“From Underdog to Top Tier: How Deion Sanders Shattered Expectations to Claim the No. 22 Spot Among College Football’s Elite Coaches!”

In the ever-evolving world of college football, who would have imagined that Deion Sanders, famed for his dazzling plays and charismatic style, would also emerge as a transformative force for the Colorado Buffaloes? Just two seasons ago, this program was teetering on the edge, finishing with a mere one win. Fast forward to 2024, and Sanders has propelled the team to an impressive nine victories, marking their most successful season in nearly a decade. While the journey is far from over following a bowl loss to BYU, the strides made under Coach Prime have raised eyebrows and hopes alike. With aspirations of snagging that elusive ten-win season in 2025 and a burgeoning reputation—Greg McElroy now ranks him among the top coaches in the nation—Sanders is not just coaching; he’s igniting a revival. The question remains: can he sustain this meteoric rise without his star players who are heading to the NFL? As Colorado gears up for a promising season opener against Georgia Tech, anticipation runs high for what Coach Sanders can conjure next. LEARN MORE

Deion Sanders has turned the Colorado football program around in a big way these last two years. 

Colorado was coming off a one-win season when Sanders got hired and he quickly won four games during his first season in 2023 and got that win total up to nine in 2024. He helped Colorado reach a bowl game for the first time since the 2020 season.

Colorado played BYU in the Alamo Bowl and lost by 22, 36-14. Despite the loss, it was the best season Colorado has had since 2016 when it went 10-4. 

Sanders is looking to win 10+ games in 2025 and was recently ranked as the No. 22 coach in college football by Greg McElroy. He loves how much the program improved from 2023 to 2024 under Sanders. 

“If you look at where Colorado struggled in ’23 and how much they improved in ’24? That’s what lands Coach Prime in our Top-22 coaches in America,” McElroy said, via On3. “Colorado went from 4-8 to 9-4 year-over-year for their most wins in a decade in their debut in the Big 12, which had them in contention for the College Football Playoff. … They were much better along both lines of scrimmage.”

Sanders will be without Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders for the 2025 season after both declared for the 2025 NFL Draft. Hunter won the Heisman Trophy this past season and is in contention to go first overall in the draft while Sanders is expected to be one of the first quarterbacks off the board. 

Colorado will open the 2025 season with a home game against the ACC’s Georgia Tech on Friday, August 29. It will be a good test against a team that could be a sleeper for the ACC title. 

Related: Paul Finebaum Predicts Rough Season For Major Coach In 2025