Deion Sanders on Colorado landing College GameDay: 'What we expected'

ESPN’s College GameDay will be headed to Boulder, Colo., next week for the showdown between Colorado and Colorado State, once again highlighting the blistering start that first-year coach Deion Sanders has gotten off to.

The Buffaloes upended No. 17 TCU 45-42 in the season opener, then dispatched Nebraska 36-14 on Saturday.

So the news that College GameDay is coming came as little surprise to Sanders.

“What we expected. It sounds kind of boastful,” Sanders said. “It sounds, at the risk of sounding arrogant, we truly expect that and that’s why those kids come. They want the biggest stage and they’re getting that every darned week.”

College GameDay has not been in Boulder since 1996, breaking a nearly three-decade drought for the Buffaloes.

But for Sanders, it’s just common sense that the flagship college football broadcast would want to cover his program. This is just the beginning, he’ll tell you.

“And the numbers justify it. What numbers did we have last week?” Sanders said. “Over seven million viewers on FOX. I think it was their biggest opening-day in their history, first game out. So, shoot, I’m pretty sure these numbers are going to justify it as well.”

College GameDay in the house?

“I don’t blame them,” Sanders said. “I really don’t blame them one bit.”

More on Colorado, Colorado State rivalry

Despite the recent program struggles, Colorado is on a five-game winning streak against Colorado State. However, there has not been a Rocky Mountain Showdown since the 2019 season. It’s a rare Power Five vs. Group of Five in-state rivalry but still has a lengthy history.

The first matchup between the two took place in 1893 but Colorado State was known as Colorado Agriculture back then. Colorado leads the all-time series 67-22-2, dominating throughout the three centuries it has been played.

Boulder and Fort Collins are where the two respective campuses are located but in recent matchups, Denver has been the location of the Rocky Mountain Showdown. Beginning in 1998, all but three of the 22 matchups have taken place at Mile High Stadium.

The series will shift back to Folsom Field for what should be another energized Colorado crowd.