3 reasons why Deion Sanders' Colorado might not win Big 12 championship

Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes rested this weekend, with a comfortable 6-2 overall record that guarantees them bowl eligibility. To top that, they also have a 4-1 Big 12 record that puts the conference championship game within their grasp.

However, call us pessimists, we are here to discuss why that might not happen for Deion Sanders' team.

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Three reasons why Deion Sanders' Colorado might not win a Big 12 championship

#3 The offensive line

It's no secret that the Colorado Buffaloes' biggest weakness is its offensive line. In the 2023 season, Shedeur Sanders was the most sacked quarterback in the nation with 52 sacks. While that has improved a bit this year, he isn't particularly well-protected this season either. Through 10 weeks of action, Shedeur has been sacked 25 times.

The offensive line isn't only a problem for the quarterback; it also makes Colorado's running game almost none existent. The entire team has put together 645 rushing yards with 10 rushing touchdowns this season. Their best runner only has 271 rushing yards.

#2 The program values style over substance

If something can be said of Deion Sanders, it's that he knows how to market himself. In 2023, the Buffs were a ratings hit, with every major network wanting to cover their games. Sanders set the example, and his players followed. Jewelry, trash-talking, diamond-encrusted Rolex and frat-like parties among other things became staples of the program.

However, Deion Sanders doesn't only promote himself through acts of vanity. From time to time he likes to also display acts of charity, like when he opened bank accounts for the players on his team who are fathers. However, all of it is part of a big marketing gamble.

Can a program like that be taken seriously in the long run? Can a program succeed when its stars spend the offseason thinking of the Paris Fashion Week instead of the next season?

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#1 Deion Sanders might not spend enough time at Colorado to build a winning program

Despite other criticisms that could be leveled at Deion Sanders, the truth is that the program has improved under his tenure.

The jury is still out on whether bringing Colorado to the next level has been his priority, but the improvement is undeniable. This season, they have already achieved bowl eligibility, and he has shown growth as a coach. Eventually, he knows a lot about football and has had some of the right experiences to become a great one.

However, it has always been clear that his end goal is to propel Shedeur, and to a lesser extent Shilo, to stellar careers in the NFL. Shedeur has always been his project. The question is, will he stay at Colorado once Shedeur declares for the NFL Draft?

Wouldn't he prefer to be Shedeur's agent? The Buffs have improved, but it's unlikely they will win the conference this season. Moreover, there's always the chance that he could join an NFL franchise as part of some publicity stunt.