Deion Sanders finds himself on the wrong coaching list for 2026

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The Colorado Buffaloes are in the middle of one of two things right now. A complete culture shift or a gentleman's rebuild.

The program’s messaging this offseason has suggested this is a pendulum effect after a 3-9 season when players failed to meet the moment. Several of those players were highly rated and big NIL earners. All gone, with many replaced with lower ranked players from lower competition levels.

The other option is a gentlemen’s rebuild. A concept usually reserved for the NFL. When a team finds themselves on the downward swing with an expensive or aging team, one option is a full, tear it down to the studs rebuild. Or, more popular as of late, a gentlemen’s rebuild.

That concept would include shedding all your high-priced talent by way of a trade or being released. Those players are replaced with cheaper options, preferably players who are productive but likely on their final pro contract. Then trade back in the draft and acquire future assets. In 1-3 years, this approach allows a team to reset the financials and take big swings. Creating what seems like a dramatic turnaround in only a couple of years instead of four years or more.

The concern with the culture shift is that there is very little data to show that approach works in college football. Getting the biggest, best, most highly rated talent has always created the best chance to win. Curt Cignetti did it with Indiana last year, but as we are starting to learn, Cignetti is maybe the greatest outlier in recent memory.

If it is a gentleman’s rebuild, it would make sense. The University of Colorado self-reported a $27M deficit heading into this fiscal year. In the NIL era, it makes it very difficult to pay players hundreds of thousands, if not millions, and you’re over $20M in the hole. Shedding those high-priced players would change the financial equation to some degree. However, the elephant in the room is that Deion Sanders might not have the 1-3 years afforded to a gentleman’s rebuild.

The Buffs need to win now

The Buffs need to win. This season. To reach even .500 at Colorado, Sanders needs nine wins this season. The hype behind Colorado in 2023 and 2024 has all but completely faded. According to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, television ratings for Colorado games broadcast on ESPN have fallen by 67%. After almost reaching double-digit wins and a Heisman Trophy winner, the Buffs had an objectively bad showing in the Alamo Bowl vs BYU. Almost everything that followed was below expectations.

A revolving door at quarterback. Four running backs that did not add up to 1,000 yards total. Only one receiver that put up threatening numbers. A defense that did not boast a single player with 60 tackles or more. For context, there were 417 players with 60 or more tackles last season according to ESPN. The top five pass rushers registered less than 10 sacks combined. After 2024 when they led the conference in that metric.

A 1-8 record against Big 12 opponents. Zero wins on the road. 0-5 to end the season. 20.9 points per game, which was good for 116th in the FBS. An offensive line that gave up 38 sacks. While that is far cry from the 56 allowed in 2023, it still is only good enough to rank 125th nationally.

Sanders is on a list of hot seat candidates

On Monday, Yahoo Sports released a list of 10 college football coaches under the most pressure in 2026. A hot seat list is not uncommon just before the start of the season. However, this year’s list is not one Coach Prime wants to be on if they aim to significantly change the narratives surrounding the Buffaloes.

There are only two names on this list, not counting Sanders, whose star power and recent results could protect them if 2026 is not great. Kalen DeBoer and Lincoln Riley. DeBoer and Alabama finished second in the SEC with 11 wins and just barely missed the college football playoff. Riley is a little more troubling, finishing 5th in the Big Ten and was certainly on the outside looking in. However, Riley is still viewed as a potential genius level offensive mind.

Every other name on this list could be viewed as needing a “great” season to keep the vultures away. Dave Aranda at Baylor, Shane Beamer at South Carolina, Bill Belichick at North Carolina, Luke Fickell at Wisconsin, Mike Locksley at Maryland, Mike Norvell at Florida State and even Dabo Swinney at Clemson were all expected to be fired at some point in the 2025 college football season.

Seven of the ten were dangerously close to getting fired. Two of the ten have a name or program that could save them. The other name is Deion Sanders. Of the ten names on the Yahoo list, only one team has dramatically changed their player acquisition process. Only one team got rid of most of their perceived top talent. Only one team is betting on the hunger of under-recruited players to beat teams full of 4-and 5-star players. That team is Colorado.

There could be a reality where the Buffaloes are successful this season. After a 3-9 campaign, though, they would certainly need to be a bowl-eligible team at minimum, to call this season a success. Getting Coach Prime completely off the hot seat would almost require nine wins or more.