The Colorado Buffaloes have been a massive disappointment under head coach Deion Sanders in 2025. At 3-5, including a 1-4 record in the Big 12, it seems inevitable that Sanders will move on from Colorado. There are now a large number of attractive coaching destinations that have opened up at other Power 4 programs.
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Coming off the worst loss of the season, 53-7 against Utah, Sanders may have his sights set on making the jump into the Big Ten or SEC. There could also be a potential opening in the ACC at his former alma mater if Florida State pays a hefty buyout on current head coach Mike Norvell.
Some speculate that Sanders’ candidacy as a potential hire at Florida State is an unrealistic outcome.
“Sanders, 58, is one of the most iconic players in program history,” wrote Bill Bender of The Sporting News. “While the thought of Coach Prime coming back to Tallahassee is entertaining, it seems unlikely.”
Let’s consider some of the other coaching vacancies that have opened up in the last couple of months. At the current rate, there may not be enough coaches to fill the demand across some blue blood programs.
LSU just fired Brian Kelly, adding another extremely attractive destination into the coaching carousel. The Tigers’ $54 million buyout of their former head coach has thrust LSU into the national spotlight.
Sanders is unlikely to consider LSU. He’s only got three years of experience as a FBS head coach, attempting to rebuild Colorado. Sanders’ efforts were trending upward with his sons on the team in 2023 and 2024, however, 2025 has been a big regression.
Penn State, UCLA, Arkansas, and Florida are the other prominent coaching vacancies within the Big Ten and SEC. Virginia Tech, Stanford, and Oklahoma State are also currently available in the Big 12 and ACC.
UCLA is an intriguing option for Sanders. It’s a great recruiting region and it’s in the Big Ten, one of the top two conferences head coaches tend to seek. Reviving a program like UCLA could help Sanders elevate his coaching legacy.
Penn State and Florida are both a bit out of Sanders’ league right now. Sanders’ nine-win campaign in 2024 isn’t enough for either of these schools to consider him for hire.
That leaves Arkansas, Stanford, Oklahoma State, and Virginia Tech. Considering Sanders is currently in the Big 12, it’s unlikely he makes a parallel move within the same conference to lead Oklahoma State.
A bridge into the ACC could be accessed through Stanford or Virginia Tech. Working with Andrew Luck as Stanford’s GM could be a unique opportunity. Meanwhile, the Hokies have a huge fanbase that fantasize about a return to the program’s glory days,
Arkansas is the last coaching destination Sanders may consider as his next move. The Razorbacks’ inability to contend in the SEC, plus a lack of in-state recruits, are a couple big knocks on the program. Yet, that scenario is similar to what Sanders is doing in Boulder, except it’s in the SEC.
There’s simply too many good coaching vacancies for Sanders not to throw his hat in the ring. A move into the Big Ten or SEC is certainly a possible outcome in the future.
