In the wake of Colorado's nail-biting 27-20 loss to Georgia Tech, Deion Sanders is firmly defending his coaching decisions, especially regarding late-game clock management.

With just 1:07 left on the clock during the Buffaloes' final drive, Sanders chose to save both of his timeouts — a move that many are now questioning post-game. Unfortunately, a careless first play saw them lose two yards, wasting precious seconds.

Driving to the 50-yard line and with only three seconds remaining, receiver Isaiah Hardge managed to step out of bounds to stop the clock after a catch. However, as quarterback Kaidon Salter desperately launched a final pass towards the end zone, it was ultimately knocked down, sealing their fate.

Sanders addressed the critics head-on, stating, "Do you call a timeout there? No, you’re right there. You’ve got to go. You’re running tempo." He emphasized that not every plan executes smoothly but remains hopeful for improvement. "Everything has its purpose, sometimes it just doesn’t go as it’s supposed to go. We pray to God it goes well this week."

As the Buffaloes search for redemption following their disheartening 0-1 start, Sanders made it clear that this is a new chapter. This marks the first time in his coaching career at Colorado or Jackson State that he’s started a season with a loss.

Additionally, he placed the blame firmly on himself, dissociating his coordinators from the loss, stating, "We didn’t lose the game because of coach Shurmur, coach Livingston, or one specific thing. I’ve got to do a better job." He lamented that if his players had executed correctly, the questions surrounding their strategies wouldn't exist.

With a commitment to improvement and a clear focus, Sanders is rallying his team to rise from this setback. The anticipation for their next game is already building, as they seek to reverse their fortunes.