Fueled by 3-9 finish, Deion Sanders, Colorado ready for 2026 - ESPN

FRISCO, Texas — In the wake of Colorado's 3-9 season in which Deion Sanders admitted Colorado got its «butts kicked,» the coach declared confidence in the Buffaloes' ability to turn things around in 2026. In his mind, they already have.

«It's already turned,» he said Tuesday. «You just ain't seen the fruit. It's already there.»

Colorado is coming off a dismal season in which it lost seven of its final eight games, went 1-8 in league play and finished No. 112 in the country in total offense and No. 121 in total defense.

Sanders accepted blame for some of that, pointing out that his cancer diagnosis took him away from the team from May last year until training camp. He also said he wasn't the best version of himself as he recovered from bladder cancer surgery.

He said that even though he was with the Buffalos, he didn't have the «quickness» of «being free of thought» because of the sickness.

«And that's where I was,» he said. «So, I'm putting that on me. I'm putting that on me, that it was some holes that I saw that I didn't make the adjustments on. I should have shot some things early on.»

When asked if he felt healthy enough to keep coaching for a long time, Sanders said he did, then added: «Let's not talk about tomorrow. We got today at hand. Yeah. I'm going to focus on it now. When I'm [at] my best, I focus on it now and I dominate the now. Then I deal with the next day.»

Colorado struggled through last season with unreliable quarterback play and a run defense that ranked No. 133 out of 134 teams in major college football. Another roster overhaul — 66 new players are aboard — and changes at both offensive and defensive coordinator have given Sanders optimism that the results will be much different in 2026.

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