Deion Sanders wants the college football world to take notice by making it clear that he won't adopt the abhorrent methods used by Colorado's team in bowl games.
If a team fails to make the College Football Playoff, starters who could be drafted or who won't be back next season often miss bowl games to avoid injury.
That won't be the case at Colorado, which has two of the most highly regarded draft prospects on its roster in quarterback Shedur Sander and receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter.
No matter where Colorado lands, they'll play.
“The kids are going to be in the bowl game because that's what we signed up for and we're going to finish it,” Sanders said during Friday's media availability. “I'm not going to tap out because it would ruin my system for next season.
“There are some teams to watch. They laid an egg in the bowl game and haven't recovered since. We're not going to do that. We're going to play wherever we are, just like we played today. I’m going to fight.”
Sanders may have had his sights set on Florida State, where he played in college.
The Seminoles are 2-9 this season after being eliminated from the College Football Playoff a year ago and ultimately deciding to start against Georgia, a 63-3 loss in the Orange Bowl.
Sanders has completely turned his plans around in Colorado, and if he can get some help in the standings on Saturday and earn a spot in the Big 12 Championship, he still has a spot in the CFP, so any setbacks are a no-brainer. It cannot be avoided.
The Buffaloes went 1-11 the year before Sanders took over, but two years later they are 9-3 and ranked 25th in the nation. His son, Sheduar, could be the No. 1 pick in this year's NFL Draft.
But the two-time Super Bowl champion wants Colorado to be chosen to host a bowl game as a thank you to the fans.
“I wish we could have said that in the bowl, because we want to be close to where our fans can go financially,” he said. “That's how much we care about them. . . . They show up and show up.”
Colorado plans to do something similar with its full roster, wherever it ends up playing.
