The NCAA football season is underway and just one week into it Deion Sanders‘ Colorado Buffaloes have already made waves all around the college football scenery. After their narrow win over FCS opposition North Dakota State, the Buffs have received some backlash and headed into week 2 Deion offered new eye-opening thoughts on his next opponent the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Coach Prime is not one to steer clear from making big statements. Sanders’ press conferences are always source for great headlines around the NCAA. Ahead of Colorado’s second game of the season, Deion shared his piece of mind. And the main topic was around Nebraska’s QB Dylan Raiola and HC Matt Rhule.
“They have a freshman quarterback that had a pretty good day last week. But we’ve got to do what we do. You attack weaknesses. I don’t know if you attack inexperience,” Sanders said ahead of Saturday’s matchup with the Cornhuskers.
“If that’s a weakness, so be it. But the kid made some darn good throws and pretty good plays. They did some consistent things that we knew they would do within their offense. A phenomenal game…But I love what he showed in his first college game ever. I loved what he showed.”
Colorado head coach Deion Coach Prime Sanders watches during a warm up before an NCAA, College League, USA college football game between the UCLA and the Colorado, Oct. 28, 2023, in Pasadena, Calif.
Deion shares his respect for Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule
Sanders and Rhule met last season, and respect for the former NFL head coach has not faded on Deion. The Buffaloes had their widest-margin win in the season last year when they faced Rhule’s Nebraska, however, that antecedent does not affect Sanders’ review.
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“First of all, I have a ton of respect for Matt Rhule,” Sanders said. “He’s in – I call it our class of coaches. We all took on a tremendous test that year (2022) … So, I feel like we’re a fraternity. So, I root for that class of head coaches that came in that year.“
Matt Rhule has been criticized for his years with the Carolina Panthers, in the NFL. Rhule failed to make the playoffs for his first two seasons and was fired after a 1-4 start to the 2022 season. Sanders, however, does not share that opinion.
“He’s a professional; did a phenomenal job (with the Carolina Panthers), maybe not the job that he aspired to do, but he has a ton of experience, and I love what he’s accomplished in his college coaching career“
Rhule has a college bowl record of 1-3 and was elected the 2019 Big 12 Coach of the Year. Nevertheless, when Nebraska and Colorado take on to the field on September 7th, the only record that will have any bearing is both teams 1-0 starts to the season.
Calm before the storm
Judging by Deion’s statement one would think Nebraska and Colorado share more respect towards each other than grudge. That’d be a mistake. This game is intense, an all-out battle. Although Sanders shared his respect for Rhule, the latter has not always acted in recriprocity.
The last time the Huskers and Buffs met Rhule stepped onto Colorado’s 50 yard line logo. And Shedeur Sanders took great offense of it. Rhule has also pointed his dislike for coaching antics that well could be attached to Deion, although Rhule did not give any names.
Despite Sanders’ “pacific” approach, many players on the Buffaloes roster have expressed their loathe for their Nebraska counterparts.
“The team is calling upon all Buffs to unite in solidarity by banishing the color red from our wardrobes, homes, businesses and public spaces,“Colorado’s long snapper Camden Dempsey wrote on social media.
“I feel like every week is personal, especially this one,“ Colorado offensive lineman Justin Mayers said at a press conference. “It’s a bigger game, because it’s rivalry week, but we want to attack every game like it’s rivalry week. Nebraska I hear is going to be sold out and all these things, but that still doesn’t faze us.“
The Buffaloes and Cornhuskers will meet at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night. And despite Sanders’ apparent efforts to calm the waters, the rivalry goes way back than Coach Prime and Matt Rhule’s arrivals at their programs. And essentially it is what college football is all about: rivalries.
