Colorado Buffaloes name Deion Sanders as head coach

Deion Sanders will be the next coach at Colorado, the school announced Saturday night, instantly making him one of the most compelling hires in college football this generation.

Sanders comes with just three years' experience coaching college football, as he went 27-5 as Jackson State's coach. Jackson State (12-0) completed an undefeated regular season Saturday with a 43-24 blowout of Southern for the SWAC championship.

Sanders informed his team of his departure soon after Saturday's win. He is still slated to coach Jackson State in the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 17 against North Carolina Central, sources told ESPN.

Sanders' arrival delivers a much-needed adrenaline shot to a Colorado program that has had two winning seasons since 2005 and losing seasons in five of the past six years. Since 2005, Colorado has churned through the forgettable tenures of Karl Dorrell, Mel Tucker, Mike MacIntyre, Jon Embree, Dan Hawkins and Gary Barnett.

With Sanders' arrival, Colorado will immediately become one of the most fascinating programs in the country. He immediately becomes one of the most recognizable coaches in the sport, and Colorado's sudden attention comes at a time when the Pac-12 is on the precipice of losing both USC and UCLA to the Big Ten in 2024. Suddenly, Colorado is a buzzy program.

Sanders is an iconic American athlete, a member of both the Pro Football and College Football Halls of Fame. He played in the NFL for 14 seasons, won two Super Bowls and also played for several Major League Baseball teams from 1989 through 2001. He brings credibility, charisma and deep ties in the state of Texas — where he coached in high school for seven years before Jackson State — to start a recruiting pipeline.

Sanders is a defiant