21 million viewers push Coach Prime’s Colorado Buffaloes to another nationally broadcast game

The Coach Prime effect has a stranglehold on college football as the Colorado Buffaloes continue to level up after a blowout 48-21 win against the UCF Knights in Week 5 of college football action. The Buffs moved to 4-1 after the big win totaling last year's win total.

The Big 12 announced that the Buffaloes Week 7 game against the Kansas State Wildcats on October 12 which was slated for an earlier kickoff will now start at 8:15 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.

To give further perspective to the Coach Prime effect that has been built on the back of the brilliance of his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter, this will be the sixth consecutive Buffs game to be televised nationally.

Through five weeks of the 2024 college football season, the Buffs are No. 2 nationally with 21.49 million viewers, just slightly behind the Georgia Bulldogs led by coach Kirby Smart (26.17 million).

Colorado has the distinction of being the only team that has appeared in the top five of most-watched games in every game week of this season to further illustrate the draw that charismatic coach Deion Sanders provides.

Coach Prime revels in Buffs scintillating form

After the Colorado Buffaloes lost 28-10 to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln during Week 2 of college football action, Coach Prime and his team were written off in many quarters.

Since then, the Buffs have gone on a three-game winning streak with a more coherent team structure. During his postgame news conference after the unexpected win against the UCF Knights on the road, Deion Sanders reveled in his team's 4-1 record ahead of their bye week.

“I’m so darn proud of where we are,” Deion Sanders said. “We could be in a whole different place right now, but look it… We’re going into the break. What’s the record?”

“Four-and-one,” the news media said.

“Say it again,” Sanders said.

“Four-and-one,” the media said again.

“I just wanted to hear y’all say it collectively, and y’all fell for it,” Sanders said. “We’re 4-1 going into the break, and I’m so excited, you have no idea. It’s gonna be a really good plane ride tonight.”

The Big 12 is currently chaotic with favorites like the Utah Utes falling by the wayside and Coach Prime might just see an opportunity for his supercharged Colorado Buffaloes to make some noise in the conference on the back of Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter's brilliance.