Deion Sanders doesn't need much to find ways to motivate his Colorado Buffaloes.
This week, Sanders and the Buffaloes face the in-state rival Colorado State Rams as 23.5-point favorites.
The head coach of the Rams, Jay Norvell, decided to provide some motivation for Sanders during his weekly Coach's Show.
"I sat down with ESPN today, I don't care if they hear it in Boulder," Norvell said. "I told them, I took my hat off and I took my glasses off. I said 'when I talk to grown-ups, I take my hat off and my glasses off. That's what my mother taught me.'"
MORE SHOTS AT COACH PRIME: Colorado State Head Coach Jay Norvell Takes SHOTS at Deion Sanders and Colorado “When I talk to grownups, I take my hat and glasses off, that’s what my mother taught me” #CUBuffspic.twitter.com/IWFWkVKqsS
— Ice Cold Sports w/ Tommy Gahan (@IceColdSprts) September 14, 2023
It didn't take long for that clip to circle around social media. And Sanders doesn't miss anything that is said. As he likes to say, he keeps receipts.
During a meeting with the team after practice on Thursday morning, Coach Prime brought up what was said.
"I'm minding my business, watching some film and trying to be the best coach I can be. I look up and read some bull junk that they had said about us once again," Sanders said. "Why would you want to talk about us? We don't talk about nobody. All we do is go out here, work our butts off and do our job on Saturday. But when they give us ammunition, they done messed around and made it?"
"Personal!" His team responded.
"It was just gonna be a good game but they messed around and made it personal."
Coach Prime responds to Jay Norvell 🍿 pic.twitter.com/pv7z2eorVQ
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) September 14, 2023
The Buffs have had a difficult schedule so far, playing two Power 5 programs to start the season. The Colorado State game — despite being an in-state rivalry — is expected to be one of the easier games on the schedule.
Colorado opened as 18-point favorites against Colorado State, but that line jumped up to 23.5 at most sportsbooks on Thursday morning. DraftKings has already made the move to Colorado -24 after bettors caught wind of the motivational tactic.
93% of all spread bets in Colorado vs. Colorado State are on the Buffs (-22.5) to cover @FDSportsbook 🦬 pic.twitter.com/5BSt1fiFhf
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) September 14, 2023
If you expect Colorado to get off to a hot start against the Rams, the first-half line is Colorado -13.5 at most sportsbooks.
Sanders was looking for a way to motivate his players and Norvell provided the ammunition. Sanders — in a way only he can — took it and ran with it.
