Deion Sanders 'at a loss for words' after Colorado's 36-20 loss at Houston
Buffaloes coach blames 'foolishness,' accepts responsibility as Colorado falls to 1-2 and prepares to host Wyoming
Deion Sanders said he was "at a loss for words" after the Colorado Buffaloes were beaten 36-20 by the Houston Cougars on Saturday, calling the team's performance "foolishness" and accepting responsibility for a one-sided finish.
The Buffaloes trailed just 16-14 at halftime but were outscored 20-6 in the second half as Houston closed the game at TDECU Stadium on Sept. 12. Sanders told reporters he initially had little to say about the loss, then added that he was grateful he did not lash out publicly. "Oh, Lord, thank you. I'm thanking God for not allowing me to say what I want to say," he said. "It wasn't good. It wasn't good at all. I take full responsibility of the foolishness that went on out there that we tried to name football. We tried to call it football. It wasn't that. We've got to do better in every phase of the game. We've got to do better preparing our kids. We've got to do better, period."
Sanders later spoke bluntly about the state of the program after the loss. "We're not struggling. We're getting our butts kicked. You don't have to be polite with me. You don't have to sugarcoat it," he said, underscoring the severity of the defeat.
The loss leaves Colorado 1-2 on the season. The Buffaloes' lone victory came last week against FCS opponent Delaware, a 31-7 win, after dropping a 27-20 decision to Georgia Tech in their season opener. Colorado's offense and defense were unable to sustain the competitiveness they showed in the first half against Houston, and the second-half turnaround by the Cougars proved decisive.
Sanders was photographed speaking with Colorado quarterback Ryan Staub during the first half, and coaches and players gathered on the sideline throughout the second-half slide. Sanders declined to single out individuals in his postgame remarks and emphasized collective accountability.
Colorado returns home next week to host Wyoming with a chance to even its record at 2-2. Sanders and the Buffaloes will attempt to address the issues he cited in practice this week, with Sanders stressing improvement in preparation, execution and fundamentals before welcoming the Mountain West opponent to Folsom Field.
The Buffaloes' program remains under national scrutiny following Sanders' high-profile hiring, and Saturday's loss will likely intensify attention on how quickly the team can rebound. For now, Sanders framed the path forward in stark terms, saying the team must correct mistakes across all phases of the game and hold itself accountable for a performance he deemed below standard.
Colorado's coaches will face questions about adjustments and personnel decisions as the team prepares for Wyoming. Sanders did not offer a detailed plan in his remarks, reiterating that the effort and fundamentals must improve immediately if the Buffaloes are to change course this season.