Deion Sanders didn’t win Big One at Jackson State, but he won big for his HBCU legacy | Opinion

ATLANTA – Almost perfect.

That’s not the way Deion Sanders figured to go out as Jackson State’s marquee mover and shaker, but it happened again inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday: The Tigers lost "The Big One."

For the second year in a row, Sanders brought his SWAC-champion squad to his old stomping grounds for the purpose of winning the Black College National Championship with a victory in the Celebration Bowl.

And once again, the Tigers crapped out. This time, North Carolina Central – feeling disrespected as the undercard in Coach Prime’s HBCU farewell performance – upstaged Sanders and his team in an overtime thriller.

Now, Sanders is a living legend with Super Bowl rings, a Pro Football Hall of Fame gold jacket, World Series credentials and all sorts of fame and fortune. But boy, did he want to ride off into the Colorado sunset with a national championship on his resume.

“We lost, man,” Sanders said in the aftermath of the 41-34 defeat that also spoiled the opportunity for Jackson State (12-1) to complete a perfect, undefeated season. “We lost twice. I’m a winner.”

Hey, nobody’s perfect. Yet it seemed like Sanders was stunned and embarrassed that he’s headed to the Rocky Mountains as the new Colorado coach with a reminder that it’s really tough to win when your top-ranked defense – depleted by transfer portal entrants, mind you – allows 276 rushing yards. But that wasn’t the whole story.

Sanders, as hot of a property as he is for quickly building Jackson State into an HBCU power, was outcoached, too. Trei Oliver and his staff crafted some shrewd stuff to gain an edge – most notably a fake punt that went for 43 yards after a direct snap to upback Kyle Morgan and an early flea-flicker that ended with receiver E.J. Hicks completing a 31-yard pass to quarterback Davius Richard.

No, Sanders didn’t win The Big One, but he has won plenty big. This, of course, goes beyond the 27-6 record in three seasons. Sanders put a huge spotlight on HBCU football, he generated big revenues for Jackson State, laid down the law with his players for off-the-field matters like few coaches can, stressed academics, delivered hope, established long-term plans and provided impetus for upgraded facilities.

Imagine what more Sanders might have done for JSU and HBCUs if he stuck around for a longer term.

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That’s debate fodder now. He’s off to Colorado for a new challenge and despite the sense by some (or maybe even many) in the HBCU universe that they’ve been abandoned, Sanders doesn’t deserve anybody’s guilt trip. He made his mark, provided some much-needed, long-overdue relevance for HBCU football and his impact will be felt for years.

“I’m not walking away,” Sanders maintained. “I’m going to always love HBCUs. Ashley Robinson (Jackson State’s athletic director) gave me an opportunity that was phenomenal. I was able to maximize my moments. But if it wasn’t for that opportunity, I probably wouldn’t have received those other opportunities that I have received. So, I am forever in debt. I will miss the Sonic Boom (J-State’s marching band) … so many people.

“The movement don’t stop with one man, although it might have started. The movement is going to continue with a plan.”

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For all of that multi-dimensional impact, Sanders is still as determined as any competitor you’ll ever meet. He was surely disappointed that he couldn’t present a Celebration Bowl trophy to Robert Brazile, the former linebacker who is one of four Jackson State alums in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Brazile has been an adviser, supporter, “big brother” for Sanders, who tapped his insight immensely as he navigated the HBCU landscape. When he took the job in 2020, Sanders wanted Brazile’s blessing. Now he just wishes he could have returned the favor with a Black college title.

“I feel like I let him down,” Sanders said. “That’s my man.”

That wasn’t the only matter that gnawed at Sanders as he bowed out at Jackson State. He took exception to widespread suggestions that he bolted to Colorado because it was so much more lucrative, with his five-year contract reportedly worth $30 million.

No, this was not the classic take-the-money-and-run scenario.

“To even fathom the fact that I would do something for the money and God has been good to me financially, that blows my mind,” Sanders bristled. “Because you didn’t say that when I was in the hospital for a month and I came to the sideline in a wheelchair. Did I do that for money? When I’m reaching in my pocket and I’m paying for stuff, did I do that for money? When I’m loving on these kids and doing stuff that you wouldn’t even fathom that a coach would do, did I do that for money?”

And here comes the punch line, wrapped in pure Neon Deion speak: “Money don’t move me. I move money.”

In other words, don’t insult the man. Sanders has come out of pocket for meals, housing, the training facility, you name it. And then there was a water crisis or two. It’s fair to wonder whether the monumental challenges off the field wore Sanders down, but it’s more reasonable to consider how conditions changed for him personally after he took on the challenge at Jackson State that he envisioned from the start was bigger than football with a significant community service component.

Sanders revealed earlier this year that he had two toes on his left foot amputated due to life-threatening blood clots that forced him to coach last year’s national title game on a customized, motorized scooter.

That’s what passion looks like.

As Sanders noted on Saturday, a lot of things that he may have made to seem easy took quite a toll spiritually, psychologically and emotionally.

And he still won. Won big.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deion Sanders won big for HBCU football, even without winning title