Although the bulk of Tuesday's news conference in Boulder centered on Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and his fellow outgoing teammates for the Colorado Buffaloes , head coach Deion Sanders — that's "Coach Prime," if you are late to this seasonlong party — did manage to talk a little bit about CU's opponent in next weekend's Alamo Bowl.
"So trust me, ain't nobody taking them lightly. They not sneaking up on us. We know when they coming."
That would be the No. 17 BYU Cougars.
Sanders mentioned BYU about three minutes into his opening statement, saying the No. 23 Buffs are "playing against a wonderful, historical school" and a fellow member of the Big 12.
Sanders saved his greatest praise, however, for BYU head coach Kalani Sitake.
BYU "offers a coach that I am fond of, a man of God, which I adore," Sanders said. "To flip it and turn it around and accomplish what they have accomplished this season, is phenomenal, but I would expect that because that is who he is and that is the way he coaches. I consider him a friend. I can't wait to see him there (in San Antonio)."
Kickoff in the 33rd annual Alamo Bowl is Dec. 28 at 5:30 p.m. MST and the matchup that many are saying is the best postseason contest outside the College Football Playoff will be televised by ABC.
"You know, it is a little more relaxed until you get close to game day, and then I start getting ignorant as I am. But he's a good guy, has a great team, and I adore him. I adore him," Sanders said. "And I am happy to be playing against this wonderful university."
At the Big 12 football media days in Las Vegas last July , Sanders caught up with BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe, who was his defensive backs coach in San Francisco when "Prime Time" played for the 49ers.
"So I got love for him, too," Sanders said of Holmoe.
Tuesday, Sanders was asked more than a dozen questions, but only one about BYU. A reporter wanted to know about BYU's "really explosive players" and what the Cougars show on film.
"Consistent team that can run the ball. They can throw the ball. They defend well. Discipline. I see a lot of discipline. A lot of young men that may not receive some of the accolades that they deserve. But they work their butts off and they do a wonderful job," Sanders said.
"So trust me, ain't nobody taking them lightly. They not sneaking up on us. We know when they coming."
Lest anyone think Colorado is not taking the game seriously after being bombarded with awards and honors since the regular season ended with a 52-0 blasting of Oklahoma State that got the Buffs to 9-3, Sanders said that simply isn't the case.
"It is not just a bowl game where we are going to go be merry and have a merry Christmas and exchange gifts and all that. No, we want to go there and play Buff football. And we got some guys who want to end on a great note," he said.
"You think Travis wants to go out there and get locked down with a Heisman (Trophy) in the house? You think Shedeur (Sanders) want to go out there and play like hot garbage when he is one of the premier guys, arguably the first pick of the (NFL) draft? You think Jimmy Horn, who hasn't played in a couple weeks, game-wise, doesn't want to go out there and put it on?
"We got a lot of guys who want to ball out, and I can't wait to see them. … We even had a fight at practice today. I don't recommend that, but I was proud of that."
Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur answered questions for 10 or so minutes, but none of them were about BYU.
Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, in his first season since coming over from the NFL, where he was with the Cincinnati Bengals for 12 years (most as a defensive backs coach), was asked about defending BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff and his "almost frustrating" ability to extend plays.
"They do a great job. The quarterback is a great player. You know, they got a real, kinda, attitude they play with. Whether it is the quarterback running the ball, the backs, they have a stable of backs. The wideouts in the open field. So it is a phenomenal challenge. It is one we are excited for," Livingston said.
As for facing a fellow Big 12 member, one that Colorado will host in 2025, Livingston said it isn't really a big deal because they didn't see each other this year.
"You want to finish this thing off," he said. "… If you are a young player, you are kick-starting 2025. This is what you will be evaluated on going into the spring. It is a great way for all parties involved to have a great time in San Antonio and go get it done."
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders directs safety Ben Finneseth during spring college football game, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Boulder, Colo. | David Zalubowski, Associated Press
