Deion Sanders and Buffs will be NDSU's "Super Bowl" but will the hype last in 2024?

Coach Prime enters his second year in Boulder needing to keep everyone's attention with wins

CU Buffs

In a week the 2024 edition of the Colorado Buffaloes will stampede into Folsom Field to take on perennial FCS power North Dakota State. Wow, preparations leading up to opening night before an ESPN national audience has been a bit rocky. Lots of alleged turmoil off the field and plenty of questions about the talent on the field as Buffs faithful prepare for a second season under Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders.

Those considered experts in the field of college football seem to think the Buffs might improve upon last season’s 4-8 marker that included losing eight of the last nine games. Sure-fire high NFL draft picks headline a revamped roster with many newcomers. What will happen? Inquiring minds will be watching closely.

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The kickoff game. CU’s been playing football since 1890. It sparked the 66-year-old mind of a guy who has been close to the football program for five decades to start clicking back through time to other noteworthy season openers. One popped immediately to mind: The 1990 Pigskin Classic against Tennessee at what was then known as the “Big A” in Anaheim, California, currently the home of MLB’s Los Angeles Angels.

Why? It was the coming out party for the Buffs Mike Pritchard. Head coach Bill McCartney had suspended All-America running back Eric Bieniemy for the game after an off-season team violation. The Buffs moved Pritchard from receiver to tailback and the Las Vegas native rushed for 217 yards and two scores in a wild 31-31 tie. Pritchard went onto become the Atlanta Falcons #1 pick (13th overall) in the 1991 NFL draft and spent nine seasons playing for the Falcons, Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks.

Great season opener.

Another one zipped through my brain shortly after that memory. 1995. McCartney had shocked everyone and retired after the successful 11-1 campaign of the year before. Just one man’s opinion, but the most talented team of the Coach Mac 13-year run. It didn’t win a national title like the 1990 squad but it had talent everywhere.

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So the calendar turns to 1995. Youthful Rick Neuheisel, just 34 years old, was the surprise pick to succeed William Paul McCartney. The current CBS college football analyst had spent only one year at CU mentoring Kordell Stewart and inherited a talented roster. I like to joke with Buff fans, “McCartney handed Neuheisel the keys to a Ferrari.” The Buffs had a new quarterback, talented wide receivers and some studs on defense like future Butkus Award winner Matt Russell,.

Opening day of 1995 was on the road in Madison, Wisconsin to tangle with the nationally-ranked (19th) Badgers under the direction of another Hall of Fame coach, Barry Alvarez. One of the best matchups of the opening weekend that season. Wouldn’t you know it? The game, at least from a CU and Neuheisel perspective, had extra meaning. Neuheisel’s parents, Dick and Jane, attended the University of Wisconsin, fell in love there and their son was born in Wisconsin’s capital city.

You could not have written a better script for the former walk-on UCLA quarterback who became Rose Bowl MVP before embarking on a coaching career. The 14th-ranked Buffs played an outstanding football game and handily beat the Badgers 43-7 with Koy Detmer tossing two touchdown passes to Rae Carruth and safety Steve Rosga returning a fumble 75 yards for a score.

What will never be forgotten about that beautiful summer evening in the heart of Wisconsin? The clock is ticking down late in the game. Everyone on the sidelines experienced a fantastic opening salvo of the Neuheisel tenure at Colorado. Players, coaches, staff and media getting ready to pour onto the field as usual after a game.

Your scribe happens to be standing next to the patriarch, Dick Neuheisel. Great guy. Personable. “Three ... .two…..one” the clock expires. Everyone on the CU sidelines is giddy with excitement. Dick Neuheisel looks me dead in the eyes and says, “McIntosh. My son’s the luckiest SOB I’ve ever met.”

Then he went to hug his boy.

Next week’s opener will create memories. What will be written?