The narrative around Deion Sanders’ CU program has often orbited swagger, celebrity, and transfer portal theatrics. More meaningful things have been brewing behind the curtain. As Coach Prime enters year three at the helm, his critics continue to question how much substance lies beneath the spotlight. This week, however, Colorado Buffaloes delivered an answer that didn’t come with a cleat, a catchphrase, or a camera crew — but it hit just as hard.
On Tuesday, the University of Colorado announced that 62 of its student-athletes were named to the Big 12 Spring Academic Team. That marks the program’s growing commitment to off-field development under Deion Sanders. In addition, 41 first-year Buffs earned spots on the Big 12 Academic All-Rookie Team. The honors span across spring sports like men’s and women’s track & field, golf, tennis, and lacrosse. To qualify, student-athletes needed a 3.20 GPA or higher over the last two semesters (or cumulative), while participating in at least 20 percent of their team’s scheduled contests — with exceptions made for seniors with a two-year track record.
The freshman list, meanwhile, featured a handful of new football faces, including Yahya Attia, Titus Bautista, Gage A.J. Goldberg, Dre’lon Miller, Alexander Stoyanovich, and Carson Westbrook. These are rookies who aren’t just eating up practice reps — they’re handling 24 credit hours and pulling at least a 3.0 GPA in their first year on campus. That’s a real academic lift, especially given the demands of off-season workouts, playbook installs, and film breakdowns. In a sport where the average Division 1 football player spends close to 40 hours a week on the game, these numbers matter.
62 student-athletes have been named to the @Big12Conference Spring Academic Team + 41 first-year Buffs named to the Big 12 Academic All-Rookie Team
» https://t.co/CZc97ERdCE pic.twitter.com/nrwrkSu7r1
— Colorado Buffaloes (@CUBuffs) August 5, 2025
It’s a subtle but significant sign that Deion’s cultural shift in Boulder isn’t all flash. When Coach Prime talks about building men — not just draft picks — this is what he means. Sure, the headlines tend to focus on NIL deals, high-profile exits, and a quarterback who can throw it 70 yards on a dime. But inside the program, this kind of academic output signals a real structural buy-in. It also comes just months after the Buffs announced a historic team GPA – 3.264 – the highest in school history, setting a tone for what Deion and his staff expect.
On the field, Phil Steele isn’t expecting a steep falloff from the Buffs despite major roster shakeups. “They face one of the Big 12’s toughest schedules and their Vegas Over/Under is just 6.5, but they remain a talented team and will be better than expected,” Steele wrote in his early forecast. Offensively, Colorado lost some key production but patched holes through the portal. OL Xavier Hill and Zarian McGill bring immediate physicality, and Joseph Williams could be a sneaky weapon out wide. But the biggest gains may have come in the secondary. The Buffs lost more on defense than offense, but added length and versatility with CBs Noah King and Teon Parks and safety Terrance Love — pieces that fit the hybrid-heavy packages CU likes to run.
In all, Deion Sanders brought in 31 transfers and 14 high school signees. That’s 45 new faces, and yet the academic backbone didn’t just hold — it improved. That speaks to how the staff is onboarding, mentoring, and challenging its newcomers. Turns out, neither are their names on the academic honor rolls. So while Vegas is hovering around 6.5 wins, and while the Big 12 media still eyes Colorado with some skepticism, there’s an undercurrent forming.
Deion Sanders is playoff dreaming
Deion Sanders is dreaming big—and he’s not shy about saying it out loud. In a walk-and-talk interview with longtime friend and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, the Colorado coach gave an unfiltered take on where he sees the Buffs heading in 2025. When Irvin asked if Sanders thinks his team could make the newly expanded 12-team CFP, Prime didn’t blink.
“There’s a possibility,” Sanders said, cool as ever. “The thing about our conference is there’s a lot of good teams. A lot of good teams are neck and neck. It may be a two-loss team that gets to the championship in our conference. The reason I want to win it—I want to play in Dallas. I want to go and coach there on that sideline. I wanna see how that feel.”
It’s classic Prime: bold, magnetic, and driven by a personal mission. His playoff talk isn’t just locker room smoke—it’s grounded in Colorado’s roster build this offseason. Sanders went all-in on the trenches, adding nine offensive linemen from the portal alone.
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