After boisterous talk, Deion Sanders' Colorado fairytale coming to close after consecutive 35-point losses

Deion Sanders made plenty of outlandish claims when he took the head coaching job at Colorado. Nearly three years later, most of them came to fruition. 

Sanders produced a once-in-a-generation Heisman winner (Travis Hunter) and helped his son (Shedeur Sanders) become an NFL Draft pick. He recorded the most wins in a season at Colorado since 2016 and drew more eyeballs than almost any other program in the sport. 

On Saturday, Shedeur was back in town to see his father during the Cleveland Browns' bye week. Instead of a triumphant return, it only emphasized how much has changed in Boulder in only a year. 

One week after getting blasted by Utah, Colorado lost 52-17 against Arizona. The Buffaloes have been outscored 81-7 in the first half of games over the past two weeks, ending their chances before they started. Losing badly to Utah is one thing -- the Utes are one of the Big 12's premier programs. An Arizona squad that came into Week 10 1-3 in Big 12 play is a little tougher to swallow. 

After the loss to Utah, Sanders told his team that the book was out on how to beat them, especially by blitzing quarterback Kaidon Salter and an inconsistent offensive line. If there is a plan, Arizona followed it to perfection, with a fan exodus from Folsom Field before the second half even started. 

The Wildcats forced a punt and a fumble as the Buffs ended the first quarter with minus-12 yards. They scored five touchdowns in seven drives with only one punt. They took a 38-7 lead into halftime with a pair of forced turnovers and 212 yards passing from quarterback Noah Fifita alone. Highly-rated freshman Julian Lewis came off the bench and threw a fun touchdown, but that was about it for positive moments. 

And ultimately, that's the greatest tragedy of the 2025 season for Colorado. They're no longer even entertaining. 

Heading into the weekend, Colorado ranks No. 15 in the Big 12 in both total offense and defense. They're 13th in scoring defense and 14th in scoring offense. They only have one total player that ranks top 100 nationally in passing, rushing or receiving. They're just not very good at anything. 

And because of the sheer number of transfers, Colorado isn't especially young. Especially in the trenches, the vast majority of top trench contributors are gone after this season. This was supposed to be a year to keep the train rolling, but instead it's flown off the tracks. Why should Lewis or highly-touted tackle Jordan Seaton even return to the program next year? 

Many have pointed out that Sanders took over a 1-11 team, which is true. That said, the season is a little misleading for its unique depths. Previously, Colorado reached at least four wins in every season since 2014. With West Virginia suddenly streaking, the Buffaloes have a battle just to reach 4-8 again. The performances the Buffs put together over the last two weeks have compared with the lowest moments of the 21st Century. 

Colorado has only lost by at least five touchdowns in consecutive weeks once in the past decade. It was during the 1-11 season. After another crushing loss, add 2025 to the list. 

So now what? According to BuffStampede publisher Adam Munsterteiger, staff changes are on the way. New portal adds too. 

"There has been a lack of leadership in the locker room this season, and that showed itself in Salt Lake City," Munsterteiger told CBS Sports' Brad Crawford. "Sanders has shown a willingness to make tough decisions and changes with his coaching staff previously. I would expect there to be adjustments to his staff in the near future, whether that comes in the next month or after the season."

But how attractive is the situation for people coming in? Sanders' first offensive coordinator, Sean Lewis, was pushed out midseason. His first defensive coordinator, Charles Kelly, left after a year. Now, offensive coordinator Pat Shumur and defensive coordinator Robert Livingstone are both on the hot seat. 

And when a new coach comes in, there's no telling who's even on the roster. Colorado brought in 104 new players in the last two classes alone. Thirty-eight players on the roster are listed as seniors or graduates, not counting a potential exodus. There's no guarantee that better players are on the way, especially without the allure of either a nine-win season -- or the chance to play with future NFL stars. 

So most likely, Sanders will be back in 2026 with a new collection of potential coaches and players. And for the fourth year in a row, Colorado will ride the roulette and hope that this roll is the one that lands on black. 

Granted, Sanders could make the choice to step away for health reasons. Sanders battled through bladder cancer over the offseason and has dealt with serious blood clots across his coaching career. No one would fault him for prioritizing his family and health, if he decided to make that choice. 

At the same time, Sanders signed a five-year, $54 million contract before the season. The number is more than he made across his entire NFL career. Colorado couldn't realistically fire Sanders regardless because of the fan backlash, but a $33 million buyout also makes it cost-prohibitive. 

Let's be clear, regardless of what happens from here. "Coach Prime" won. I was at the press conference after his shocking win over TCU in 2023, when he confronted several reporters and asked if they believed. He accomplished things in 2024 that few thought were possible. 

Sanders went from assisting at a local private school in DFW to winning big at Jackson State and Colorado. Hunter's exploits will go down in college football history. When you tell the story of "Deion," his crazy decision to jump into coaching and doing things no one has ever seen. Maybe the legend will get even bigger when it's told in a few decades. The best ones do. 

But now, the Colorado fairytale is over. Reality is coming. And unless Sanders has another superstar family member waiting in the wings, it's hard to see a way out.