BOULDER — Deion Sanders has too much respect for Kalani Sitake to consider BYU a “rival.”

But his players feel a little differently.

“All I’ve been saying this week is (about) that ‘get back.’ That’s all I’m worried about this week. I’m definitely ready,” junior wide receiver Omarion Miller said.

“It’s a big game for me,” senior defensive tackle Amari McNeill added. “I want to face these guys, and they’re a good group.”

The Colorado players have 22 reasons to feel that way. That’s how many points they lost by (36-14) in an uncompetitive Alamo Bowl that took place just over 270 days ago. Many of the returning players, including both Miller and McNeill, from last year’s squad were injured and missed the bowl game.

It was a rare game between Big 12 foes that took place because the Buffaloes remain tied to the Pac-12’s bowl assignments through this year. 

At the time, it was also dubbed as the ‘other’ Big 12 championship game because CU and BYU were the two teams left out of the conference title game a few weeks prior, as Arizona State and Iowa State held tiebreakers among the four teams tied atop the standings at the end of the regular season.

Now, heading into the latest matchup — the first on campus since 1981 and the second overall since 1988 — there is a lot on the line. 

The Buffs are eager to prove that their two losses in the first three weeks were just a blip for a new-look team still learning how to play together. Kaidon Salter has solidified the quarterback position and, in turn, reinvigorated the offense to believe once again it can carry this team on a week-to-week basis.

On the flip side, the Cougars are relatively the same team that whooped CU in San Antonio — except for one glaring spot, quarterback.

Returning starter Jake Retzlaff was staring down a looming multi-game suspension for a violation of the university’s honor code and decided to transfer to Tulane this summer, leaving BYU without a clear starting quarterback. True freshman Bear Bachmeier, who joined the program in the summer after spending the spring at Stanford, won the job.

But at its core, this matchup is about Sanders and Sitake, for as long as they’re coaching in Boulder and Provo, respectively. 

“They mean a lot,” Coach Prime said. “Every game means a lot. A conference game means more. We ain’t with that ‘get back’ stuff, I’m with that ‘let’s get ‘em’ stuff. They played their butts off (and) kicked our butts in the bowl game. Now, we have a whole new team. This is a well-coached team, disciplined team. We gotta be a lot more disciplined.”

“We’re a different team than back in the Alamo Bowl, and they’re a different team as well,” Sitake added. “We see on film that they have tons of talent. We’re at their place now, so it’s gonna be a difficult environment to play in. I’m looking forward to the matchup and looking forward to seeing my friend Coach Prime again.”

The way both teams have progressed since entering the Big 12, there could come a point where BYU-Colorado is a ‘must-watch’ game nationally. The Buffs were a ‘box office’ team the last two years with Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter making plays, but now Coach Prime has to find a way to keep his team relevant without those two stars. Sitake is trying his best to replicate what legendary Cougars coach Lavell Edwards did for three decades in Provo.

Sanders and Sitake are both rooting for each other to get there — and one day, in a few years, when they meet again, they hope their meeting stands out, even amongst a college football slate that includes Oregon at Penn State and Alabama at Georgia.

In time, though.

“Marquee games are based on wins,” Sanders said. “You can’t have a marquee game (when) you’re not touted to be anything and we haven’t earned that respect, as of yet. Prayerfully, soon, that we do.”