"Colorado has lost all of its hype": CFB analyst serves harsh reality check to Deion Sanders during Big 12 media days 

Deion Sanders enters his third season at Colorado in 2024. The Pro Football Hall of Famer's tenure with the Buffaloes has been filled with hype, and they were able to live up to it last season. However, the program won't have quarterback Shedeur Sanders and dual-threat Travis Hunter in 2025.

In an edition of the “Andy & Ari On3” podcast done at the venue of the Big 12 media days on Tuesday, Andy Staple and Ari Wasserman discussed Colorado ahead of the 2025 season. Wasserman doesn't see the Buffaloes in the same frame after the loss of their stars.

“I think Colorado has lost all of its hype," Wasserman said (Timestamp: 5:18). "I wonder if Deion can work magic in a way where they're out of the spotlight a little bit and surprise everyone by coming back in."

Staples added that "Coach Prime" will be getting the real challenge as a coach next season in the absence of Sanders and Hunter. The analyst, however, believes he might become bigger than Colorado if he succeeds in 2025.

“This is the real job now," Staples said (Timestamp: 5:20). "The Louie luggage is gone … Here's the other part of it, and Colorado fans are going to hate this if I say this. If he wins now, he's going to get snapped up by somebody else. I'm telling you. Because this will be proof that what he does works.”

Ari Wasserman doesn't believe Deion Sanders is a good fit for the NFL yet

After Andy Staples raised the possibility of Deion Sanders getting picked up by another team if he leads the Buffaloes to success in 2024, Ari Wasserman cited NFL links. However, he doesn't believe he's a good fit to coach in the NFL yet, but 2025 could change that.

“I've never understood the Deion Sanders to the NFL stuff,” Wasserman said (Timestamp: 5:55). “Now, I've never understood that, but if he can win now functionally at Colorado, then I can start buying it.

“I didn't even think that he was qualified for any SEC job when he took the Colorado job. But being a three-year head coach, somebody who got Colorado, I'm going to say it again, Colorado to the brink of the playoffs.”

Deion Sanders was linked to a host of NFL jobs this offseason, including the Dallas Cowboys, as his sons were heading to the professional stage. However, the coach decided to stay on at Colorado, earning a new contract that made him one of the highest-paid in college football.