Colorado football losing to BYU in the Alamo Bowl transformed the news cycle in Boulder. There was once optimism about the future of the program after Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders laid the groundwork for something special, but after an embarrassing showing in San Antonio, many wonder if Coach Prime will go back on his word and stick around.
USA Today's Paul Myerberg sees some, but not all, of CU's luster as having warn off after that December 28 loss.
"In an era where most high-end NFL prospects opt out of the postseason and more and more transfers are heading into the portal before bowl games, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter should be applauded for playing in the Alamo Bowl against Brigham Young. Not that things went well from there: BYU was all over the Buffaloes in a 36-14 win that erases some — but only some — of the goodwill built up during a breakthrough 2024 season. Sanders threw for a season-low 208 yards and had multiple interceptions for only the second time in his two years in Boulder," Myerberg wrote.
Going 9-4 two years after going 1-11 can never be fully written off. What Coach Prime achieved can never be taken away from those who witnessed it live.
But how far can CU go? Did the Buffs peak with Shedeur and Hunter? In theory, the losses of those two and Shilo Sanders should open up plenty of NIL money for a loaded transfer class.
But do Colorado's boosters even want to continue funding this program like they have? Apparently, NIL funding ran out by the time the Alamo Bowl even happened. Boulder wasn't a football town before Deion got there, and it might not be anymore after witnessing a Heisman winner and a second top-five NFL draft pick.