The rule of this competitive atmosphere, especially when you are in a recruiting phase, is that the first impression matters for the whole school overall. Irrespective of the sport, the Colorado Buffaloes athletics \u2018Sko Buffs\u2019 reputation amongst elite recruits right now is skewed because of Deion Sanders\u2019 football team\u2019s fresh loss to BYU, which took them to 2-3. It was fondly and judgingly witnessed by various five-star from across different sports.<\/p>\n
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For Colorado, luck could not have been worse. On campus for an official visit was Brihanna Crittendon, the No. 8 overall women\u2019s basketball prospect of 2026. The Thornton native already soared past 2,000 career points at Riverdale Ridge last season and puts up the kind of stat that commands attention: 26.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.9 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. Her game is flashy yet efficient, with a knack for torching defenders while making it look casual. She was already evaluating programs with serious pull. Tennessee hosted her back on September 12, and the Lady Vols surely would\u2019ve rolled out the orange carpet.<\/p>\n
With Colorado\u2019s women\u2019s team set to open its season on November 6 against New Mexico, Buffs fans can only hope hometown pride weighs heavily in her decision. The ripple effect of football was impossible to ignore. Sitting in Folsom Field, Crittendon and others saw Colorado jump to a 14-0 first-half lead, only to watch it slip through their fingers in a defeat. These first impressions can stick like glue, and this one may have left more questions than answers. It wasn\u2019t just Crittendon soaking in the scene either. Colorado football\u2019s staff had rolled out the welcome mat for one of the biggest names in the 2027 cycle: five-star QB Kavian Bryant.<\/p>\n
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Ranked as the No. 1 QB in the Rivals300, Bryant is already a magnet for attention, with offers piling up like unread texts. He received one from Deion Sanders himself just last month, and Prime made sure to be seen pregame swaying with the young star. The idea was clear: make the day feel like a coronation. Instead, it turned into a cautionary tale. Bryant has already visited Texas Tech and Texas earlier this month and is considered \u201cwarm\u201d on Texas Tech, Texas, SMU, and Florida State. Leaving Boulder with images of a blown two-touchdown lead can shift the calculus in a hurry.<\/p>\n
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Deion Sanders, ever the showman, tried to take ownership postgame, words that might double as a recruiting pitch as much as an explanation<\/a>. \u201cWe\u2019re just not doing our jobs,\u201d he said of the defense\u2019s struggles containing BYU\u2019s quarterback. \u201cThat\u2019s it. We\u2019re not doing our jobs. It\u2019s not like it\u2019s a surprise what they\u2019re going to do. It\u2019s not at all. We\u2019re just not doing our job, so we\u2019ve got to do a better job of preparing these young men to do their jobs in front of the multitudes.\u201d<\/p>\n Prime\u2019s recruiting weekend turns into a crowd scene<\/p>\n Bryant wasn\u2019t the only blue-chip name in the building for CU\u2019s clash with BYU. According to On3, the five-star QB was joined by at least five major class of 2026 flip targets making the trip to Boulder. All five already hold commitments elsewhere, but curiosity brought them to Folsom<\/a>.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n