Coaches, backroom staffers, and administrators know that the Big 12 is a perception battle. College football is transforming even further into a divide between the haves and the have-nots. The Big 12 hired commissioner Brett Yormark to keep the conference in the national spotlight, and the former ROC NATION executive is doing just that, this time by securing a move from Colorado back to the Big 12 after over a decade in the Pac-12.

The Big 12 was the third best conference in football before recent realignment began with news that Texas and Oklahoma were leaving for the SEC. The Big 12 is in position to remain the third-best conference in America thanks to the quick movement of Yormark to reach a new television deal that ultimately led to the Colorado expansion. 

Coaches across the state know that Colorado, and especially head coach Deion Sanders brings exactly what the Big 12 requires to stay relevant – eyeballs. 

“Obviously, they will add a level of notoriety and excitement just from Deion’s name and brand,” one Big 12 staffer told me. “From a football standpoint, he has hired good coaches and shown he can recruit. I think it will be a rough year or two until they can get the roster stabilized, but after that, they have a chance to compete at a high level.” 

Not everyone agrees with the last part. Deion will undoubtedly bring in some new viewers, but not every coach is convinced that means the Buffaloes will win. The program hasn’t finished with more than five wins since 2016. They’ve only posted a winning record once – 2016 – since leaving the Big 12 after the 2010 season. Colorado didn’t finish a season with a winning record in its last five seasons in the Big 12. 

“I see them as being another Kansas type of team in the immediate future,” another Big 12 staffer said. “Probably a good offense, but the team will need a few recruiting cycles to catch up to the rest of the conference. I don’t see them being a championship factor in the conference.” 

Sanders himself is a bit of an enigma. Some coaches love him. Some hate him. Others have a wait-and-see approach entering his first year as an FBS coach. There is at least one head coach ready to welcome Sanders into the Big 12 with open arms, and that man is in Lubbock. 

“I love him,” Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire said of Sanders. “I know him well since I coached his oldest kid at Cedar Hill. I am fired up that he is coming. I texted him as soon as it was official.” 

The roster turnover at Colorado means that the Buffaloes should struggle to win in 2023 and 2024, which will be the year they return to the Big 12. Whether or not they’re capable of becoming a Big 12 contender is debatable, but the place that Sanders is sure to shine is on the recruiting trail. The Buffaloes reentrance into the Big 12 should help Sanders & Co. recruit the Lone Star State. 

“Playing in the Big 12 will help him a lot in Texas because they’ll be playing here a few times each year,” a separate Big 12 staffer told me. “If you’re wanting Texas kids, it helps to play in Texas on a yearly basis.”