New ballgame in Boulder: Takeaways from Deion Sanders' electric Colorado football spring game debut

BOULDER — Saturday wasn't the introduction, but this still made it official.

It's Coach Prime's world in Boulder.

That much was obvious as a sellout crowd of 47,277 weathered a cold, snowy afternoon for Deion Sanders' Colorado coaching debut in the Black & Gold spring game.

The scene was raucous, with hundreds of media following the Hall of Famers' every move, including a ESPN field-level broadcast featuring Chris Fowler and former Heisman winner Robert Griffin III.

Here are some takeaways, top plays and observations from the Colorado football spring game:

Deion has CU, college football world buzzing

Folsom Field pulsed with an energy that has been absent for at least two decades now since CU's 1990s glory days.

Social media was abuzz about everything from Sanders' cowboy hat to his mic'd-up antics to the Buffaloes' roster situation.

Kids screamed for autographs as players warmed up 90-plus minutes before kickoff. Fans packed the field house for a fanfest well before the 1 p.m. start.

The official attendance shattered CU's previous spring game record by nearly 30,000 and was more than the Buffs' last nine spring games combined.

"I'm amazed and stoked about the attendance and energy and electricity," Sanders said in his postgame press conference. "Today was just phenomenal."

Every school wants to make a spring game an event, but Sanders made sure CU's spring game was a local spectacle with national impact.

Even, maybe especially, Prime's postgame press conference was a must-watch event.

Snow gives CU spring game unique flair

A couple inches of snow fell overnight in Boulder and cleanup continued on the field right up until kickoff. Snow even fell right as the game began with temperatures below 40 degrees.

It wasn't ideal for a flashy debut.

Sanders saw the weather and had one thing on his mind: recruiting.

With more than 70 recruits on campus for the game and a national audience tuning in, he was worried the chilly, dreary weather might hurt the Buffs' recruiting outlook.

The atmosphere erased any concerns quickly.

Ironically, Sanders said the snow may have helped CU's recruiting efforts because the fanbase showed out despite the weather.

"I was in awe," Sanders said. "I didn't know it would be like that. Just walking out of the locker room with the team, it was unbelievable. It was a moment. One you would never forget."

Top plays from CU spring game

The spring game format was unusual.

Three 17-minute, 30-second periods with a running clock were divided into individual segments of special teams work, first-team offense against second-team defense (and vice versa) and then third team vs. third team work.

The Buffs' first-team offense, led by Deion's son Shedeur at quarterback, showed some major promise.

Shedeur finds Travis Hunter for first TD: The starting offense marched right down the field on the opening possession, capped by Shedeur's 14-yard touchdown pass to 2022 No. 1 recruit and Jackson State transfer Travis Hunter.

Deion Sanders said during the ESPN telecast that he believes Hunter (a cornerback and wide receiver) could be a top-5 NFL Draft pick on either defense or defense in 2025.

98-yard house call: In the third period, CU focused on situational reps, including the offense backed up on its own goal line.

No problem for Shedeur Sanders and dangerous returning wideout Montana Lemonious-Craig. The duo connected for a 98-yard touchdown pass that reignited the crowd after a halftime break.

The receiver also made another spectacular 40-yard catch after Shedeur Sanders had to improvise following a dropped snap.

Blocked kicks: While these were not necessarily highlights, they did bring up an area that could be a problem for CU with so much roster turnover.

CU linebacker Jeremiah Brown blocked the first TD's extra point and returned it all the way for two points. Later on, a long field goal attempt was also blocked and nearly returned for a score.

Spring game honors Colorado's football's past

While the Coach Prime era brings hope for the future, Saturday was often about reigniting CU's rich football tradition.

Before the game, CU honored nearly two-dozen former greats, including standouts like Michael Westbrook, Mason Crosby, Daniel Graham, David Bakhtiari, Laviska Shenault, Jr. and more.

Deion Sanders said former CU and Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart was by his side all week. It was clearly a point of emphasis to not just honor them, but also to show current players what this program can be again.

"This was a welcoming and a recommitment to the program," Sanders said. "The former players, they shaped this, they built this, they established this."

For good measure, Sanders even joined 98-year-old Colorado superfan Peggy Coppom, who was the honorary captain and "kicked off" the Buffs' new era as snow fell on Folsom Field.

"Peggy balled out. Peggy was the MVP of the game," Sanders said.

Despite some concerns to the contrary, Sanders' showmanship and CU's culture blended seamlessly together in an electric spring game unrivaled in school history.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado football: Takeaways as Deion Sanders electrifies CU crowd in spring game