The USC Trojans will face one of the most polarizing college football teams in America on Saturday – the Colorado Buffaloes.
Despite remaining undefeated, the Trojans dropped three spots in this week’s AP Poll to No. 8 while the Buffs dropped out of the Top 25 entirely after Oregon thrashed the team 42-6.
The game this Saturday will be broadcasted on one of college football’s biggest programs: The Big Noon Saturday on Fox [9 a.m. Pacific Time].
Heisman winner Caleb Williams will face Shedeur Sanders at Folsom field where the two will battle for the victory. In 16 meetings, USC is undefeated against Colorado.
Regardless, CU Boulder remains in the spotlight. The USC game will mark the Buffaloes’ fifth-straight nationally televised game.
The team has continued to break records, drawing millions of viewers each week on ESPN. According to the network, their Sept. 16 matchup with Colorado State marks the most-watched late-night college football game ever on ESPN.
The “Coach Prime Effect” has spread all over the nation, with superstars including actor The Rock, rapper Offset, and retired NFL star Rob Gronkowski in attendance.
The name “Prime Time” originates from cornerback Deion Sanders’ High School years, when team members gave him the title for his stellar athleticism and his larger-than-life personality. When he began his coaching career, he took on the title “Coach Prime.”
Sanders is also gaining support from Black people across the nation for promoting the Black community. According to an Associated Press article, “Black people all over the country are wearing Buffaloes gear and rooting for the team despite having no connection to Colorado other than pride and support for what Sanders is doing.”
However, the team isn’t without criticism.
Before facing the Oregon Ducks the Buffaloes received backlash over players stomping and walking on the Oregon logo in the middle of the field. An ESPN TikTok also shows CU players threatening the team with one even saying he’d “like to report a crime to the murder of these ducks.”
@espn This is the content we need 😂 (via @Oregon Football) #oregonducks #colorado #collegefootball #football ♬ original sound - ESPN
Colorado has won both of their home games this season against Nebraska and Colorado State but there is worry about how the team will play with after their star corner Travis Hunter, who leads the team in both offense and defense, remains sidelined for the time being after he suffered a lacerated liver following a tackle...
In a press conference held yesterday, Coach Prime said that there is a great challenge ahead for the team on Saturday.
“We ain’t just playing against a team, we are playing against college football. It ain’t too many people lined up to see us dominating, to see us win,” said Sanders.
Jude Ocañas, a sophomore journalism student at USC and Talk of Troy host, says despite the loss last Saturday the hype surrounding Deion Sanders is “well deserved.”
“Turning a whole entire program around and selling out the stadium is very impressive,” he said.
This week’s game coverage begins at 9 a.m. Pacific Time, but Ocañas says that he isn’t worried about the early start time affecting student support.
“I think the turnout will be good. I mean, it’s against Colorado so I think people will wake up,” he said.
Despite the loss last week, Deion Sanders is not concerned about the team’s ranking going into the USC game.
“I know we’re three in one but I’m pretty sure there’s a lot of schools out there that would love to trade places,” said Sanders in a press conference Sept. 26.
Sanders is confident his team will show up and show out this weekend.
“We can’t stop, we got to continue to focus and go forward and move expeditiously,” he said.