O.J. Simpson is largely regarded as one of the best NFL and college football players of all time. The Pro and College Football Hall of Famer recently commented on the Colorado Buffaloes dropping out of the AP Top 25 Poll after a 42-6 thrashing of the Oregon Ducks in Week 4.
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During a recent appearance on "It's What It Is," Simpson stated: "I mean when you lose that big - but I don't think they should have dropped - I thought they'd drop to 19 or 20. It's a little surprising but I think, I honestly believe that you have a lot of people in the sports world, the sportscasters and sportswriters, hoping that something like this would happen. I truly do."
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'The Juice' went on to say that he believes the Buffaloes program and coach Deion Sanders have received criticism for exemplifying the changes in modern college football: "I think there was a lot of hate going on about Colorado and a lot of people don't like the fact that they could - because he brought so many guys in that it's changing football too much.
“Everybody, these people, they want to keep us back in the old days. This is a new day and age. Players are getting paid. Players are transferring. You should have the right to play wherever you want to play. This is America.”
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"The NCAA was making all that money all of them years. Now, all of a sudden, players are making money and a lot of these people are unhappy and Deion, I mean, he's in every commercial right now, but what he did this year, getting all of those guys to transfer there. They didn't like that."
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According to O.J. Simpson, the hostility could also be racially motivated. While Colorado has dropped out of the Top 25, their season has already exceeded most people's expectations. After going 1-11 last season, the Buffaloes are 3-1 in Sanders' first year as head coach. Furthermore, they are one win away from exceeding their Las Vegas betting odds-set preseason over/under win total of 3.5.
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O.J. Simpson had a remarkable two-year career with the USC Trojans, finishing second in Heisman voting in 1967 and winning the honor the following year. During his interview on It Is What It Is, he commented on his alma mater's highly anticipated game against the Colorado Buffaloes:
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"I think it's going to be a high-scoring game. I don't know if Colorado, because of their lines, can keep up with SC, but I do know their skill position players can. I've been critical the last two years of USC's secondary. I think they're poor tacklers in USC's secondary. But your skill position players can play with anybody. Speed wins.”
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Although Simpson did not predict a winner, he did predict that the Trojans would win the game in the trenches. The Buffaloes will be without two-way sensation Travis Hunter, who was also ruled out of last week's game against the Oregon Ducks.
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On Saturday, September 30, at noon ET, the No. 8 USC Trojans face the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado. USC is on the road in this Pac-12 matchup. The Trojans are 4-0 (2-0) after a 42-28 away win over the Arizona State Sun Devils last Saturday. Meanwhile, the Buffaloes are 3-1 (0-1) following a humiliating 42-6 away loss to the Oregon Ducks in Week 4.
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