Deion Sanders’ tenure at Jackson State ended after the Tigers lost 41-34 to North Carolina Central in the Celebration Bowl. Sanders leaves for the head coaching job at Colorado, which was accepted earlier this month. The move will get Sanders his first head coaching job at the Power Five level. After three successful seasons in college, he doesn’t want people to think he’s in business for personal gain. Sanders told reporters after Saturday’s loss that “legacy” and “money” were not factors in his coaching career.
“I don’t play or coach for Legacy,” Sanders said via HBCU GameDay. “I coach children. I coach for determination, love and passion. It’s not a job for me. I don’t read everything like I did when I was 1. But God has been kind to me financially even though I thought I would do something for money. You didn’t say that when I was on the sidelines in a wheelchair after being hospitalized for a month.I’m doing it for the money?When I’m doing something with my hands in my pockets, Did I do it for the money? When I love my kids and they do things you can’t even understand what coaches do, did I do it? Money? Money does not move me. I move money.
Jackson State went undefeated in the 2022 regular season to clinch the SWAC title before dropping in the team’s first game since news of Saunders leaving for Boulder. The former NFL star turned head coach with a 27-6 record since the start of the fall 2021 season, including a 23-3 record. Jackson State’s last two seasons have both featured his SWAC championships.
Here Sanders is looking to upend the playbook for a Colorado program that has struggled hard in recent years. , was 1-11 this year. Northwestern was his only one-win team in the Power Five this season. Colorado fired head coach Karl Dorell after a 0-5 start before finally landing on Saunders.
Sanders failed to lead Jackson State to victory in Saturday’s bowl game, but recently vowed that the Buffaloes would have the biggest recruit in school history once the Tigers deal is done.
“We’re going to rule Saturday (Celebration Bowl).” In a video clip posted by HBCU GameDay, Sanders said: “Then I’m going to get back on the plane and have the biggest recruiting weekend ever in the history of Colorado football. That’s how it goes.
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Colorado kicked off the Sanders era in 2023 at TCU in Week 1, while the Buffaloes took on longtime former Big 12 and Big 8 rivals Nebraska in Week 2 for Sanders’ first game at Folsom Field. host.