DALLAS — Paul Finebaum isn’t leading the Colorado hype machine this season. Deion Sanders is doing enough of that on his own, says Finebaum, who skewered the Buffaloes and their 2024 outlook during SEC Media Days this week in Dallas.
“I know that the media loves this story and we fall all over ourselves but Colorado isn’t important in college football,” Finebaum said Monday. “Deion Sanders is. He’s a standalone person. He’s one of the most charismatic coaches (we have), but Colorado is nothing. They don’t matter. They’re irrelevant in the big picture of college football.”
Sanders reacted to Finebaum’s brutal assessment on social media after watching the clip from ESPN’s First Take inside the Omni Hotel.
“God is good my brother & they mad mad! I sense a bit of anger & hostility. Lolololololol God bless Robert Griffin III for always keeping it (real),” Sanders wrote on “X”.
Sanders and the Buffaloes have experienced a tumultuous offseason ahead of their first campaign in the Big 12, fueled by a rash of roster changes through the transfer portal. Dissecting offseason happenings in Boulder in a concise format is a challenge given the comings and goings at the program since the lat recruiting cycle. And that goes anywhere from staff changes to position group depletion to a talent overhaul in spots, including the offensive line.
“Anyone asking whether Deion Sanders and Colorado are close to the playoff simply doesn’t understand the reality of the road,” Finebaum said this week. “They’re not going to the playoffs this year and I’m not sure Deion Sanders is ever going to get them to the playoffs because I don’t think he has the patience to stay at Colorado long enough. Deion Sanders is the best salesman I’ve ever seen. I personally love the guy and what he stands for, but the program itself looking out has such an inflated view of itself.”
As BuffStampede succinctly put it coming out of the closing of the spring portal window earlier this year, Colorado had to endure “silly season” this summer. As of late-May, 41 players had entered the portal from the Colorado roster since the end of the season and 42 fresh faces have committed to being part of Sanders’ phase II rebuild within the transfer realm.
The biggest need at Colorado was retooling the offensive line and only two players from last season are back. New offensive line coach Phil Loadholt can take solace in the fact there’s nowhere to go but up for this unit in front and the addition of five-star 2024 signee Jordan Seaton is major. He is a Day 1 starter at one of the tackle spots and bring supreme talent to the outside in protection of Sanders.
Get the latest football and basketball transfer portal news from 247Sports.
Colorado is going to need Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter and other to be certified stars this fall to get to bowl season and meet expectations nationally. Safe to say Finebaum’s not a believer.