"Coach Prime" and his Buffaloes have landed in Texas with fans in tow.
The team's traditional black and gold colors were on display - along with black cowboy hats - at a pep rally this week at San Antonio's Riverwalk. Hundreds of Buff fans spent their post-Christmas holiday gearing up for the Alamo Bowl on Saturday. University of Colorado cheerleaders performed on stage alongside the team's mascot "Chip" as a band played.
It's been a good year for CU. They finished 9-3 on the season and landed a bowl game birth for the first time since 2020. A postseason win for CU would be their first in 20 years.
San Antonio resident Constance Huff has been cheering on the Buffs since “Coach Prime” Deion Sanders arrived in Boulder two years ago.
She twirled a Buffs fan-themed yellow towel that read “Stampede to the Alamo." There was just one thing on her mind: "For the Buffs to win," she said. "We’re talking about “Neon Deion.”
There were plenty of fans donning jerseys of the team's two starts - Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Both players are expected to be top picks in the NFL Draft next spring.
Trisha McCarthy of Aurora, Illinois and Jenny Deschane of Castle Rock, Colorado — both Buffs fans attended the pep rally waiting for Saturday's game with great anticipation.
"I can't wait to see us win," McCarthy said confidently. "There's so much at stake that (Colorado) knows there's no way they can lose."
Brandon Liu is a junior at CU. He said that despite his mother and sister being alums of BYU, he’s feeling good about the Buffs’ chances on Saturday.
"I think they know they're going to lose," said Liu. "They'll take it. They'll take it. They know it's over already. It's Prime Time, baby!"
At a press conference Friday, the Buffs head coach spoke on what he and his team's experience has been like all week long in the "Alamo City."
"The city has been so gracious," said Sanders. "I take a walk every morning with some of my staff members. The hospitality and the love and support has been phenomenal. I'm enjoying myself immensely."
The game is expected to sell out the 64-thousand-seat Alamodome in front of a national TV audience on ABC.
Kickoff between the Buffs and the Cougars is set for 5:30 p.m MST.
