7 way-too-early predictions for Deion Sanders' potential next stop after Colorado

Although I fully expect for Deion Sanders to stay in the college game for a while, there is a chance he could leave the Colorado Buffaloes in a few years for an even bigger job. To me, it seems like he and his family are happy in Boulder, and he seems to have fit in quite nicely at his Power Four institution now back in the Big 12. However, I do expect the Buffs will start winning games, possibly this season.

You have to wonder what other jobs could conceivably open up in the next few offseasons that could be enticing enough for Sanders to willingly walk away from a good thing at CU. Keep in mind that he has worked professionally in great American cities like Atlanta and Dallas, as well as in places like Mississippi during his coaching career. Simply put, Coach Prime is a nationwide brand that will work.

So what I want to do today is take a look at a handful of Power Four jobs that I think could have serious interest in hiring Sanders down the line. I nearly included Auburn, but I have a feeling that Hugh Freeze is going to work down on The Plains, and the timing would not line up. I almost added South Florida out of the Group of Five, but I like Alex Golesh and Sanders needs to lead a P4 program.

Let's start with the elephant in the room, one that could only open up in a few years, if he is so lucky...

7. Florida State Seminoles

Let's be real. The only way that Sanders returns to his alma mater of Florida State is if Mike Norvell were to leave in some capacity. With how well the Seminoles have begun to play under him, I don't see that happening anytime soon. This is a job you don't leave under any circumstances at all. Given that Norvell's alma mater is Central Arkansas, I cannot see him doing what Prime may attempt to do here.

However, the Arkansas Razorbacks job may open up after this season. Should Sam Pittman fail, there is a chance all the big-pocketed boosters associated with the Hogs could try and poach Norvell out of Tallahassee. While even that feels like a potentially new fallout wrinkle for me, I don't even know who Florida State would hire to replace Norvell. It is why I will never say never when it comes to Prime.

This is highly unlikely, but there are pathways where Sanders could end up in Tallahassee eventually.

6. TCU Horned Frogs

Keep in mind that Sonny Dykes is only entering his third season at the helm of the TCU Horned Frogs. While Sanders began his CU coaching career with a win over the previous season's national runner-up at their place last season, I think it will take at least a few years before the job opens up in Fort Worth. We would need to have undeniable proof that 2022 was a big outlier after two more seasons.

The reason why TCU could work for Sanders is that he starred in nearby Dallas, and that I think he would play well in a private school in Texas. Prior to getting back into coaching, Texas is where he made his home. TCU is in the same metroplex where his son Shedeur played his high school football at. On paper, TCU would not be a bad next landing spot, but I wonder if it really is a better job than CU.

This could also be a landing spot for Sanders to reset like Scott Satterfield did if it ever hits the fan.

5. Cincinnati Bearcats

And guess who we're about to talk about now? Scott Satterfield! While he had great success at Appalachian State previously, his run at Louisville was nothing short of forgettable. For him to turn heel and then leave for Keg of Nails rival Cincinnati in the midst of bowl season, the team U of L was slated to play at Fenway Park sure was rich. This was also one of the jobs Sanders interviewed for...

Along with South Florida, Cincinnati was the other job that seemed to have great interest in hiring Coach Prime. Cincinnati is in a football-rich state, but UC needs a huge boost in its athletics department in a big way. Sanders would be able to provide that if Satterfield proves to be more of an idea of a head football coach than actually being one. If Satterfield can reset at UC, so can Sanders!

With the right support Sanders could make the Bearcats as good as they were under Luke Fickell.

4. SMU Mustangs

We have arrived at the other private Christian school in the DFW area. Man, wouldn't it be something to see Sanders taking over Dallas' college football program of note in the SMU Mustangs. They may have big-pocketed boosters, as two of the 32 NFL owners are SMU alums in Clark Hunt and Jim Irsay. Instead of buying footstools and trying to relocate whales, maybe they can give Sanders some cash?

Truth be told, the only way this job opens up is if head coach Rhett Lashlee leaves. He may only just beginning his run as a head coach, but he was an elite coordinator for Manny Diaz at Miami and under his mentor Gus Malzahn at Auburn for years. Not only could Lashlee be a candidate at Arkansas, but could also replace Malzahn at UCF should he leave, or if Mario Cristobal fails even more with Miami.

SMU is an ACC school, one that seems to be getting more investment in the team since the 1980s.

3. Baylor Bears

The most likely landing spot for Sanders this offseason in-conference would have to be taking over for an increasingly in effect Dave Aranda at Waco. The Samurai may have won 12 games in 2021, but that may have been with Matt Rhule's players. He was able to get former Toledo Star DeQuan Finn to be his quarterback out of the transfer portal, but Baylor needs to win around eight games this year.

What I expect will happen is Baylor boosters will decide three-quarters of the way through the season if Aranda will be getting another season on the job. If they are lacking confidence with their head coach, they will look to replace him with a bigger name, one that will generate excitement around their football team. Sanders will do that, while also not having to go there with someone like Jimbo Fisher.

The fact Waco is not all that far from his former NFL city of Dallas makes things easier for Sanders.

2. UCF Knights

If I believe anything is going to happen this year, I would have to say Sam Pittman being out at Arkansas at the end of the season has to be right up there. If Arkansas were to move on from their increasingly ineffective head coach, Gus Malzahn at UCF would probably be the first name I would call. He used to play there, is a fantastic head coach, and had great success before over at Auburn.

Since UCF is now a Power Four job, the Knights will want to hire someone with as much cachet as Malzahn had when he came over from Auburn in 2021 after being unceremoniously fired. Sanders is a Florida native and may be exactly what UCF needs to emerge every bit as serious of a college football brand as the more longstanding other members in-state that carry the same Power Four designation.

No matter what Colorado does this year, you cannot deny the fact that Coach Prime to UCF feels big.

1. South Carolina Gamecocks

The one that I simply cannot shake would be South Carolina replacing the noisy Shane Beamer with Coach Prime. This is a school where Sanders' son Shilo played at previously under Will Muschamp. South Carolina has tremendous fans in a football-rich state that for whatever reason, has never had the long-term galvanizing presence to take that next step up. If only Steve Spurrier was younger...

When Auburn hired Hugh Freeze, I knew it was the right call because I knew that it would make the Tigers' three biggest rivals feel uncomfortable in Alabama, Georgia and LSU. In a way, I think bringing Sanders into the SEC at South Carolina would do the same for many of its biggest rivals. It would make Clemson in the ACC feel strange, maybe the likes of Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Sanders taking over at South Carolina is how the Gamecocks level up even more as a football team.