Deion: Lost Colorado play script didn't affect outcome vs. Texas Tech
Adam RittenbergOct 13, 2026, 02:34 PM ET
- College football reporter; joined ESPN in 2008. Graduate of Northwestern University.
Colorado coach Deion Sanders downplayed the apparent discovery of the team's play script before an Oct. 3 game against Texas Tech, calling it a "mistake" that didn't impact the game's outcome.
A Texas Tech fan posted on the message board RedRaiderSports.com that they had discovered a booklet displaying scripted offensive plays, opponent tendencies other notes at the lobby of Colorado's team hotel in Broomfield, Colorado, the night before the game. The booklet reportedly contained 17 series openers and 24 plays labeled "must calls."
Sanders, who did not address reporters during an open week, said Tuesday that Colorado doesn't have an entire playbook but creates scripts that can be misplaced.
"That happens sometimes," Sanders said. "I've heard of that on the pro level, as well as the collegiate level. I think we scored on the first drive, so I guess it didn't work."
Colorado drove 75 yards for a touchdown on its opening possession and ran plays matching those shown in photos of the discovered booklet. The Buffs did not score again in a 29-7 loss, their third straight defeat.
"If someone had left that, they left it, mistake, what are we going to do about it?" Sanders said. "It's over. Let's go, let's go, let's go. We could have the opposing team's first 10 or 15 plays. We've still got to stop it."
He added that coaches wouldn't automatically trust that any found script was actually real, as it could be a decoy. Colorado hosts No. 11 Utah on Saturday night.
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