As many Coloradoans know, Deion Sanders signed a five-year contract with Colorado University of Boulder (CU) for 29.5 million, announcing his commitment in Dec. of 2022. The former NFL and MLB player signed the contract, bringing his two sons, Shedeur Sanders and Shilo Sanders to play for the CU Buffaloes as well. With the new additions to the team, the Buffaloes ticket prices have become outrageously expensive and the number of viewers watching the games has skyrocketed. The team has only played five games and has had 25.3 million viewers so far. Prices for tickets range from around two hundred to upwards of more than a couple thousand dollars.
The Rocky Mountain Showdown took place on Sep. 16, 2023, at Folsom Field, in Boulder, Co. CU’s admissions didn’t allow Colorado State University’s (CSU) students to purchase tickets at student rates, so CSU hosted a watch party at their field, Canvas Stadium. Days before the game started, the famous College GameDay visited the campus, hosting a concert by rapper, Lil Wayne, while talking up the game. Announcers of the College GameDay, Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, and Pat McAfee, featured Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and one of the oldest, yet largest CU fans, 98-year-old, Peggy Coppom, as well as Coach Sanders.
One of CSU’s long snappers, Morgan Tribbett, also an Eaton High School graduate said, “I think the rivalries in Colorado are good for everybody. The Rocky Mountain Showdown has been a huge game in Colorado for decades and it’s good that the rivalry is getting national attention.”
Around a week before the game, CSU’s coach, Jay Norvell, fired shots at Deion Sanders, stating that he takes his hat and glasses off when talking to grown-ups. Norvell expressed that those were things that his mother taught him. This attack targeted Sanders’s style, as he is known for wearing Blenders Eyewear, and some variation of a cowboy hat. In response, Sanders replied that this game is now perceived as personal, to him, and his mother. Cooper Nider (25) said, “They [CU] are a good team when they play other teams that aren’t good, but when you play a good team, CU isn’t good. Although, Coach Prime has turned the team around.”
During the close game, CSU held up a strong suit against CU. The showdown was in action when Travis Hunter #12, CU’s wide receiver, was abruptly knocked out of bounds by CSU’s Henry Blackburn #11, a defensive back. The hit was abnormally hard and uncalled for, yet it is a game of football. Hunter got up from the hit while Blackburn fiercely walked away, not looking back. Hunter was in the game for one more play and then sat out for the rest, as it was later found out that he had a lacerated liver from the hit by Blackburn. Hunter transferred from Jackson State, where he was coached by Sanders until they transferred to Colorado University. He is one of the top-ranked transfer prospects in the NCAA at the moment and is now waiting three weeks to heal from his injury.
The game ended with a double overtime score of 35 to 43, with CU winning the victory. CSU was seen as the underdogs, so they gave CU a run for their money and players. In CU’s following game, played was at the University of Oregon, more controversy started, gaining additional attention, read more in the next story.
