After loss to USC, Deion Sanders calls out the haters

The contest, initially, had all the makings of last week's beatdown.

Colorado trailed by one, two, three touchdowns against visiting, eighth-ranked USC before many fans had settled into their seats Saturday morning inside the Buffaloes' Folsom Field in Boulder.

The Trojans led 34-14 at the break -- and even then, the margin was only 20 points because a last-minute touchdown from Colorado's Shedeur Sanders in the closing moments of the opening half.

But a funny thing happened on the way to another presumed Buffs blowout: Colorado fought back. Repeatedly. It found some defensive stops.

Shedeur Sanders used his legs more, as well as his passing skills, and Omarion MIller emerged as Colorado's top passing threat with the continued absence of Travis Hunter; Miller set a Buffs' freshman-record mark with 196 receiving yards.

In the end, Colorado felt to the Trojans and their Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Caleb Williams 48-41.

But a week after being flat-out annihilated at Oregon, Colorado stood firm against presumptive College Football Playoff contender USC.

Deion Sanders, aka Coach Prime, had a direct message post-game for the doubters.

"If you can't see what's coming with (Colorado) Football, you've lost your mind," Deion Sanders said in his postgame press conference. "You a straight-up hater."

Colorado outscored its guests 27-14 in the second half, and Coach Prime felt his team's ability to pull even would have been a mere formality with just one more possession.

Deion Sanders said he had "no doubt" the Buffaloes would have scored to tie the game had they recovered their onside-kick attempt inside the game's final two minutes.

USC's Lincoln Riley praised Deion Sanders and also noted his team failed to properly close out the Buffaloes.

"We didn't do the things you need to do to close out a good team on the road," Riley said. " ... 

"They're going to make a run, and they did."