Deion Sanders Will 'Sleep Good' Thanks To Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter But Colorado Defense Is A Nightmare

As college football fans tuned into the season-opener for Colorado on Thursday night against North Dakota State, there were plenty of questions that folks had about this Deion Sanders-led team. 

Just as we thought would happen heading into the game, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter put on a show, but this team has plenty of problems on defense. The pregame atmosphere was as you would expect, as Shedeur made his way around the stadium giving his signature ‘watch pose’ to the cheers of the Colorado student section. Fans were excited, but still skeptical about how the Buffaloes would hold-up on the defensive side of the football. 

"You ever felt like you won, but you didn't win", Deion Sanders said to open his postgame press conference. "It's almost like we had more points than they did. I'm thankful and happy we got the W…Let's move on from that, and I'm going to try my best to hold-back my anger."

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There were two things that carried over from the 2023 season. The combination of Hunter and Sanders is going to be must-see television for the next four months, while at the same time, the Colorado defense looks to have not made many improvements from last year, at least not yet. 

Deion Banking On The Shedeur Sanders And Travis Hunter Show In 2024

Listening to Coach Prime following the game, it was easy to notice that he's hanging his hat on his talented son, Shedeur Sanders, to make sure his squad is competitive in every single game, no matter what his defense gives up. As he said following the win, he's not going to lose any sleep over not having a running game in the season-opener. 

"You would love to run the ball a little more. But shoot, when you got over 500 yards of total offense, I'm pretty good. I'm gonna sleep good, really good, really good tonight with that."

But my goodness, Travis Hunter is going to put up EA Sports College Football-like numbers this year if Shedeur Sanders can stay healthy behind a shaky offensive line. If you are still wavering on if you ‘believe’ in this Colorado team, as Deion Sanders loves to say, you're probably going to need to see a few more games to make a decision on what you're answer is ultimately going to be. 

BOULDER, COLORADO - AUGUST 29: Travis Hunter #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes celebrates scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the North Dakota State Bison at Folsom Field on August 29, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

If you thought Deion Sanders was going to sit at the podium and be upset with his rushing attack, you must not have been paying attention to Coach Prime over the past few years, as he illustrated postgame. 

"What he (Shedeur) throw for? 445 yards, you think we are upset?," Deion joyfully said about his son Sheduer Sanders. "Who's upset, oh they didn't have a running game? Well, that passing game looked pretty darn good today. So let's be appreciative and thankful that we have one of the premier guys in college football spinning it. We're going to have balance, but today was just that day where you take what they give you."

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Colorado Defense Will Be Crux Of 2024 Season If They Don't Improve

If you're an assistant coach on the defensive side of the football, I'd make sure to keep a few moving boxes around your office, somewhere tucked away towards the back. After North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller made the Buffaloes run after him all night, I would say it's fair to think this squad is going to have some tough moments, and that's being nice. 

When Deion Sanders walked into the postgame press conference, you could tell there was a massive sense of relief that his team pulled out the win, delivering a few dramatic answers when discussing his team's determination in the second half. 

"We knew we were going to get it together, they (coaches) were calling out every play they ran. The defensive coaches are doing a wonderful job, but we have to do a better job at executing the scheme," Deion Sanders said postgame about his defense in the second half. 

While this might be the case on defense, it's going to take Shedeur Sanders having these types of games for the next four months if Colorado is going to reach a bowl game. Finishing the night with 445 yards passing and 4 touchdowns, with three of those going to Travis Hunter, it's no secret that this offense is a talented group. 

BOULDER, COLORADO - AUGUST 29: Shedeur Sanders #2 of the Colorado Buffaloes warms up prior to the game against the North Dakota State Bison at Folsom Field on August 29, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

But they will have to get into shootouts with opposing teams this season, and find a few games where the defense does just enough to get them a win. 

"I don't use profanity, but I thought it," Deion Sanders said postgame about his defense not knocking down the final pass from North Dakota State. 

I would have to imagine that there were times on Thursday night where the mind of Deion Sanders was filled with words that would not be acceptable to say on live television. But they survived, beating a Bison team that many around the country thought would pull-off the ‘upset’ win in Boulder, thanks in large-part to the play of Travis Hunter. 

"Travis (Hunter), that's who he is, he doesn't take days off," Deion Sanders said about his two-way monster. 

Deion Sanders Taking His Team To Nebraska For A Massive Rematch

Here we go, another matchup between Deion Sanders and Matt Rhule, as Colorado heads to Nebraska next week for what should be an offensive showcase. The quarterback showdown alone should be fascinating, as Shedeur Sanders and Dylan Raiola will be looking to dice up the opposing defense. 

For Colorado's sake, lets hope they fix a few things on defense before boarding the plane to Lincoln, Nebraska next Friday afternoon. But while Texas and Michigan might take up most of the headlines heading into next weekend, we could be talking about an offensive game for the record books. 

What we witnessed on Thursday night was honestly what most expected from this Colorado team. While Deion Sanders has enough offense to carry this team against some opponents, he's going to need the defense to take the next step if they plan on playing in the postseason. 

We'll find out next week in Nebraska how much can change in just eight days. For Colorado's sake, they better figure out a way to stop a dual-threat quarterback on defense. But as for the opening game, and the people hate-watching Colorado, Deion Sanders summed it up pretty well for the folks tuning in at home, or in Boulder. 

"Some of you are upset we got the W, some of you are really mad that we didn't get the L. Gotta wait until next week"

Let Me Know What You Think About The 2024 Colorado Buffaloes. Will This Team Make A Bowl Game? Email Your Thoughts To Trey.Wallace@OutKick.com