Colorado football beat writer starting to believe Deion Sanders is two-and-done in Boulder

On SI's Emanuel Walker is skeptical about Deion Sanders sticking with the Colorado football program beyond 2024, asking several questions about why Coach Prime would stick with CU and connecting the dots between Paul Finebaum's USC suggestion and Sanders' proclivity to drop hints about his next moves.

"Could it be that Paul Finebaum sees something that many of the Buffs fans have yet to realize? Coach Prime doesn’t like to lose, his sons will be gone, and doesn’t believe in rebuilding a football program with younger players outside of the transfer portal," Walker prefaced before saying, "And if Colorado has another losing season, will the Buffaloes faithful begin to grow tired of all the hype without the wins to go along with the slick catchphrases? Is anyone starting to become a 'non-believer' with what's going on in Boulder?

"Did Finebaum use Riley to make his take on Sanders based on the infinite love they both have to recruit players out of the transfer portal? Watching more athletes leave their programs as a means to say that Colorado needs to prepare for life A.P. (After Prime)."

Deion Sanders leaving Colorado football after two years feels more possible now

There's a plethora of pundits who've never been convinced Sanders would stay long in Boulder. Perhaps they've been right all along.

Sanders' promise to stay in Boulder for five to 10 more years feels less likely now than it ever has. And it's unclear if winning too much will cause him to find a better job elsewhere, or losing too much will convince Coach Prime that Colorado isn't the place to build his legacy as a head coach.

While USC and the Big Ten still feels like too big of a jump, perhaps the Trojans' brain trust will get desperate as they realize Southern Cal may be in over its head in a conference that lives and breathe football at the top of the food chain.