Colorado loss to Stanford puts bowl bid in jeopardy and raises questions

This was incredible. Will Deion Sanders and Colorado be shattered by this, or will they come back stronger than ever?

Questions are flying in Boulder. Questions surround Deion Sanders after his Colorado Buffaloes inexplicably blew a 29-0 lead at home to the lowly Stanford Cardinal on Friday night.

Before the collapse occurred, we asked our Pac-12 football panel this question:

“Colorado starting 3-0 was undeniably a great story, and the Buffaloes generated massive TV ratings for their games. It’s natural that the media wanted to cover Deion Sanders 24-7. However, now that CU is playing the way we all expected before the season, is there a risk of a negative blowback effect, or is this program clearly heading in the right direction regardless of the current level of play?”

Matt Wadleigh: This program is headed in the right direction regardless. Colorado was an afterthought for so long, and now top tier players and recruits are lining up to play there. Remember, they were 1-11 last season. If the Buffs make a bowl game, even at 6-6, it’s a smashing success story in Boulder.

Matt Zemek: I think Deion’s portal success story will keep the recruits flowing into Boulder, to the extent that the program will steadily grow and improve. I will say, however, that Deion hasn’t really tried to manage expectations. He is a “moonshot” visionary. Merely being a bowl team isn’t his goal. He wants it all. He will need to be careful about how he guides Colorado in its upward climb. If fans expect too much too soon and Deion doesn’t inject a little realism and caution into the picture, some frustration could seep in.

Zachary Neel: No matter where Colorado finishes the season, they already succeeded. They surpassed their expected win total in just 6 games, and they could very well be onto a bowl game. The great story should continue, and we shall continue to cover it and celebrate it.

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