The Buffaloes host Arizona State on Saturday in their first game since losing to West Virginia on Nov. 8. That loss dropped Colorado to 3-7 on the season and eliminated the Buffs from bowl contention.
“Please understand that if anyone is made for adversity, it’s me,” Sanders said when asked about the events that occurred during the 2025 season. “If anyone is made for change, it’s me. If anyone is made for overcoming situations, trials and tribulations, it’s me. You’ve got the right guy, I promise you, you’ve got him. And I’m going to show you. I am, just give me a chance and give me a little more time and I’ll show you. I will. I promise you.”
Sanders has trained this season after being diagnosed with bladder cancer earlier in the year. He revealed over the summer that he had his bladder removed to eliminate any chance of it returning. He has also dealt with foot and lower leg pain throughout the season and said after a game that he thought he was having a recurrence of blood clots. Sanders has had to deal with blood clots in recent years and had to have several of his toes amputated.
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The loss to West Virginia was the third in a row and the fifth in six games for Colorado. Although the 29-22 loss was also an improvement over the previous two losses. Before losing to the Mountaineers, Colorado had been outscored 105-24 by Utah and Arizona.
“I haven’t forgotten how to train in a year. I haven’t forgotten how to train in a year,” Sanders said. “A lot of these wonderful coaches who aren’t winning this season haven’t forgotten how to coach in a year. We did some things we shouldn’t have done. That’s on us. That’s on us.”
After going 9-4 in 2024, Colorado has struggled to find a successor to QB Shedeur Sanders. Freshman Julian Lewis became the third different quarterback to start a game this season for Colorado against West Virginia. Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter was the team’s Week 1 starter and Ryan Staub also started a game.
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Sanders’ comments about his desire to change Colorado came after outgoing Colorado athletic director Rick George said Sanders’ position as head coach was “not trendy” on social media. George recruited Sanders to come to Colorado from Jackson State, and Sanders believes he will have an important voice in Colorado’s search for George’s successor.
“I know what I want, I know what I should see and (next year) I should see it,” Sanders said when asked what he learned about player evaluation during the 2025 season. “That’s the best way I can tell you. I’m going to see it. No ifs ands or buts about it. I’m going to see what I want to see.”