Deion Sanders Consoles Jackson State Player Who Dropped Gut-Wrenching Overtime TD In Emotional Locker Room Video

Deion Sanders' final game at Jackson State was the most demoralizing loss of his three years with the program and it came on the biggest stage. The Tigers, for the second year in a row, were not able to win the Celebration Bowl.

After the game, he delivered a profound message of gratitude to his players, the media and his school.

Deion Sanders is 0-2 in the Celebration Bowl. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Coach Prime, who accepted the Colorado job after winning the SWAC Championship in dominant fashion, has been back and forth between Mississippi and Boulder over the last few weeks. While recruiting for the Buffaloes, he has also had to keep a pulse on the team he left for the Power Five.

Where many coaches that leave for a new opportunity are not given the chance to stay with their former team for a bowl game or choose not to, it was important for Sanders to finish what he started. He was very emotional in pregame.

Unfortunately, Sanders could not get it done.

Jackson State entered Saturday's HBCU national championship as significant favorites. In fact, North Carolina Central was the biggest betting underdog of the entire bowl season.

And yet, the Eagles pulled off the upset win after going down 21-17 at halftime. They almost won the game in regulation.

N.C. Central held a 34-27 lead with just one play left in the fourth quarter. Jackson State had the ball and Shedeur Sanders found former No. 1 overall recruit Travis Hunter Jr. for six as time expired.

In overtime, the first in Celebration Bowl history, it was the Eagles who got the ball first and a violent stiff arm set up the first points of the extra period. They went on to add seven points to their total and put the pressure back on the Tigers to answer.

In response, Jackson State drove to the one-yard-line to set up 3rd-and-goal.

A brutal drop proved costly.

Shedeur took the snap and rolled out to his right and hit tight end Hayden Hagler, who was wide open in the end zone. Hagler couldn't hold on.

It was gut-wrenching to watch.

Moments later, the N.C. Central defense held and the Eagles took down the Tigers in overtime.

Coach Prime's final game at Jackson State ended in a loss. It was the second-straight Celebration Bowl loss for the undefeated SWAC Champions.

Deion Sanders addressed his team and the media one final time after the loss.

While speaking to his players after a tumultuous few weeks and a disappointing result in the Celebration Bowl, an emotional Coach Prime lifted his players up and told them that he loves them. He not only thanked them for the role that they played in his life, he made sure to emphasize that the fault does not fall on one person.

To close out his speech, Sanders put his support behind new head coach T.C. Taylor. He implored the Tigers to stick with the program, not to enter the transfer portal, and to play for Taylor like they played for him.

Coach Prime also went over to Hagler and individually consoled him after the drop. He wanted to be very clear that the loss does not fall on his shoulders.

In addition to his time with the players, Sanders addressed the media. He thanked them for everything, both the good and the bad, and expressed his sincere gratitude to Jackson State and everyone that gave him the opportunity to do what he did in Mississippi and will continue to do in Colorado.

Now, it's on to Colorado. Sanders will get on a jet and head back to Boulder for a massive recruiting weekend. His tenure in Mississippi came to a close on a sour note, but his head is held high.