This season, it’s all about Deion Sanders‘ Colorado Buffs making a statement with their impressive gameplay. Even though they had a tough loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Week 2, it didn’t knock them down. In fact, their recent win against the UCF Knights shows they’re becoming a real force this season. Considering they had a disappointing 4-8 record last year, this season already feels like a transition period, with the team standing strong at 4-1 after Week 5. Even experts believe that 2024 could be a defining year for the Buffs.

Today on a recent episode of On3 Recruits, the host discussed the Colorado Buffs’ exceptional gameplay over the Knights, saying, “Colorado wins 48-21 going away. I mean, this one wasn’t really close, and it was a great show put on by Shedeur Sanders. They really did what everybody wanted to see on the big stage. I mean, Travis Hunter just does it all over the place. He’s the best player in college football, and recruits were watching.” 

Well, QB Shedeur Sanders and dual-threat Travis Hunter’s duo indeed gave the Buffs an edge. Shedeur threw for 290 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. And no one will ever forget how Travis Hunter caught a touchdown pass and intercepted a pass in the same game striking his classic Heisman pose. This really shows Deion Sanders’ team might enter a significant transition after their recent win against the Knights.

Even On3 Recruits’ host feels the same as he talks about Deion Sanders and entering a new era in high school recruits following their victory against the Knights. “This is going to be the start of Colorado’s high school recruiting run. I’m telling you right now, from here on out, I would really pay attention to who Colorado is going to be recruiting.” Well, there’s time for that, but let’s see if all experts are on the same page. Is it Buffs’ golden age?

Paul Finebaum on Deion Sanders’s Colorado Buffs

Changing Paul Finebaum’s opinion is not everyone’s cup of tea. Earlier this week, sports analyst Paul Finebaum on ESPN’s Get Up show highlighted the Buffs weak offense, saying, “Their offensive line cannot protect Sanders, and that’s the problem. And that’s what will be their undoing before the season is over.” Well, looking at their last game against the Baylor Bears, we can’t totally disagree with Finebaum.

The offense struggled to protect their quarterback, who was sacked eight times. Despite this, Shedeur threw a Hail Mary pass at the last minute, leading to an overtime victory against Baylor. In that game, Shedeur threw for 341 yards but completed only 61% of his passes. However, the exceptional gameplay of the Colorado Buffs against the Knights transformed every criticism into applause.

Even Paul Finebaum couldn’t stop himself from praising them. Talking about Buffs’ execution, Finebaum finally showed confidence in them, saying, This program went on the road to a tough place, a big underdog, and they dominated, and they did it effectively, and, of course, they had Travis Hunter and Shedeur (Sanders and) everything else that goes with Coach Prime.” In short, the Travis-Shedeur duo did wonders for the team’s overall projection in the ongoing season. The Buffs’ win against UCF has improved their playoff prospects, and Deion’s notable critic Paul Finebaum himself has expressed the same sentiment. “But they looked like a real football team rather than a gimmick. And I could not be more impressed. And for the first time, they may be a legitimate contender in their conference.” Now let’s wait till this prediction actually turns into reality.