Shedeur Sanders is Coach Prime's “executioner” in Colorado: The big problem that could lead to his father's firing

D eion Sanders has spent much of his Colorado tenure trying to convince everyone that the program is moving forward.

The latest evidence suggests he still has one major problem to solve, and it happens to be the position his son Shedeur Sanders once controlled.

Colorado's 29-7 home defeat to No. 12 Texas Tech on Saturday was not simply another loss for a team that has already endured a difficult 2026 season. It was another reminder that the Buffaloes have not found a reliable answer at quarterback since Shedeur left for the NFL .

That is becoming a significant concern for Sanders .

Colorado is now 2-3, with three defeats in its last three games. The latest setback was particularly damaging because the Buffaloes had opportunities to win, leading 7-3 at halftime and holding Texas Tech to relatively modest offensive production for much of the contest. Instead, the game unraveled after the break.

Isaac Wilson , who was handed the starting job after Julian Lewis was removed from the lineup, could not maintain the momentum generated by Colorado's opening touchdown drive.

The Utah transfer threw three interceptions, with his final mistake becoming a pick-six that effectively put the game beyond reach. Texas Tech ultimately scored 29 unanswered points.

The quarterback situation therefore looks less like an isolated problem and more like an unresolved issue that has followed Sanders since Shedeur's departure.

The Shedeur comparison is becoming impossible to avoid

Shedeur's presence in Boulder provided Colorado with something the team has repeatedly lacked since 2024: continuity.

The Buffaloes went 9-4 that season, with Shedeur operating as the clear starter and one of the central figures in Sanders ' rebuilding project. Since then, Colorado has gone through multiple quarterbacks without finding the same level of consistency.

Last season ended with a 3-9 record and three different starting quarterbacks. This season has now brought another change, with Wilson replacing Lewis after Lewis opened the year as the starter.

Wilson's performance against Texas Tech made the situation even more complicated.

He completed 26 of 44 passes for 290 yards and a touchdown, but his three interceptions proved decisive.

The Red Raiders converted Colorado's mistakes into points while the Buffaloes' offense repeatedly failed to sustain drives. The official Colorado account confirmed that the Buffaloes fell to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big 12 play after the defeat.

Wilson accepted responsibility afterward.

“It’s me,” Wilson said. “I had my chance tonight.” He later added: “I did not make smart decisions tonight.”

That leaves Sanders with another difficult decision during Colorado's bye week. “It’s always an open competition,” Sanders said.

The problem is that changing quarterbacks again may not fix everything. Colorado's struggles extend beyond the player taking snaps. Its offense has repeatedly failed to turn promising situations into points, while the defense has been forced to carry an enormous burden.

Against Texas Tech, Colorado actually outgained the Red Raiders 375-315, yet still lost by 22 points.

That imbalance is precisely why pressure is building around Sanders .

The Buffaloes have already been identified as a potential hot-seat situation for their head coach, with Sanders' record at Colorado and last year's 3-9 campaign adding to the scrutiny.

His contract also makes any decision complicated: Colorado extended him through 2029, and reports have put the potential 2026 buyout at around $25.5 million.

That financial figure could make an immediate dismissal difficult, but it does not eliminate the underlying question.

Can Sanders get Colorado back to being competitive?

The answer may depend heavily on whether he can finally solve the quarterback position.

His next opportunity comes against No. 13 Utah on Oct. 17 following the bye week. By then, Sanders will have had time to assess Wilson's performance, reconsider Lewis and potentially explore freshman Kaneal Sweetwyne , who has yet to make a start.

There is also pressure on the coaching staff to find a better offensive formula. Saturday's loss exposed how little margin for error Colorado currently has: the defense can keep a ranked opponent within striking distance, but repeated offensive mistakes eventually become impossible to overcome. Sanders knows that better than anyone.

“Let’s stop the shenanigans, man,” Sanders told reporters. “We’ve got one glaring problem. You guys know darn well what that is. Let’s stop the foolishness. We’ve got to play better at one specific position. That’s it.”

He refused to directly name quarterback when asked about the team's problems.

"If I say it you're gonna run with it," he said. He then told reporters, “I’d respect y’all a lot more if you just said it yourself."

The message was clear without Sanders needing to say the word. Shedeur is gone, but his absence continues to loom over the Colorado offense.

For Coach Prime, finding the next quarterback is no longer simply about improving one position. It could determine whether his rebuilding project survives another difficult season, and ultimately whether he remains the person in charge of it.