BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — There was a different vibe when coach Deion Sanders came out to kick off his third season at the University of Colorado.
Ralphie wasn’t there to lead the team onto the field. Colorado’s live buffalo mascot was retired and her replacement is in training, putting on hold one of college football's most iconic traditions.
And Colorado's 27-20 loss to Georgia Tech on Friday night marked the first game Sanders had coached without his sons.
Shedeur Sanders is now a backup quarterback for the Cleveland Browns and Shilo Sanders is awaiting another opportunity in the NFL after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut the rookie safety last week.
Sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Hardge realized the poignancy of the moment and approached Sanders as the team ran onto the field.
“He said, ‘Let’s take a walk,’” Sanders recounted. “And I was in tears taking that walk with Hardge because he has that much love and that much compassion for me that he said, ‘Let’s take this walk.’
“And that was a wonderful moment. lt’s a moment that I will never forget. Never. Because it wasn’t like I initiated it. He came to me and said let’s go. And that’s what this college football is all about. It’s about love, peace, forgiveness, trials and tribulations. It’s a tremendous journey that we just want these kids to develop into men.
“And hopefully what transpired tonight will bring us closer together as a team as well as challenge us to go to the next level: fix what is broken.”
There’s plenty to fix ahead of next weekend’s game against Delaware.
New starting quarterback Kaidon Salter missed wide-open receivers several times and the Buffaloes defense, despite takeaways on the Yellowjackets' first three drives, was gashed for 463 yards, including 320 on the ground, none more painful than quarterback Haynes King’s 45-yard touchdown run with 1:07 remaining that broke a 20-20 tie.
“Oh, Lord, that’s a tough one, especially (getting) three turnovers and really not coming up plentiful, it’s not good," Sanders said. “We’ve got to be more explosive, more definitive, more decisive with what we’re doing with the ball on offense. Defensively, we gave up 463 yards of total offense. They ran for 320 yards. You’re not gonna win with those statistics.”
The Buffs sure could have used some of the star power they've lost to the NFL. In addition to Shedeur Sanders, Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter (Jaguars), Lajohntay Wester (Ravens), Jimmy Horn Jr. (Panthers) and BJ Green (Jaguars) all survived cutdown day.
A new live buffalo is training to take over from 5-year-old Ralphie VI, who, as the school noted in a news release, had an “indifference to running, typical of many mammals both four-legged and two-legged.” Therefore, "it was determined that it was in Ember’s best interest, based on her disposition, to focus on relaxing strolls on the pasture, which is her favorite hobby.”
“I'm not disappointed,” Sanders said. “Ralphie got to do what she got to do. I think you guys have taken a day off, right? Everybody in here, so give Ralphie some grace. I mean, she had a good run, right?”
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
