When Deion Sanders took over the football program in Boulder, Co., there were plenty of folks who scoffed. Some said his experience at a major Division I program would end in failure.
So far, the Buffaloes are 3-0, and according to the television ratings, they are the NCAA version of America's team.
Colorado Buffaloes dominate TV ratings even in wee hours of the night
The highest-rated college football game in week three was Colorado versus Colorado State, drawing 9.3 million viewers according to ESPN, the network that televised the game, despite its late-night start and early-morning finish.
For comparison purposes, Alabama's most viewed game of the year, their opener against Texas, drew 8.76 million viewers. Based on early projections, the only time people will watch Nick Saban as much as they watch Deion Sanders is during Aflac commercials.
Unlike Bama's first game, Colorado wasn't playing another national powerhouse school, nor was this matchup a major rivalry like Michigan-Ohio State.
The Rams are not a nationally ranked team, nor are they expected to be by the end of the year, having gone 3-9 in 2021 and 2022. People tuned in because Colorado football must-see TV.
College football fans haven't been this excited to see a team play in a long time. If you need more numbers to prove this, consider the Alabama-Texas, week 2 matchup from 2022. It brought in 10.6 million viewers. That means, roughly speaking, that Alabama football viewership in 2023 is down more than 17 percent. Colorado, on the other hand, through the first three weeks is averaging 8.43 million viewers versus 916,000 viewers per game over the same three-week period. That's an increase of 820 percent.
Colorado remains undefeated, but a National Championship run appears still well out of reach. The team remains ranked far from the top-four and has a tough schedule coming up with Oregon and USC on the horizon.
What can't be debated, is that no matter who they play, American football fans will tune in to watch the game. It's compelling television, fascinating and fun to watch, and you can't take your eyes off it.
Love them or hate them, Coach Prime and his soon-to-be Heisman-winning son may be ranked number 11 in college football's top 25, but they are ranked number one on the list of college teams that fans want to see play.