Deion Sanders challenges Julian ‘Juju’ Lewis to tell the truth about his difficult situation in Colorado

D eion Sanders is not prepared to provide the full explanation behind Julian “JuJu” Lewis ' sudden fall down the Colorado quarterback depth chart.

Instead, the Buffaloes coach has effectively put the responsibility back on Lewis to explain his side of the story.

Colorado entered the 2026 season expecting Lewis to be one of the central figures in its offense.

The highly regarded quarterback started the first four games, but his performances became increasingly inconsistent before Sanders replaced him during the loss to Baylor .

That decision has now developed into a much bigger storyline.

Against No. 12 Texas Tech on Saturday, Oct. 3, Lewis was not merely replaced by Isaac Wilson. He was listed behind Wilson and another quarterback, leaving him as the apparent third option at the position.

Sanders pushed back strongly against the suggestion that he simply benched Lewis and moved him to third string: "I would love for JuJu to come in here and he tells you what happened. You bench JuJu to third or second string? No that's not how it all went down. It didn't happen like that."

Those comments have only added another layer to an already complicated quarterback situation.

Sanders clearly does not want to publicly blame a 19-year-old player, but he also does not appear interested in accepting responsibility for a narrative that he believes does not accurately explain Lewis ' situation.

Lewis had shown flashes of why Colorado viewed him as an important part of the program's future.

He threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns while adding another score on the ground against Weber State earlier this season, earning Big 12 freshman of the week honors in the process.

However, his production dipped in the weeks that followed. He was replaced at halftime against Baylor after completing 11 of 16 passes for only 75 yards, with Wilson entering and providing an immediate spark.

Wilson subsequently received the start against Texas Tech. The change initially looked promising.

Wilson's opportunity creates another problem for Sanders

Wilson opened the Texas Tech game by leading Colorado on a 75-yard touchdown drive, giving the Buffaloes exactly the offensive spark Sanders had hoped to find.

But the momentum disappeared, and Wilson ultimately threw three interceptions as Texas Tech turned the contest into a 29-7 victory.

That result has left Sanders with no obvious solution: "It's always competition everyday. Every day is like that. We have three options there [at quarterback], somebody just has to grab a hold of it and get it done."

The phrase “three options” is significant because it suggests Lewis remains part of the conversation despite his unusual status against Texas Tech .

Sanders was also careful not to publicly attack Lewis: "JuJu didn't play today. But I'm not going to badger the kid or say anything derogatory about the kid. He didn't play today. I'm more worried about our team. You're trying to single out a kid and I can't do that. These kids are pretty darn comfortable."

That approach is understandable given the scrutiny surrounding Colorado's offense. Lewis is still young and remains a significant part of the program's long-term plans, while publicly damaging his confidence could create an even bigger problem for a team already searching for stability.

Yet Sanders ' patience is also being tested by the results.

The loss to Texas Tech dropped Colorado to 2-3, while the Buffaloes have now lost three straight games. The offense has become the most obvious weakness, even though the defense has produced strong stretches against quality opposition.

Sanders made no attempt to disguise his frustration: "We've been horrible. I won't sugarcoat it. We had seven points? You're not going to win."

Colorado's offensive problems were particularly frustrating against Texas Tech because the Buffaloes were competitive for much of the game.

The Red Raiders entered the fourth quarter with only a 12-7 advantage before Colorado's mistakes opened the door for a decisive late run.

"[Texas Tech] knows how to win. They don't panic, or flinch and they're consistent at what they do. It's funny because when you look at the statisitics, it doesn't tell the story of the game,” Sanders said.

"It was 12-7 in the fourth quarter. Then all hell breaks loose. Hats off to Texas Tech. They played a wonderful game and did what they had to do to get the win. We didn't."

The numbers also underline the strange nature of Colorado's defeat. Texas Tech was held to limited passing production, while Colorado's defense generated pressure and kept the game close deep into the contest.

But four interceptions, three from Wilson and another on a trick play, ultimately proved too costly.

Sanders knows that quarterback play has to improve, but he does not believe the team's problems can simply be placed on one individual: "You know what it is. If I said it, you're going to run with it. You know darn well what it is. Write it yourselves. It's blatant. I would respect it a lot more if you wrote down what it is."

"You want me to take me down that rabbit hole or bunjee jump on it? Just say what you want to say and write what you want to write. Because if I assist you, it sounds like blame. It's a team effort. We all got our butt kicks."

The bye week now gives Sanders time to make another decision.

He could stick with Wilson, restore Lewis to the starting role or potentially give another quarterback an opportunity.

But after Wilson's collapse against Texas Tech, the quarterback debate is unlikely to disappear: It's execution. There's no way you can go down the field on the first drive and and score like that, and then you can't anymore. It's also want and will."

Sanders also insisted that effort is not the issue: “We're going to practice and we're going to work."

"We were ready to play today. It's not like we weren't ready. Defense did some phenomenal things today and the offense [too]. They work. It's not for lack of effort."

The next test comes against No. 13 Utah on Oct. 17, giving Sanders two weeks to decide who he believes can finally provide consistency at quarterback.

For Lewis , that means his difficult situation is far from resolved. Sanders has refused to publicly define exactly why his young quarterback has fallen down the depth chart.

Instead, he has challenged Lewis to tell his own story. At the same time, Sanders knows that the larger issue cannot be avoided forever: "I like many aspects of it. But we were penalized on a crucial drive and we broke at the end."

"A great defense does not break. They don't consistently miss tackles. We got one glaring problem and you guys know what it is. I ain't no fool. We have one glaring problem. We have to play better at one specific position [quarterback]. That's it."

And until Colorado finds a definitive answer under center, the Lewis situation will continue to be one of the biggest questions hanging over Sanders and his program.