Deion Sanders Expresses Frustration With National Awards for Bias Against Colorado

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders expressed his displeasure with the Heisman Trophy talk and national college football award selections following the first week of the 2024 season.

Colorado superstars Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter lived up to the offseason hype in the Buffaloes' 31-26 route of North Dakota State. Sanders threw for 445 yards (the most in the country in Week 1) with four touchdowns to one interception. Hunter played all but two snaps at both wide receiver and cornerback. He racked up seven catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner, while totaling three tackles on defense.

Deion Sanders doesn't believe that Shedeur Sanders and Hunter were talked about enough following their stellar performance to open the season.

“You got a guy who threw for the most yards in college football, you got a guy who was proved that he was the most spectacular player in college football,” Sanders said on his coaches show. “Shouldn’t those two be talked about all week about the two leading Heisman guys? Or the weekly award should have gone to those two guys."

The second-year coach thinks that his name being tied to the team is causing Colorado's star players and their accomplishments to fly under the radar.

“But it’s almost like, ‘No, we can’t do that," Sanders continued. "Their coach is Deion Sanders, we can’t do that. I’m not gonna let him get away with that.”

Shedeur Sanders was passed over for Cam Ward of the Miami Hurricanes for the weekly Davey O’Brien Award. On the other hand, Hunter was awarded the Paul Hornung Award for the nation's top all-purpose player.

The Heisman Trophy doesn't give weekly awards, but odds provide a unofficial picture of where players stand throughout the season. FanDuel considers Hunter to have the 10th-best odds (+2500) to win the award for the nation's best player. Sanders comes in at No. 15 (+3000).

The Buffaloes will be back in action this week on the road against Nebraska. Kickoff is set for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC).

Related: 'College GameDay' Makes Big Announcement After Week One

Related: Joel Klatt Predicts Major College Football Upset in Week 2