Coach Jay Norvell believes the Rocky Mountain Showdown is a great rivalry, but he didn’t have much to say about Deion Sanders or the Buffaloes. The Colorado State Rams coach told reporters he’s looking forward to this year’s matchup, which will be in Fort Collins for the first time in 30 years. When asked if his relationship with Coach Prime has changed, one thing was clear: “It’s personal.”
“I don’t have any feelings towards Deion Sanders, really,” Norvell said at Mountain West Media Day on Thursday. “I don’t think about Deion Sanders unless you guys ask me about him.”
Looking back at Colorado’s stunning come-from-behind win over CSU in last year’s Rocky Mountain Showdown, Sanders had plenty of emotion tucked away after the game, a game that became personal due to Norvell’s comments toward Sanders, which targeted Sanders’ sideline attire.
“I don’t care if you ask me in Boulder. I told them I take my hat off, I take my glasses off. When you talk to adults, take your hat off, take your glasses off. That’s what my mother taught me. No matter what we do or say, (Colorado) is not going to like us,” Sanders said in a statement, seemingly criticizing his approach and respect for traditional values, intensifying the conflict.
The handshake between the two coaches, captured on Prime Video, added fuel to the fire. Norvell tried to downplay his remarks by saying they had nothing to do with Sanders’ family. Sanders retorted, “You were talking about my mom, Dawg.” The exchange highlighted the intensity of the conflict. Shedur Sanders played a key role in calming the situation by meeting with his father at midfield, making sure he didn’t get physically confrontational with Norvell, and acting as a mediator.
Norvell’s wife, Kim, added another dimension to the controversy with comments on social media in which she criticized Shedur’s behavior during the incident, though she later deleted the tweets, further increasing tensions between the two.
Kim Norvell/X
Next year’s Rocky Mountain Showdown promises to be even more intense, with Colorado traveling to Fort Collins to play at Canvas Stadium on Sept. 14. The personal and competitive stakes are higher than ever, with rivalries rekindled and upcoming matches becoming highly anticipated events.
