Deion Sanders unfazed by pressure entering fourth season at Colorado

Deion Sanders stepped up to the podium for the first time since Big 12 Football Media Days on Thursday. He held court for nearly 25 minutes and talked about several topics.

The Colorado Buffaloes coach enters his fourth season in Boulder, which has overlapped with the school's transition back to the Big 12 conference. After ending a 3-9 season on a five-game losing streak, Sanders was asked if he’s feeling pressure going into 2026. This is a new-look team from the roster to the coaching staff.

“I don’t feel pressure,” Sanders said. “You know how pressure is? That’s a single mama trying to make ends meet and ain’t no man in the house. And she's gotta be the mother, the father, the provider, the disciplinarian and everything.”

Sanders then turned it back to football.

“I’m really good at this,” Sanders said. “I can play this. I can coach this. I can do this, and, you know, if you don’t believe, you don’t believe. God bless you. I need that. I like that. You put me in my comfort zone now. I’d rather be booed than clapped."

Sanders has gone 16-21 over the past three seasons. Only seven wins outside his final year with his sons, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, along with Travis Hunter's Heisman Trophy-winning season in 2024. He would need a nine-win season this year to be .500 for his tenure at Colorado.

Whether Sanders wants to admit it or not, the pressure is on. He's one of the highest-paid coaches in college football, approaching $11 million per year. Coach Prime is also one of two coaches in the top 20 of the coaches' salaries with a losing record. The other one is North Carolina Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick, who's entering his second year as a college football coach following a future Hall of Fame career in the NFL.

Colorado is trying to get back to being a consistent contender. However, that would require snapping a 22-year drought without a postseason win. CU's superfan, Peggy Coppom, was at the ripe age of 80 last time the Buffs took care of business in a bowl game. She'll be turning 102 in November.

Sanders and the Buffs head back to Boulder from Colorado Springs this weekend. Colorado opened fall camp Aug. 2 but opted to hold the first week 100 miles south. Sanders wanted to build team unity before the season with 44 newcomers on the roster. Ready or not, the Buffs have to prepare for Week 1 in Atlanta.

Colorado opens the season against Georgia Tech on Sept. 3 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).

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