BOULDER — Deion Sanders had a simple question for his Colorado team before hitting the practice field Tuesday.

“Are you underachieving or overachieving?” Coach Prime said.

With a 2-3 record overall and an 0-2 start to Big 12 play, the Buffaloes aren’t where they expected to be with the calendar changing to October.

Ahead of a trip to Fort Worth to face a talented TCU team Saturday, Sanders challenged everyone in the program to assess what they’ve given through five games and if it’s been enough. 

“It’s about time we get honest with ourselves and stop the delusion and be straight up,” Sanders said in a team meeting, according to a YouTube video posted by Well Off Media. 

It’s safe to say Coach Prime feels the answer to his original question is that the Buffs can’t be viewed right now as anything but underachievers.

“Yeah, and I am as well, because I’m a part of it,” Sanders said.

The coach also has a plan for how to improve himself and his team.

“(I need to be) more demanding and that’s what I’ve been the last two weeks,” Sanders said. “I’m gonna see what I wanna see or we’re gonna do it over and over and over until I see it.”

Why? Sanders feels his team isn’t far away from achieving what it should. He pointed out only 10 points were the difference in a pair of losses (against Georgia Tech and BYU) to teams that are currently ranked inside the top 25.

In both games, the Buffs led early and had the ball with a chance to win or force overtime in the final minutes.

“We’ve played good football except for one darn game,” Coach Prime said. “Houston, we was horrible. We didn’t play well. The other two games, we had an opportunity to win those games — against (currently) ranked opponents. We just didn’t get it done. We had opportunities.”

Sanders doesn’t understand why the Buffs aren’t making plays, but it’s not for a lack of confidence in his group.

“If I had that answer, man, it would be worth a lot of money,” he said. “I think many a multitude of us coaches are asking that same question. We know what we need to do. We just gotta do it.

“I don’t concern myself (with) confidence. If you’re not a confident player, this is not the place for you. We’re in position to make plays. We just gotta make the plays. We don’t pacify people. We don’t make excuses for ourselves or our team. I don’t make excuses. We’re not built like that.”

Sanders also believes the opportunities will be there against a Horned Frogs team that was in the Top 25 before a loss last week in their Big 12 opener. But as long as he sees the effort from his team, he’ll be able to leave the field where it all started with his head held high.

“I want them to play like their life is on the line; like their careers are on the line; like the payment for a car is on the line; like the payment for a home is on the line; like they have children depending on them, and some do,” Sanders said. “I just want them to play with full intensity and passion and when you walk off the field, you look back and say, ‘I gave it my all.’ That’s all any coach wants. That’s all I desire.”