Deion Sanders reacts to national media jumping on Colorado bandwagon

Colorado has quietly improved to 4-1 and will have a chance to really make a statement on Saturday against No. 18 Kansas State.

Ahead of that matchup, some national media publications are jumping in on the Buffaloes stampede and embracing Colorado as one of the nation’s top teams. The change in sentiment has been palpable for head coach Deion Sanders.

“I notice it because I get it from everywhere,” Sanders said Tuesday. “I really don’t care, honestly, because as quick as they jump on they can jump off. As quick as they support they can try to dismantle. As quick as they love they can hate. So I really don’t get into that.”

Still, the fact is that Colorado is beginning to garner more recognition. The Buffaloes even earned three votes in this week’s AP Poll.

That’s not to say Sanders isn’t keeping tabs on who is saying what about Colorado, though.

“I know who it is for my purposes. I definitely know who said what for my purposes and my sons … and all those guys,” Sanders said. “They know. They keep me abreast of what time it is so I know what’s what.”

However, Sanders knows his team won’t get very far on hype alone. The hype is a byproduct of quality play, not a leading indicator for it.

So the Colorado football coach has been careful to caution his team about buying into the hype, the “rat poison,” as one of Sanders’ colleagues — Nick Saban — is like to say.

“As far as the young men I just don’t want them believing that they’ve arrived,” Sanders said. “All this hoopla about Jordan Seaton, I said, ‘Jordan, you know a couple plays they could have had you right there.’ Our DBs, you know, ‘If they would have threw the ball right there they had us.’ So don’t believe that foolishness.

“Work on your game and work on your craft. Be the best you can be, but don’t believe the hype whatsoever. Let’s keep our heads down and stay locked in.”