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'We can’t let this dude win': What Deion Sanders said after Colorado's comeback win

After their verbal spats hyped their college football matchup Saturday night to a prizefighting magnitude, Colorado’s Deion Sanders and Colorado State’s Jay Norvell are moving on.

Sanders and Norvell had a cordial and brief meeting on the field, and both coaches were subdued in their final comments, following Colorado’s 43-36 win over Colorado State in a double overtime thriller.

"I’m happy for the brother, I really am, and I’m happy that they thought they played a good game,”" Sanders told reporters during his postgame press conference.

"I’m happy that he’s a head coach. I’m truly happy for any brother that’s doing it in a successful manner − I truly am. I don’t know where all of this stuff came from, but I have to respond. You aren’t going to just attack me and I’m gonna sit back and say nothing − but I’m happy for that dude."

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Colorado State Rams at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023.
Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Colorado State Rams at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023.

For all the talk and hype leading up to Colorado and Colorado State’s matchup Saturday night, the dust has appeared to be settled.

"I mean, I don’t know him but I’m happy for him. I wish the best for him. My success doesn’t have anything to do with his, so why wouldn’t I want him to succeed? I don’t know how people get down like that. My blessings ain’t got nothing to do with his blessings."

What led to Colorado-Colorado State hype?

Earlier in the week, Norvell said "when I talk to grown-ups, I take my hat and my glasses off" in a reference to Sanders.

And it was all the ammunition Sanders needed to make it "personal."

Sanders even gifted his entire team new sunglasses to wear before the big game.

What did Jay Norvell say after Colorado win?

Norvell did not divulge what was said during the postgame handshake with Sanders.

"You can ask him," Norvell told reporters.

But on his midweek comments regarding Sanders’ etiquette, Norvell said:

"I was talking to my own team and really reinforcing what we do. That’s what those comments were made for. This rivalry has been going on way longer before I got here and it’s going to be going on way after I leave. There’s always bad blood, that’s just the way it is. It doesn’t matter what me or Deion say. It’s going to be bad blood. You’ve got to get your team to play. That’s the key and so, yeah, those comments were for my kids."

How did Coach Prime really feel during Colorado State game?

Luckily for Colorado, both of Sanders’ sons provided highlight plays to help them pull out the victory.

Outside of Colorado’s early 7-0 lead where safety Shilo Sanders returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown, Colorado State led much of this game.

Colorado State nearly had an upset until Shedeur Sanders threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Horn Jr. with 36 seconds left to tie the game at 28 and force overtime.

After trading touchdowns in the first overtime, Shedeur Sanders threw an 18-yard touchdown to tight end Michael Harrison, and completed the two-point conversion to receiver Xavier Weaver to clinch the victory.

And luckily for Coach Prime, he didn’t have to eat crow after the game.

"Truthfully, at one point in the game, I said 'we can’t let this dude (Norvell) win. There is no way we let this dude win,' " Deion Sanders said.

"The press conference is going to be unbearable if we let this dude win with it now."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What Deion Sanders, Jay Norvell said of Colorado-Colorado State game