Picture this. You just returned to the field after missing three games, all wins, and suddenly you lose after your comeback. Even your key players like Travis Hunter and Omarion Miller got injured! What’s worse, many people are pointing at your sloppy defensive skills as a reason for the loss. And to top the heartbreak, even your father called your play “horrible.”

That’s Shilo Sanders’ narrative right now. There had been divided opinions about his efficiency before the Kansas State game, but Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffs had been confident in his return. With expectations crashing down on him after the 31-28 loss, he found support in his half-brother Deion Sanders Jr. who shared an insightful post on his Instagram on October 14. Posting a picture of himself with a shirt that had Shilo’s No. 21 on the back, Bucky wrote in the caption, “It’s nothing to turn a non believer into a believer.”

The following images in the slide captured the moments at the Kansas State game with several pics of Deion Sanders’ oldest son and Shilo together. Sanders Jr.’s belief in the Buffs’ safety is much-needed support in these hard times. But Shilo himself knows that his performance indeed was not up to the mark.

Shilo recorded 10 tackles in the game but also had plenty of missed opportunities, including a missed open-field tackle that led to a big gain for the Wildcats. Therefore, he did not hesitate to state that he agreed with his father. “We got on the phone before like right after the game, actually. I know I played horrible. He knows I played horrible. It wasn’t anything bad. It was just ‘You played horrible that’s what happened,” Shilo said after the game. He admitted that needed to get better in the games to come.

“You work to get back (from injury) and then you get back and have the worst game of your life, it’s really disappointing for me, and especially the fans. I’ve been seeing everybody turn on me and stuff like that. But I’m not worried about none of that because as soon as you do good, they gonna be right back on your side. It’s how it was when we won the UCF game out there in Florida. So I’m not really worried about none of that. I’m worried about me getting better, I’m worried about contributing to the team and helping us win,” Shilo said. Alongside, it seemed that the safety took all the criticism positively.

“I can’t be going out there not on my game. I’m the free safety. If I mess up, everybody’s gonna see it. I gotta pay attention to detail and be on my game at all times,” Shilo said. Having Sanders Jr. beside him will surely lift his spirits in that. And this isn’t the only incident that shows how supportive Bucky is. 

Deion Sanders Jr. has been shining his support on deserving players lately. When Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia requested an upgrade in the EA Sports College Football 25 ratings after beating Alabama, he shared the post for more coverage to give him what he deserves. Although Shilo Sanders made some costly misses, Bucky didn’t feel like his brother deserved the treatment he received. But that’s not the case for Coach Prime.

“I wanted that ‘W’ by all means,” that’s what Deion Sanders said on Well Off Media after the loss to the Wildcats. So, it’s understandable that his emotions had been over the top when he criticized Shilo Sanders in his post-game speech. The dejected Buffs HC had a mouthful to say — “I thought he played horrible. I thought he was rusty. I thought he didn’t have his footing. I thought he wasn’t coming up trying to make the paly but open field, one on one tackle, with that kind of back, that ain’t an easy task.” 

Shilo Sanders recorded 11 tackles before getting injured in Week 2 against Nebraska. He returned in Week 7 and earned seven tackles despite having a hard time against K-State’s RB DJ Gidden with missed tackles. But even after the bad plays and the harsh criticism, hope still sparks with Deion Sanders‘ belief in his son. “But, he’s gonna do better. I know what he has in him.” However, despite the loss, the Buffs did put up a good fight against the Wildcats and even Deion Sanders could not deny that.

Deion Sanders is disappointed with Shilo Sanders amid lauding team’s efforts

Colorado staged a mighty fourth-quarter comeback Saturday night, but they gave up a score late and couldn’t answer on their final possession at Folsom Field. The Buffs trailed 14-7 at the half and 21-7 with just under seven minutes left in the third quarter.

But the team answered with a touchdown to put up 21-14 with 4:44 left in the third period. Following a field goal from the K-State, they cut the deficit to just three with a 72-yard scoring drive midway through the fourth quarter. Colorado’s defense then came up with a remarkable play.

Backup defensive back Colton Hood, who was playing for injured Travis Hunter, returned an interception 59 yards to the K-State 17-yard line. Two plays later, CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to LaJohntay Wester that gave Colorado a 28-24 lead with only 3:12 remaining. Coach Prime lauded the effort.

“The defense came up with the play when they needed to come up with the play. You know we’re going to score with the ball in Shedeur’s hands down there and we went on and did what we had to do,” he said. But the 53,972-strong crowd could not celebrate for long.

Kansas State fired back by going 84 yards in just three plays. A 34-yard Avery Johnson pass to running back DJ Giddens to get to midfield, then saw Johnson throw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Jayce Brown. That enables the Wildcats to gain the lead again, 31-28, with 2:14 left. “We didn’t expect them to have a couple of explosion plays to set them up for a touchdown. We didn’t even fathom that,” Deion Sanders admitted. Still, Colorado had one more chance.

The Buffs took possession with 2:14 to play on their own 25. But a fourth-and-5 pass was incomplete as CU’s protestations for a pass interference call went unanswered. K-State then ran out the clock to secure the win. Notably, the Buffs didn’t have their two top receivers, Hunter and Jimmy Horn Jr., for the entire second half.

Still, they managed 34-for-40 for 388 yards and three touchdowns. Omarion Miller had eight catches for 145 yards, Will Sheppard had five for 83 and a touchdown and Wester caught five for 58 yards and two scores. Coach Prime knew the significance of that well. “Certainly losing Travis and Jimmy and others was tremendous, because they’re a vital part of our team, a part of our identity. That took a lot out of us. But other guys had the opportunity to step up, and they did. So I’m proud of them,” he stated.

The only way is forward, and Colorado will face Arizona in their next road game on October 19. The Buffs better be fresh off rust before this conference matchup. Alongside, Shilo will also be looking for a bounce-back game. It Kicks off in Tucson at 2 p.m. MT on Fox.