The clock may have struck midnight on Deion Sanders' Colorado tenure, according to ESPN's Paul Finebaum. After the Buffaloes dropped their third consecutive game—a 2-3 start that has the program reeling—Finebaum delivered a blunt verdict on “The Matt Barrie Show”: “It’s over.”
Saturday's 41-31 loss to No. 12 Texas Tech was the final straw for Finebaum, who pointed to a disastrous play as the symbolic end. “When the last image of a program’s last breath is your quarterback in his own end zone throwing a pick six, it’s over,” he said, referencing a critical mistake that sealed Colorado's fate.
Finebaum, who has been a vocal critic of Sanders' move to Boulder from the start, admitted he was initially wrong about the hire. “I never liked the move to Colorado. It just didn’t feel right, and I was completely wrong for a while because they bought into it,” he said. But now, with the Buffaloes stumbling, he sees the end approaching.
The numbers back up the pessimism. Sanders is just 18-24 overall at Colorado, and the team's offense has been a mess, ranking near the bottom of the conference in scoring and turnovers. The schedule doesn't get easier, with upcoming games against ranked opponents that could send the season into a tailspin.
Finebaum’s critique extends beyond the field. “That is not an easy place to manage,” he said, hinting at the unique challenges of coaching in Boulder, from roster turnover to the constant spotlight. He added, “It is going to end either gracefully or spectacularly badly for Deion.”
Despite the harsh words, Finebaum expressed admiration for Sanders. “I’ve come to really respect and admire him. He’s only the most charismatic figure we’ve seen in this game in a long time,” he said. “But you can’t keep going. Even with the beginning of the season that went well for him, nothing has gone right, and you cannot get it back.”
This isn't the first time Finebaum has sounded the alarm on a marquee coach. He's been equally blunt about Lincoln Riley's struggles at USC, and his criticism of Lane Kiffin after a tough loss shows he isn't afraid to call it like he sees it.
For Colorado, the problems are mounting. Players have been called out for trash talk before a blowout loss, and the team's identity remains unclear. Sanders' son, Shedeur, has been a bright spot, earning NFLPA Community MVP honors, but individual accolades haven't translated to wins.
With four years in and no clear turnaround in sight, the question is no longer whether Sanders can succeed in Boulder, but how his tenure will end. Finebaum's verdict is clear: the end is near, and it won't be pretty.
