Does Deion Sanders know Buffaloes history? Coach Prime under fire for ignoring Colorado's legacy

Deion Sanders has made restoring Colorado football 's reputation a central part of his coaching career, but one of the players responsible for the Buffaloes ' last conference championship believes Coach Prime has overlooked an important part of that mission.

Former Colorado quarterback Bobby Pesavento has criticized Sanders following his response to a question about the 25th anniversary of the program's 2001 Big 12 championship, arguing that the coach has failed to appreciate the achievements that helped establish the university's football identity.

The disagreement comes during another challenging campaign for Sanders , whose Buffaloes entered November with a 3-5 record after ending a five-game losing streak against Kansas State.

Asked about the championship anniversary, Sanders offered a general reflection on Colorado's successful years rather than discussing the 2001 team's accomplishments in detail.

"I think I was a pro when they were really doing it, like really, really doing it," Sanders said.

He also referenced his relationship with former Colorado quarterback Kordell Stewart , whom he played alongside during their time with the Baltimore Ravens .

Although Sanders praised the Buffaloes ' traditional black-and-gold identity, his comments left Pesavento questioning whether the current coach fully understood the importance of the championship.

Pesavento delivers blunt criticism of Sanders

Pesavento , who helped lead Colorado to the 2001 Big 12 title, expressed his frustration during an appearance on the Zero 2 Sixty podcast.

"I mean, at this point, is it surprising at all?" Pesavento said. "Like, I mean, it sucks as a former player, right, that was part of something that was pretty special up there, that he's not aware of what it is."

The former quarterback argued that understanding a university's traditions should be an essential responsibility for any college football coach, regardless of their previous connection to the institution.

"As college head coach, no matter who you are, you gotta embrace the history of wherever you're coaching, even if you don't have ties to that place," Pesavento continued.

"There's donors. There's former players. There are fans. There's a community that rallies around that; you have to embrace it, and he's just doing a poor job of it."

His criticism reflects a disagreement about how Colorado's past should influence its present, rather than establishing that Sanders was unaware of the championship itself.

Why Colorado's 2001 Big 12 championship still matters

Colorado's 2001 campaign remains one of the most remarkable turnarounds in the program's history, coming immediately after a disappointing 3-8 season.

Under Gary Barnett , the Buffaloes defeated second-ranked Nebraska 62-36 behind six rushing touchdowns from Chris Brown , securing the Big 12 North title.

They followed that victory by upsetting third-ranked Texas 39-37 in the conference championship game, with Brown scoring three more touchdowns and Pesavento helping guide the offense.

Colorado finished the season 10-3 after losing to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl, ending the campaign ranked ninth nationally.

The Buffaloes haven't won another conference championship since, making that 2001 team particularly important to former players and longtime supporters.

Sanders now faces the challenge of improving results while maintaining relationships with the wider Colorado community.

With Arizona State awaiting on Saturday, Pesavento 's criticism adds another dimension to the pressure surrounding Coach Prime , suggesting that rebuilding the Buffaloes involves more than simply winning games.