Deion Sanders didn’t bring an entourage with him to Big 12 Media Days, but it sure looked that way as a mob of reporters and cameramen followed his every footstep on Wednesday inside Allegiant Stadium.
Never before, not even when Oklahoma and Texas were still around, has there been a bigger personality or celebrity associated with this conference.
“Coach Prime” might as well be the Taylor Swift of college football. Everything he says or does feels like it needs to be captured and potentially shared as big news.
The only difference is, he’s a famous coach instead of a famous fan.
“We’re lucky in our league that he’s with us, because he brings more people and notoriety and viewers to the Big 12 conference,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. “That’s what makes it go. We need viewership. We want people to watch our teams play. It will be fun to have him in our league.”
Many have debated which football programs are in the best position to replace Oklahoma and Texas as new kingpins of the Big 12.
In terms of winning the conference on a regular basis, a good argument could be made for a number of teams. Kansas State has already claimed a Big 12 championship under Chris Klieman. Oklahoma State has staying power with Gundy. Utah won a bunch in the Pac-12.
And no one will be shocked if Iowa State, Kansas or TCU makes it to AT&T Stadium this season.
But there is one problem with that debate. A Big 12 championship doesn’t guarantee national attention or prestige for any team.
Sure, Oklahoma won a lot of trophies in the Big 12. But what made Texas unique is that the Longhorns were viewed as a national power even as they slumped through a 13-year championship drought between the Mack Brown and Steve Sarkisian eras.
Good or bad, casual fans wanted to watch the Longhorns play just as much as they wanted to see Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama and Georgia.
Who can fill that void in the Big 12? Colorado seems like the strongest candidate with Sanders at the helm. It also doesn’t hurt that his son, Shedeur, is one of the biggest stars in the game.
Last season, the Buffaloes generated massive TV ratings even though they won just four games.
Then came the offseason, where Colorado mercilessly bid farewell to many of its under-performing players and brought in an army of transfers. That led to plenty of additional headlines.
In fact, Colorado has received so much attention that Sanders feels like his team gets judged differently than most of its peers.
“I’m judged on a different scale,” Sanders said. “My wins are totally different than your wins. You don’t just judge it on football ... We have to win in every area.
“That’s the way we’re judged, and I’m cool with that. Because we are a little different and the expectation is greater. But it’s been like that all my life. I’ve always had a greater expectation for myself.”
The Buffaloes might get even more exposure now that they have left the Pac-12 and joined the Big 12.
Conference commissioner Brett Yormark is hoping for that. No other coach or team in the league can currently draw a crowd like Colorado.
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