a bowl invitation in the second year of Deion Sanders' leadership.

Colorado is set to participate in a bowl game in its second year under the leadership of Coach Deion Sanders. The Buffaloes achieved their sixth victory and secured bowl eligibility late Saturday night, triumphing over Cincinnati with a score of 34-23 in a home game. This win also positions them as potential contenders in the Big 12 next month.

Coach Sanders:

"It's cute. It really is. Because we really want that, but that's not all we're after," Deion Sanders said. "That's one of the hurdles that we're jumping over and going over. "That's a tremendous hurdle that we're happy, we're excited, but that's not the end goal for us. That's the beginning, but we are thankful and appreciative that the hard work is going noticed."

Shedeur Sanders reported that he had been battling the flu throughout the week and managed to participate in practice only once prior to the matchup against the Bearcats. He successfully completed 25 out of 30 passes, including nine receptions from two-way standout Travis Hunter, totaling 153 yards and two touchdowns. Following the game, his father expressed concern over Shedeur's lack of recognition in the Heisman Trophy discussions. Coach Deion Sanders remarked, "I don't care. I really don't. It's just strange. It's amusing to me. I find it somewhat ignorant, but it’s entertaining for us because Shedeur is unfazed by it. His focus is on being drafted in a great city and achieving victory. The Heisman is not on his mind."

Travis is currently recognized as the premier college football player in the nation, a fact that is widely acknowledged. It raises the question of why there is any debate surrounding this matter. What is the basis for such discussions? At what point might this assessment change? It is essential to establish the criteria for this esteemed award. We are evaluating the top high school football player, and it is important to note that there has never been a player like Travis Hunter. I assert this with confidence.

For the second consecutive week, Colorado (6-2, 4-1 Big 12) successfully demonstrated a balanced offensive strategy, achieving a team rushing total of 100 yards. Isaiah Augustave, a transfer from Arkansas, was instrumental in this effort, contributing 93 of the Buffaloes' 123 rushing yards. Deion Sanders described this as a "conscious effort" to enhance their running game.

The Buffaloes have improved to a record of 6-2 under the leadership of Deion Sanders, marking their highest number of wins in a single season since achieving a 10-4 record in 2016. In their recent matchup, the Buffaloes scored on five of their first six offensive possessions, establishing a commanding 31-14 lead and successfully fending off a late-game surge from Cincinnati (5-3, 3-2) in a contest featuring two Big 12 teams that have exceeded expectations, having been predicted to finish 11th and 14th in the league's preseason media poll. Colorado has not reached six victories since 2016 and last participated in a bowl game at the conclusion of the Pac-12's pandemic-affected 2020 season. That year, the Buffaloes were one of only two teams in the conference to accept a bowl invitation, ultimately losing 55-23 to Texas in the Valero Alamo Bowl, finishing the season with a 4-2 record. "We don't enter the season with the mindset of, 'Oh, we will only win six games,'" stated Shedeur Sanders. "That was not our approach. The fact that we achieved this milestone reinforces our commitment to the process we are following. We have not yet reached our full potential; we are far from it." Following a debut season of 4-8 and another offseason dedicated to roster enhancement through the transfer portal, Deion Sanders has positioned Colorado to contend for the Big 12 championship. Currently, undefeated BYU (8-0, 5-0) and Iowa State (7-0, 4-0) lead the Big 12 standings, with Kansas State (7-1, 4-1) and Colorado trailing. Kansas State narrowly defeated the Buffaloes 31-28 in Boulder on October 12, but Colorado will not face BYU or Iowa State during the regular season. The Buffaloes are set for a bye week, with remaining games against Texas Tech, Utah, Kansas, and Oklahoma State, all of which suffered losses on Saturday. Deion Sanders emphasized that his team is concentrating on one game at a time and is not contemplating a College Football Playoff bid, while also urging reporters and coaches involved in the weekly polls to consider Colorado's performance. The loss of five Associated Press Top 25 teams on Saturday could potentially open the door for Colorado to enter the rankings.

Coach Prime expressed, "We do not wish to be ranked. Please refrain from ranking us. We are not fond of that. We would prefer to remain unnoticed, in the background, simply enjoying ourselves. We are fine, we are content, we are good. Therefore, do not feel compelled to rank us."

Following the victory, Deion Sanders planned to present the game ball to Peggy Coppom, a 99-year-old superfan of Colorado, who has been attending games since the 1940s. Sanders has committed to ensuring that "Miss Peggy" attends a bowl game as a special gift for her upcoming 100th birthday. Although Coppom was unable to attend the game against Cincinnati due to COVID-19, Sanders mentioned that Colorado's athletic director, Rick George, reached out to her from the locker room after the win. "We informed her that she will be going to a bowl game," Sanders stated. "Now, we aim to ensure she attends the best bowl possible. This means a great deal to us. She expressed immense gratitude and appreciation. She holds significant value to this program, and we are pleased to honor her in this way. Now, we just need to arrange a private plane to ensure her comfort during the journey. Yes, we will not be placing Peggy on a standard flight, I assure you."