Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has the same record over his last 20 games as Karl Dorrell did in his final 20 with the Buffaloes.
Both stretches produced a 5-15 record and four defeats by at least 30 points, according to a comparison shared by On3 reporter Brian Howell. Sanders reached those same numbers following Saturday’s 57-24 loss at Oklahoma State.
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Colorado is 2-5 overall and 0-4 in the Big 12 in Sanders’ fourth season. Dorrell’s tenure ended during his third season, when Colorado fired him following an 0-5 start in 2022.
Dorrell opened with four wins before finishing 8-15
Colorado hired Dorrell on Feb. 23, 2020, after Mel Tucker left suddenly for Michigan State. He became the program’s 27th full-time head coach, returning to a school where he had previously worked under Bill McCartney and Rick Neuheisel. His five-year contract was valued at $18 million.
Dorrell began the pandemic-shortened 2020 season with four consecutive victories, including a 48-42 win over UCLA in his debut. Colorado finished 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the Pac-12, losing 55-23 to Texas in the Alamo Bowl. Dorrell earned conference coach of the year honors.
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The Buffaloes went 4-8 in 2021, including 2-7 in conference play. Roster departures included cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who transferred to Oregon, and receiver Brenden Rice, who moved to USC.
Colorado opened 2022 with five losses. The school dismissed Dorrell Oct. 2, one day after a 43-20 defeat at Arizona, with an overall record of 8-15 and a 5-10 conference mark. Tight ends coach Mike Sanford Jr. became interim head coach.
Dorrell’s final 20-game stretch began with his fourth win of the season. Colorado went 4-15 after that 4-0 start.
Sanders’ recent stretch follows a nine-win season
Colorado coach Deion Sanders stands on the field as the team warms up before a college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys (OSU) and the Colorado Buffaloes at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026.
Sanders’ 2024 team finished 9-4 and reached a bowl game in his second season. His current 20-game window covers the ensuing bowl loss, the 2025 season and Colorado’s first seven games of 2026.
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The Buffaloes have won one Big 12 game since the beginning of the 2025 season. Saturday’s defeat extended their current losing streak to five games.
Colorado led Oklahoma State 24-23 at halftime before the Cowboys scored 37 unanswered points in the second half. Oklahoma State finished with 598 total yards.
“But coming out and fumbling in the second half, as a team, I don’t feel like we ever recovered,” Sanders said afterward.
The 33-point blowout gave Sanders his fourth loss by at least 30 points during the 20-game stretch, matching Dorrell’s total. Each coach won 25% of the games in those respective windows.
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Sanders, who is drawing heavy criticism this week, remains Colorado’s head coach as the team heads into Saturday’s home game against Kansas State.
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Deion Sanders’ losing record eerily mirrors Karl Dorrell final stretch
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