Shedeur Sanders did not agree with his father and head coach Deion after he blamed Colorado’s defeat to Kansas on being “intoxicated with the success.”

The Buffaloes (8-3) had won four straight games heading into the game at Arrowhead Stadium, putting them in control of their Big 12 championship and College Football Playoff destiny.

But Colorado’s defense, which has been much improved in Coach Prime’s second season in charge, could not contend with Kansas’ rushing attack. Jayhawks running back Devin Neal ripped off 207 yards on the ground and three touchdowns, adding 80 yards and another score through the air.

The Buffaloes, ranked No. 16 ahead of the game, slumped to a 37-21 defeat, and their head coach blamed the defeat on overconfidence and complacency after their surge into playoff contention.

“We started smelling ourselves a little bit,” he said after the game. “That’s what I just told our team. We got intoxicated with the success. We got intoxicated with the multitude of articles and the assumption that we’re this and the assumption that we’re that. And we did not play CU football. Therefore, we got our butts kicked.”

His son, however, seemed to disagree with the notion that overconfidence was the cause of Colorado’s stumble. “Personally, I’m just an overconfident person myself,” the quarterback said. “So I can’t spot that on anybody else and say they’re overconfident. I’m not sure.

Shedeur Sanders #2 of the Colorado Buffaloes warms up with a medicine ball prior to the game against the Utah Utes at Folsom Field on November 16, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado

Shedeur Sanders had a different view to his father ( 

Image:

Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)

“We all did our job preparing and doing that, so whatever people did in their personal side, like mentally, you won’t be able to know, we won’t be able to know. I’m focused on plenty of other things than how somebody is thinking at all times.”

Regardless of the root cause, the defeat could prove hugely costly for Colorado. The Buffs have slipped to fourth place in the Big 12 standings and need a lot of help on Saturday when the regular season comes to a close if they are to stand a chance of competing in the championship game and, thus, the College Football Playoff.

Colorado needs to defeat Oklahoma State (3-8) at Folsom Field and hope that two of Arizona State, Iowa State, and BYU taste defeat in their final regular season game.

Deion told reporters his team will look “much better” in Saturday’s regular-season finale, in which they face a Cowboys team that has lost eight straight.

“You’ve got to refocus your young men and let them understand this is not about turkey and dumplings and cranberry sauce and whatever you have,” he added. “It’s not about that. It’s about football, man.”