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Shedeur Sanders and Colorado 'gesture' to fend off controversy that fans aren't buying

The Buffs won an in-state battle against the Colorado State Rams

Shedeur Sanders and Colorado 'gesture' to fend off controversy that fans aren't buying
Lapresse

After a couple weeks of handwringing amid a slow start to the season, the Colorado Buffaloes reminded NCAA football fans and football viewers around the country of how special they can be when fully locked-in.

The Buffaloes on Saturday night rolled to a 28-9 victory over the Colorado State Rams -- who talked a big game during the week but just couldn't back it up under the lights at Canvas Stadium. Colorado put in arguably its finest performance under second-year head coach Deion Sanders; the Buffs forced four turnovers, and quarterback Shedeur Sanders tossed four touchdowns -- including two to star receiver Travis Hunter. Colorado was in full flight, but many fans remain unconvinced even after Saturday's display of dominance.

Shedeur, Buffs slammed for "PR makeover"

After Colorado suffered a heavy defeat at Nebraska last week, both Shedeur and Deion Sanders put the Buffs' offensive line on blast for their perceived struggles in protection against the Cornhuskers. Even though Colorado was flagged for 12 penalties on Sunday amid continued struggles with discipline, Shedeur was sacked only once against Colorado State -- a marked improvement from the previous week.

During postgame media availability, Shedeur and Travis Hunter were flanked by the entire Colorado offensive line in an apparent gesture of leadership and goodwill after several days of criticism. However, not everyone saw the gesture as it was perhaps intended.

Fans on X/Twitter continued to rip Shedeur for his lack of leadership, ing how he threw those same teammates "under the bus" following the Nebraska game. One fan said the offensive linemen were being used as props, while another claimed the move was nothing more than a "public relations makeover" amid the controversy facing Colorado.

But Deion, Shedeur and company are unlikely to care about this perception as they seek the chemistry and balance that defines great teams. If Colorado can defeat Baylor next weekend in its Big 12 opener, then the Buffs might be on to something special amid the low fan opinion.

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