ESPN makes it clear the Deion Sanders effect is real

Only Deion Sanders could get Colorado football top billing on ESPN over Alabama and Georgia.

ESPN is opting to air only one spring game on its flagship nation this year. No, it is not Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide or Kirby Smart’s two-time defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs, but Deion Sanders’ upstart Colorado Buffaloes.

Yes, let that cascade over you like a waterfall. The worst program in the Power 5 a season ago is getting ESPN all to itself instead of the best program of the last 15 years or the best program over the last five. People have not cared about Colorado football since Bill McCartney was their coach. The Buffs have not been consistently good since Joel Klatt played quarterback for Gary Barnett.

Yet, Colorado will have its spring game aired on ESPN. Georgia’s will be on ESPN 2. As for Alabama’s, well, you’re going to have to stream it. The Crimson Tide’s spring game is going on at the same time as the Buffaloes’. While it does make sense for the ACC and SEC schools to air their games on their respective college networks, Colorado is a Pac-12 school in a dying conference.

Even if all goes according to plan, the Buffs will go 6-6 to make a rare bowl game in year one.

Deion Sanders effect is real, as ESPN prioritizes Colorado over SEC blue-bloods

I mean, news of ESPN opting to go with Colorado over Alabama or Georgia for seemingly its lone spring game of the year is just staggering. Not only is it Colorado, but you were sure to get a number because college football stooges like myself would have tuned in to watch blue-bloods like Alabama and Georgia conduct a glorified spring practice on camera inside their football cathedrals.

Like, this is not even untrodden territory for Colorado, it is unheard of! While more power to them, I suppose, but Aflac better hope this spring game draws a number. Otherwise, people will turn their attention to whatever channel A-Day is streaming on, aight. Then again, the Colorado hype train has already left the station. The best part in all this is seemingly everyone is rooting for them.

Sanders’ status as the greatest cornerback to ever grace this earth is simply undeniable. He is my favorite player of all time after all. While his unorthodox rise in the coaching profession has some traditionalists feeling uneasy, you better believe every black coach in America is rooting for him to succeed. His success at Colorado will create opportunities for everyone, no matter who they are.

One thing is for sure: Sanders will get you to a television set because he is Prime Time after all.

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