Deion Sanders: Colorado wouldn't have been left out of the CFP

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Deion Sanders explains why Colorado wouldn't have been left out of the College Football Playoff

By Colum Dell | Last updated 12/27/23

Despite having a mixed first season as Colorado's head coach, Deion Sanders believes the Buffaloes would be in the College Football Playoff if their resume were similar to that of the Florida State Seminoles.

The Seminoles were controversially omitted from the College Football Playoff despite posting a 13-0 record and winning the ACC Championship Game, largely because QB Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending leg injury on Nov. 18. Colorado, on the other hand, improved on its 1-11 mark from 2022 but finished this season an underwhelming 4-8 after a 3-0 start.

During an appearance on “The Stephen A. Smith Show," Sanders argued that name recognition holds considerable weight in college football, and had his team faced a similar situation to Florida State, the CFP selection committee would've decided differently.

"Coach [Mike] Norvell coached his butt off, and we can't take nothing away from him," Sanders told Smith. "But the real question that you have is, would you leave me out of the college playoffs? Ain't no way in the world. We're box office. You got to see this unless you're crazy. I wish I had the problems that coach Norvell has."

While it's impossible to prove or refute Sanders' claim, he makes a valid point that the Buffaloes were "box office" in 2023, which could have swayed the selection process had they actually been in such a position.

Colorado's 36-14 win over Nebraska in Week 2 drew 8.73 million viewers, making it the 10th-most watched and second-most streamed regular-season college football game ever on Fox. Additionally, 9.3 million viewers tuned in to the following week's 43-35 double-overtime victory against Colorado State, which was the most watched late-night college football game ESPN had ever aired.

As fun as it is to discuss hypothetical scenarios, Sanders and the Buffaloes have a ways to go before they enter the CFP discussion, especially as they get set to rejoin the Big 12. According to 247Sports, Colorado's 2024 recruiting class ranks 21st overall in the country. However, it is mainly a result of bringing in the second-best transfer haul, given that the Buffaloes have a weak high school recruiting class ranked 102nd nationally.

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