Paul Finebaum Gives Honest Opinion About Deion Sanders' Future at Colorado

When former NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders was announced as the Colorado Buffaloes' new head coach, his hiring revitalized a once successful program.

The Buffaloes had only won one game the season before Sanders arrived, and they had won more than five games only once since 2008. Sanders immediately brought attention to the program after the Buffaloes upset a then-ranked TCU Horned Frogs team on the road in his first season in 2023. He led Colorado to a 3-0 start, but the team struggled after that, winning only one of its next nine games to finish the season at 4-8.

This was supposed to be a different year for the team. It was expected to show improvement, and some even felt it could be a contender in the Big 12. However, after a lackluster performance in Week 1, narrowly beating FCS North Dakota State, and a blowout loss to Nebraska on the road, things look grim.

During an appearance on "First Take," ESPN's Paul Finebaum expressed concerns about the future of the Colorado football team. Finebaum suggested that the team could face challenges due to the potential departure of its top players, quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, after the current season. He also mentioned the possibility of Sanders looking elsewhere at the end of the season.

"I just sense that Deion Sanders and this whole thing is going to come apart at some point," Finebaum said. "Without Shedeur, without Travis, he's going to bow out. I cannot imagine, as much as you guys love Deion Sanders, that he's going to be able to put up with this humiliation week after week. I bet he's already looking for a way out."

Colorado has the potential to turn things around and have a successful season. They are scheduled to play four opponents who are currently ranked this year. However, a big game is coming up against an in-state rival this weekend. Last season, Colorado State took the Buffaloes to double overtime. This year, the game will be played at Colorado State on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

If the Buffaloes suffer another loss, it might end "Coach Prime"'s tenure as Colorado's head coach.

Related: Stephen A. Smith Passionately Defends Shedeur Sanders Following Week 2 Criticism