ESPN sets shockingly low bar for Deion Sanders, Colorado in 2025

Deion Sanders has put the Colorado Buffaloes on the map.

He went 4-8 in season one and 9-4 in season two. Strangely enough, though, folks at ESPN seem to be pumping the brakes on the "Coach Prime" hype in Boulder.

Rather than expect Colorado to continue building, new ESPN contributor Josh Pate seems to believe the Buffs are going to take a step back. At the very least, he's taking a ton of pressure off Sanders by saying Colorado needs to only worry about "being competitive" in 2025.

Pate was on ESPN's "Get Up" and was asked what would make this season successful for Sanders and the Buffs.

“Being competitive in every game,” said Pate (h/t On3). “That could be six wins. It could be nine wins in the Big 12. What he knows is what he’s experienced, and that is the gap between the lead car and No. 11 car in that lead field is very narrow.”

That's a strange take, because for a competitor like Sanders, six wins would absolutely be a disappointment.

That said, another ESPN contributor, former Ohio State and NFL wide receiver Joey Galloway, agreed with Pate.

“I agree with you, 100%. I think that people have these lofty expectations that are sort of unfair,” Galloway said. “He lost the best player in college football in Travis Hunter, lost his starting quarterback. And so, they’re going to take a step back.”

Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter was a star wide receiver and cornerback, and the type of college football player who comes around once in a lifetime, so it is understandable that Colorado may have a hard time replacing him. With that said, Shedeur Sanders was a good quarterback, but he's not irreplaceable. The Buffs have a competition between Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and five-star freshman Julian Lewis.

They also still have "Coach Prime," who has proved to be a good coach and leader. Sanders was also a legendary pro athlete, and he's a dynamic personality. All of that helps him on the recruiting trail, where he's been able to attract a lot of talent to Colorado.

Colorado may not be a College Football Playoff contender in 2025, but expecting a return to the ho-hum days of Buffaloes football also doesn't make sense.

That's a shockingly low bar ESPN has set.