アメリカ
Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Deion Sanders’ final game at Jackson State didn’t go as planned, with the Tigers losing 41-34 in overtime to North Carolina Central in the Celebration Bowl.
Jackson State tied the game at 34 as time expired on Shedeur Sanders’ 19-yard touchdown pass to Travis Hunter on 4th-and-10.
Cricket Celebration Bowl @CelebrationBowl
SANDERS TO HUNTER AS TIME EXPIRES!
FREE FOOTBALL! We’re heading to Overtime for the first time in Cricket Celebration Bowl history #AChampionWillRise pic.twitter.com/ayDeLcTNoM
After North Carolina Central scored on the opening possession of overtime, Sanders’ pass on 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line was incomplete to end the game.
Cricket Celebration Bowl @CelebrationBowl
North Carolina Central stops Jackson State on the 1 yard line and wins 41-34 in Overtime! The Eagles are your 2022 Cricket Celebration Bowl champions! @NCCU_Football @NCCUAthletics @MEACSports pic.twitter.com/PMS0Zwn7ID
The loss ended Jackson State’s quest for a perfect season, but the team still won a program-record 12 games.
Despite the bitter end to his season and his tenure with the Tigers, Deion earned plaudits for what he was able to accomplish in just three seasons as head coach at the program.
NewBian @NumenAB
At the end of the day I agree. What he said he wanted to do was not in his control from the get go. He stuck 2 the football team from jump instead of changing HBCUs than alot of people would have no problem. All the best to @DeionSanders @JacksonStateU and @CUBuffsFootball
Louie $. Lattimore @THE_ButlerDavis
It was for a short stint but u gotta salute Deion Sanders for what he did for HBCU’s on the national level. Prime brought so much attention to HBCU’s.
This is the Way @demondolorian
Even in defeat – alongside star players WR/DB Travis Hunter & his son QB Shedeur Sanders, Head Coach Deion Sanders embraces the band & student section of JSU one last time.
Going out as professional as he came in! pic.twitter.com/ZyrWEBroXq
Hunter, who is expected to follow Deion and Shedeur to Colorado, continued to show off his Primetime-esque skills. The freshman cornerback caught four passes for 47 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday.
Junesberry, PT, DPT @j2bri
Travis Hunter can really show up to Colorado next year and be the best WR in the PAC 12 and the best corner in the PAC 12. Kid is absolutely amazing.
HBCU Sports @HBCUSports
“Travis is Travis Hunter. He’s him for a reason,” Shedeur Sanders said in describing the game-tying TD in regulation “It wasn’t really hard. He did all the work.”
Deion Sanders was named Colorado’s head coach on Dec. 3. The Pro Football Hall of Famer is taking over a program that has been a mess for years.
The Buffaloes finished the 2022 season with a 1-11 record, the worst scoring defense (44.5 points allowed per game) and fifth-worst scoring offense (15.4 points per game) in FBS.
Colorado has just one winning season since 2017 (4-2 in 2020). It hasn’t won a postseason bowl game since the 2004 Houston Bowl.
Sanders is certainly capable of engineering a quick turnaround. Jackson State was coming off seven consecutive losing seasons when he was hired in September 2020.
The Tigers went 27-6 overall and won back-to-back SWAC titles with Sanders as head coach.
🚨 SPORTS NEWS ➡️ YOUR INBOX
The latest in the sports world, emailed daily.
