“Overrated.”
That’s what rang throughout Autzen Stadium during the Ducks’ 42-6 stomping of Colorado this weekend. Whether it was towards Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who only finished with 159 total yards and was sacked seven times with only one touchdown, or head coach Deion Sanders, it was said nearly every time Colorado’s offense left the field.
This was one of the rare times that I was able to be a fan at a game. If I’m not running around the stadium to make sure things are running smoothly, then I’m in the press box covering the game, so I was excited. After being in Eugene for four years, it was my first time in the student section, and I think I chose the best game to be at. I sat right next to the marching band and was on top of Oregon’s tunnel, so I got to witness everything that all of the Oregon football fans talk about with the Duck, the motorcycle and watching the team run out onto the field.
Personally, I wanted to see coach Sanders because he’s a former San Francisco Giant, and anyone who knows me knows that the Giants are so near and dear to my heart — and the No. 1 stressor in my life. I knew that Oregon was going to take this one, but for the week leading up to the game, I defended him. I kept telling people that the Buffs were going to put up a fight.
Boy, was I wrong.
But I don’t think they’re overrated.
While I was having those conversations with friends, co-workers and honestly anyone who would listen, I realized that there are two different types of people: real college football fans and ones who follow ESPN on Instagram.
Talking to the people who dedicate their entire Saturdays over the course of 12-ish weeks, they knew that Colorado’s Cinderella story wasn’t going to last, but Sanders is the guy to turn around a program that went 1-11 just a season ago. They have some of the right tools, but it’s a brand new team, and their quarterback, head coach and star two-way player, Travis Hunter, are getting adjusted to making the jump from a subdivision conference to a Power-Five conference and schedule. A learning curve is happening right now, but if you only watch football through social media, you wouldn’t know that.
In the last three weeks, a fourth of all of ESPN’s social media posts have been about Colorado. With 26.2 million followers on Instagram alone, it’s easy to set a narrative. That’s the power of the media, right?
“One thing I can say honestly and candidly, you better get me right now,” Sanders said after the game. “This is the worst we’re going to be. You’d better get me right now.”
He’s right and Ducks fans should know what that feels like. Lanning’s first game last season in charge ended with a 49-3 loss against Georgia, the former national champions — and his old team — with seven consecutive touchdowns. And look where we are now. People are quick to assume the future after one game.
At halftime, Lanning said, “We’re not done yet. We’re not satisfied. I hope everyone that’s been watching [Colorado] every week is still watching.” While it’s true that Colorado draws big crowds, I hope they stayed for Oregon’s eliteness.
I think it’s safe to say that everyone appreciated how Oregon played. There was so much beauty to it, so much variety. On the Ducks’ side of the stat sheet, it was pretty balanced across the board, meaning everyone got to contribute to the win.
And don’t let me confuse you. While Colorado has been enjoying all of the media hype since Week 1, Oregon enjoyed it on Saturday, too. Lanning got his viral moment during his pregame speech when he gave the ESPN cameras “unprecedented access” to the locker room and was caught on camera saying, “The Cinderella story is over man. They’re fighting for clicks, we’re fighting for wins. There’s a difference, right? There’s a difference. This game ain’t going to be played in Hollywood. It’s going to be played on the grass, right? It’s going to be played on the grass.”
“I got messages,” Sanders said of Lanning’s pregame speech. “God bless him, though. He’s a great coach and did a great job. They can take their shots. They won. I don’t do that. They won.”
I think the word that everyone in the student section was looking for today was overhyped. That, I do believe. ESPN’s sole mission is to serve sports fans anytime, anywhere, and right now they seem to only be serving Sanders and Colorado. But I do believe that the ranking in the AP polls and all of the discussions about the Buffaloes are fair. At the end of the day, what’s the difference anyways?
