The Battle Begins

This week, the college football world was abuzz with anticipation as Colorado State's head coach, Jay Norvell, threw down the gauntlet at Deion Sanders, setting the stage for an epic rivalry showdown.

In case you missed the initial salvo, Norvell took a veiled shot at Sanders, stating, "When I talk to grown-ups, I take my hat off and my glasses off." This thinly veiled jab ignited a war of words between the two coaches. Sanders responded by turning the criticism into motivation for his team. While Norvell initially remained silent as his comment stirred up a media frenzy, he finally broke his silence late Friday night.

Less than 24 hours before kickoff, Norvell took to social media to address the situation. He responded to a video featuring ESPN's Rece Davis, who had weighed in on the back-and-forth between the two coaches. Davis made it clear in his conversation with a select group of reporters that he understood Norvell's intention. He believed the barb was meant to inspire Colorado State's players, not to disrespect Sanders or the Buffaloes.

Norvell, echoing Davis's sentiments, wrote, "With all the media attention surrounding this game, not one reporter asked me about my comments. One guy got it. I wanted to send a message to our players about how we run our program."

While Norvell may have achieved his goal of firing up Colorado State's players for their second game of the season, there have been unintended consequences. Sanders has used the barb as bulletin board material for his own team, adding more fuel to the already intense rivalry.

The stage is set, and the only thing left to do is settle any further disputes on the field this Saturday evening. The kickoff in Boulder is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET, promising an electrifying showdown between these two in-state rivals.