Cheers were loud for West Virginia fans after the Mountaineers engineered a 29-22 win against Colorado at the Mountaineer Field. The victory meant consecutive wins for HC Rich Rodriguez, something that his side had not done throughout the season. On the other side of the field, it was nothing but heartbreak. The loss meant Colorado was officially out of bowl eligibility, which hit hard for QB Julian Lewis, as confirmed by Deion Sanders’ son.

With bowl eligibility on the line, the matchup couldn’t have been more important for the Colorado Buffaloes. A loss would prove costly, with West Virginia sitting just below them in the Big 12 standings, and unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened. After the game, Julian Lewis was visibly emotional, taking the blame for the defeat. Seeing Lewis emotional in that moment, deeply moved Deion Sanders Jr., also known as Bucky.

“”(Lewis) in the locker room was crying. He was saying sorry because we lost. He put himself on the line. I said to him ‘Thank you for caring bro’.”

In his first career start, Julian Lewis had a rough opening stretch as West Virginia’s defense kept him under constant duress. He connected on just three of his first eight passes for 26 yards, struggling to find rhythm early on. But once he settled in, the freshman began to flash his potential. He completed eight of his next ten passes for 123 yards.

During one impressive drive, Lewis went a perfect 3-for-3 for 39 yards, aided by a pair of strong runs that gained 24 and 11 yards. Then, on second-and-7, he calmly drifted in the pocket before delivering a precise strike to Joseph Williams for a 9-yard touchdown. The momentum, however, was briefly halted when the extra point was missed, ending Alejandro Mata’s remarkable school-record streak of 104 consecutive makes. At that point, West Virginia held a 16-9 lead.

Then, going into the fourth quarter, a 35-yard field goal from kicker Alejandro Mata cut the gap by just three points. However, things would go south for HC Deion Sanders’ side soon. RB Curtis Jones’ touchdown in the fourth quarter for the Mountaineers made sure WVU would walk out of the game with a victory.

The defeat has put Colorado in the fourteenth position with a 3-7 record. It also means that this is Deion Sanders’ second season with a negative record in three years as the Buffaloes’ head coach.

Julian Lewis was not the only one who took the WVU loss hard

The loss to West Virginia was heartbreaking, but it also served as a reminder of Colorado’s recurring struggles. The Buffaloes have failed to make a significant mark in the Big 12 this season. With a 3-7 overall record and just 1–6 in conference play, they’ve looked like a shadow of their 2024 selves. Deion Sanders has struggled to recapture last season’s form, and this year’s team has resembled more of the 2023 squad that finished 4–8.

The WVU loss has warmed up Deion Sanders’ hot seat. While he may see the rest of the season out, it remains to be seen if the Colorado administration decides to keep him for the next season. The HC signed a five-year deal in 2025, which saw him get paid $54 million in total. However, that contract was signed after Sander’s 2024 season success, something he couldn’t replicate in 2025.

Given his contract, the Buffaloes will have to break the bank to pay his buyout clause if he’s fired before 2029. However, if Colorado continues to play poorly, then its administration could take the step of replacing Sanders.