Still, there was plenty to celebrate for CU after the early-morning matchup against the No. 8-ranked Trojans — both on the gridiron and the sidelines. That wasn't lost on Sanders.
"I told them I love each and every one of them," Sanders said of his message to his team. "Overall, I'm really proud of not only the men, the coaches, the fan base, the student body, all of you. I'm truly proud of the way we represented today."
The entire stadium was decked out in white for the game, which saw droves of big names hanging out at Folsom Field.
Hollywood came out in style, with acting legend and USC alum Will Ferrell showing up and Euphoria's Storm Reid hanging out on the field before the game. The royalty of the sports world was also in the house, with NFL icon Terrell Owens in attendance and Boston Celtics star Derrick White, who played for CU before heading to the NBA and was spotted alongside some other famous Celtics names.
White was seen with Jaylen Brown, while 2008 Celtics champion Paul Pierce enjoyed himself on the sidelines, along with his former teammate, Kevin Garnett.
Colorado's own NBA stars were also in Boulder, with members of the Denver Nuggets championship team Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope checking in. Rising Nuggets stars came, too, including Villanova standout Collin Gillespie. Meanwhile, even New York was represented — with retired Yankees baseball legend CC Sabathia wearing merchandise from Sanders and CU's co-branded "Coach Prime" line.
The on-field standout of the game for Colorado was freshman wide receiver Omarion Miller, who set the stat sheet on fire with 196 yards and a touchdown, finding a way to get open whenever the team needed him. After the game, he got a major reward from another star in attendance.
Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl-winning wide receiver Michael Irvin (left) and former NFL player Keyshawn Johnson.
Evan Semón
"That was an NFL out route...man, you made a play," former Dallas Cowboys star and Super Bowl winner Michael Irvin told Miller following the game.
Miller tried his best to play it cool after Irvin sought him out on the sideline, but couldn't quite hold in his excitement. "Last night I dreamed about playing like this," he told reporters.
Irvin was spotted at the game hanging out with fellow NFL receiving phenom Keyshawn Johnson, who played for USC.
While the Los Angeles-based school may have won on the scoreboard, it was Colorado by a landslide in terms of star power.
Johnson wasn't the only USC alum supporting CU, either. While the Los Angeles-based school may have won on the scoreboard, it was Colorado by a landslide in terms of star power.
Chatfield High School grad and USC national champion LenDale White was also on the Colorado sideline, rocking Coach Prime gear.
The star-studded attention is due to what some have dubbed the "Prime Effect," with Sanders's Prime Time persona and coaching antics bringing attention to the formerly ailing CU football program.
Former USC All-American and Chatfield High Schoo/Denver South High School standout LenDale White.
Evan Semón
"It’s was a pleasure for me to play against him and his head coach," Sanders said after the game. "That was fun."
Williams's outing, while stellar, didn't scare the Buffaloes, who forced him into his first interception of the year as part of the team's late run at making things close. Asked whether Williams's reputation impacted him, Shedeur Sanders pointed out that there's been millions of eyeballs on him, too, every game CU has played this year.
"He's a great player, but it's not all his stage," Sanders said.
The home crowd made as much clear to the opposing team: "We give Colorado and their fans, everybody, a lot of credit," USC coach Lincoln Riley said after the game. "It was a really tremendous road atmosphere even when we got up, that they kept it loud in there, and I felt like they kind of kept their team in it in a lot of ways." When asked what all the extra attention from people — regular and celebrity — across the nation means to the team, Deion reaffirmed his belief in CU.
"I'm excited and elated to be the coach here," he said. "The thing that's touching souls around the country — that down-and-out person, or person that no one believes in, that person in no one desires.... We represent that person, because no one wants to see what we're doing. They don't want to see us accomplish what we're doing. I will reiterate this: You got to be crazy if you can't see the direction that we're headed."
