As the first-ever College Football Playoff rankings for the new 12-team format unfold tonight, there's a path -- not an easy one, mind you -- for Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes.
But Sanders, always staunch in his Christian faith, is quoting Vickie Winans's gospel song "Long As I Got King Jesus" to illustrate what he believes is his Colorado team's mistreatment on the college football landscape and why it isn't satisfied with a 6-2 start.
The No. 21 team in the AP Top 25, Colorado visits Big 12 foe Texas Tech this weekend.
"I would hope so. That's what we train for," Sanders said when asked if he sensed the Buffaloes were poised for this defining final month. "This is one of the few teams in the country that's been lied on, cheated, talked about, mistreated. That's a song, isn't it? Lied on, cheated, mistreated. That's like a gospel song.
"I know that went over everybody's head pretty much in here, but that's a gospel song. Pretty dern good."
Coach Prime added, "We've been through a lot and we're prepared for the moment. We're not shying away from what we expect. We expect to be in this. We expect to be where we are. We expect to be better than where we are, honestly. But, we're here and we're thankful, we're happy, we're excited, we're elated, but we're not done."
Prepared, he said, even for the unique tradition of Texas Tech's fans -- who throw tortillas on the field, an act traced back 35 years.
"We cannot wait to get to Lubbock to do what we need to do," Sanders said, chuckling at the tradition. "Daunting challenge on the road; we love it. We're going to get booed. I heard they throw tacos? What is it? Tortillas? I said everything but the right thing.
"Is that legal to throw tortillas? We're going to try to make em empty those things."
Regardless the aerial edibles, Sanders is adamant his team is carrying with it a singular focus.
"Every game is a playoff game to us," he said. "It's been that way all season. I think Shedeur (Sanders) made the comment early, I don't know if it was Big 12 (media days), that every game we play is just like a dern Super Bowl to the people. Not only to them, but to us. And it is.
"Every game is a playoff, single-elimination tournament and we plan on approaching all of them with passion, purpose, consistency, focus and a dog-like attitude."