Deion Sanders weighing QB switch as Colorado’s offense sputters into game against No. 12 Texas Tech

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Deion Sanders outlined the criteria he has in mind for his quarterback at Colorado : Someone with confidence, a firm grasp of the offense and who teammates respond to inside the huddle.

Sounds almost like a description of his son, Shedeur .

The Colorado coach faces another QB quandary, the second in as many seasons since Shedeur Sanders left for the NFL.

With his son's heir apparent, highly touted prospect Julian Lewis, struggling to consistently ignite the offense, it's forced Deion Sanders to re-evaluate the situation leading into the game Saturday night against No. 12 Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0 Big 12). Sanders could bench Lewis in an effort to break the Buffaloes (2-2, 0-1) out of a two-game funk and go with backup Isaac Wilson.

The decision, Sanders insisted, will play out this week in practice.

“Some people are running with the narrative that it's already decided,” Sanders said Tuesday while also hinting he may have already reached his decision. “I think I’m the one that makes that decision. I don’t know where they get that from. They didn’t get it from me."

For his first two years in Boulder, Sanders had a safety blanket as his son ran the show. Last season, with Shedeur in Cleveland with the Browns, Sanders cycled through signal callers only to have Lewis take control late in the season.

Lewis appeared to provide stability. This season has been a roller-coaster.

He was benched for the second half last weekend at Baylor in favor of Wilson, the transfer from Utah and younger brother of former BYU standout Zach Wilson (he's now in New Orleans). Isaac Wilson provided a spark in a 23-13 loss, throwing a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to momentarily tie the game.

“Isaac had a great spring, by the way,” Sanders said. “So if he gets the nod, I feel all-out that he’s going to do his thing.”

The Buffaloes have sputtered in picking up offensive coordinator Brennan Marion's “Go-Go” system , a high-tempo scheme that merges run-pass options with heavy misdirection. It's an offense that averaged 33.8 points per game in 2025 when Marion was head coach at Sacramento State. It's an offense that averaged 36.2 points when Marion was the offensive coordinator at UNLV in 2024.

Colorado averages a league-low 21.5 points.

“The plays are there,” Sanders said. “If we just sat down with all of you and just turned on the film and watched the film, you would say, 'Dang, for real.' We've got to take advantage of the plays that are there.”

The Buffaloes may be making a QB swap as they enter the tough part of their season — a stretch where they host the Red Raiders and No. 13 Utah before going on the road to No. 19 Oklahoma State.

“We feel like we can play with anybody,” said receiver Joseph Williams, who has 22 catches for 361 yards and four TDs this season. “Regardless what jersey you've got on, regardless who’s out there, we feel like we can play with whoever. All the leaders, all the guys that we say that are leaders and things like that, we've got to keep pushing that same mindset, keep pushing the standard to be able to keep everybody on the same page.”

Lewis' talent was on display in a win over Weber State , a team in the Football Championship Subdivision. He threw for 366 yards and four TDs — he ran for another — in earning Big 12 freshman of the week honors.

But the 19-year-old led Colorado 10 to points the past two weeks before Wilson took over.

Wilson played in 10 games for the Utes before arriving in Boulder. As a freshman, he led Utah to a win over a ranked Oklahoma State squad.

“They’re both really good leaders,” Williams said. “Regardless of who we've got out there, we’re confident, we feel good and we’re going to make plays for them, no matter what.”

Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here , visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here