Deion Sanders’ preferred revenge is success in Buffs’ Alamo Bowl rematch

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders leads his team into a rematch of last year's Alamo Bowl with the BYU Cougars this Saturday. (Photo by Cristian Blanco/Sko Buffs Sports)

The Colorado Buffaloes had the opportunity to win their first bowl game since 2004 last December against the Brigham Young Cougars. After an impressive 9-3 regular season record and a narrow miss of the Big 12 title game via tiebreaker, hopes were high, to say the least. 

However, the hopes died after CU went down 17-0 at halftime and went on to lose the game 36-14. It was a shocking collapse, a chance the Buffs wished they could simply get back.

Colorado gets that opportunity to avenge the loss this Saturday, but that’s not what’s on head coach Deion Sanders’ mind.

“We ain’t with that ‘get back stuff’,” Sanders said on Tuesday. “I’m with the ‘let’s get them’ stuff.”

In fact, Sanders spoke very fondly of BYU’s head coach, Kalani Sitake.

“Coach Sitake, I consider a dear, dear, dear friend,” Sanders said. “[He’s] a man of standard, [a] man of principle, and a darn good coach. He’s going to have his team ready.”

Colorado and BYU don’t have a lot of history outside of the tenacious 1930s of college football. The Buffs would love to recreate their first-ever matchup with the Cougars in 1923, when they won 41-0. CU has historically won the all-time series but has let the Cougars win the last three times they’ve met, including the Freedom Bowl in 1988 and last year’s Alamo Bowl.

When thinking of Colorado’s rivals, two names come to mind: Colorado State and Nebraska. 

But the agreement between Colorado and Colorado State to play a nonconference game each year is on hold from 2025 to 2029 but will return in 2030. There are whispers that Nebraska and CU won’t play until 2033 as well, since athletic director Rick George said the Buffs’ non-conference games are set until ‘33, with no sight of the Cornhuskers.

With no Rocky Mountain Showdown or Red Letter games in the near future, BYU stands as a strong candidate to temporarily fill those shoes. The Cougs beat Coach Prime in his first bowl game with the Buffs, and both revitalized programs are destined to meet each other a handful of times over the next couple of seasons. 

Senior defensive tackle Amari McNeill, who was hurt and couldn’t play last December, would like to keep the spirit alive.

“It’s a big game to me,” McNeill said. “I want to face these guys. They’re a good group that I’m ready to face, so I’m very excited.”

Although Coach Prime has nothing but good things to say about BYU and Coach Sitake, a sour taste from last year’s Alamo Bowl could come out for some Buffs on Saturday. Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. MT and can be streamed on ESPN.