Deion Sanders is once again unhappy with Colorado’s late kickoff times.
The Buffaloes host No. 18 Kansas State on Saturday night in a game that kicks off at 8:15 p.m. in Boulder. That’s 10:15 p.m. ET. The game is set to be televised as ESPN’s nightcap following Florida and Tennessee at 7 p.m. ET.
“Who does that? Who has the power to sit up there and say, ‘Yeah I’m gonna make them play at 8:15?’” Sanders rhetorically asked on his coaches show.
When Colorado radio announcer Mark Johnson informed Sanders that TV networks largely dictate start times, Sanders asked, “How stupid is that?” before expounding on his point.
“But it’s not smart for television executives to say, ‘We’re going to put this game on at this time.’ Because you’re thinking about eyeballs, you’re thinking about selling merchandise on the commercials. You’re thinking about all that. Why would you put it at that time when half of America is asleep?”
This is not the first time that Sanders has expressed his displeasure with Colorado’s late kickoffs. Around this time last season, he said it was the “stupidest thing ever invented in life” that games were starting so late and said he was glad that Colorado was leaving the Pac-12 and its numerous late games.
However, the Big 12 has taken over the late-game mantle from the Pac-12. With Arizona, Arizona State and Utah also coming over from the Pac-12 and BYU also a member of the conference, the Big 12 has been a regular late-night fixture in 2024. Kansas State is already playing its second late-night road game of the season after the Wildcats’ loss at BYU started even later. That Week 4 game kicked off at 10:30 p.m. ET.
In Week 6, Texas Tech and Arizona played in a game that started at 11 p.m. ET on Fox. Next week, Oklahoma State visits BYU in a 10:15 p.m. ET kickoff on Friday and Utah hosts TCU in a 10:30 p.m. ET kickoff on Saturday. And if you think that’s ridiculous — Sanders certainly does — Rutgers visits USC in a game that starts at 11 p.m. in New Jersey on Friday, Oct. 25.
One of the reasons for the Big 12’s westward expansion was the additional timeslots for games. The conference now has games kicking off anywhere from noon ET to 11 p.m. ET on Saturdays. And TV networks aren’t unhappy about the inventory. ESPN and Fox understand that fewer people watch late-night football games, but they’re happy to have the weekend programming. More people will tune in to football at that time than nearly any other sport.
