Appearing on Front Office Sports with Baker Machado recently, Deion Sanders voiced strong support for further playoff expansion while discussing the evolving landscape of college football.
Colorado finished just short of reaching the Big 12 Championship Game in 2024, and the Buffaloes almost certainly would have earned a spot in a 24-team playoff field. Sanders’ support for expansion comes as Colorado continues its pursuit of a return to championship contention under his leadership.
“I would love 24,” Sanders said. “I would love 24. That would be tremendous.”
The Hall of Famer believes a larger playoff field would provide more opportunities for teams outside the traditional power structure, particularly within the Big 12.
“If you would have had 24 teams a year ago, a multitude of teams from the Big 12 would have been participating in the playoffs, which would have been perfect for the Big 12 and that’s what we’re standing on,” Coach Prime said. “I would love that. I don’t know if we’re going to attain that, but I would love that number.”
Sanders also pushed back on the notion that the Big 12 is significantly behind the SEC and Big Ten, arguing the conference has held its own despite the national perception surrounding the sport’s two wealthiest leagues.
“I think they’re doing well,” Sanders said of the Big 12. “Big Ten has been prominent over the last few years for certain. But, as a whole, the Big 12 has competed tremendously, tremendously well.”
While playoff expansion remains a topic for conference commissioners and college football administrators, Sanders’ focus remains squarely on Colorado’s progress entering the 2026 season.
The Buffaloes will be replacing several big contributors on last year's team but Sanders expressed confidence in the roster and coaching staff assembled during the offseason.
“We want to win and we got to win,” Sanders said.
Sanders credited the staff’s offseason work in evaluating transfer portal additions and building a roster capable of competing for championships.
"We have the best coaching staff that I’ve ever been a part of in my coaching career...When they sat in front of me, I felt like they were the guys that can take us back to where we belong...I locked in and focused on what [players] we needed, who we needed, and how we needed them out of the portal and watched every last one of them, but not alone, with staff and selected them and brought them in,” Sanders said.
The Colorado coach also highlighted the program’s academic achievements, noting that the football team recently surpassed the highest GPA in school history.
“We have some good young men on that team,” Sanders said. “Not only good men academically because we surpassed the highest GPA in the history of the university football-wise, but these guys not only smart, but they can play the game and they want to play the game and they’re just not there for a check.”
Sanders also touched on potential transfer portal reforms and voiced support for limiting player movement.
“I love it 100%,” Sanders said when asked about proposals that would allow athletes five years of eligibility while restricting transfers...Hopefully, it’s five years, and hopefully, it’s one transfer. Because it’s no loyalty. It’s pretty much no love. You’re dealing with a new roster every year."
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