Colorado coach Deion Sanders tried to keep expectations high for the Buffaloes despite a 4-7 mark in his first season by invoking a Mount Rushmore reference midweek as the team prepares to conclude the regular season at Utah. However, the former NFL star made a viral geography gaffe by saying the iconic monument, which is located in South Dakota, was situated in California.
Sanders' embarrassing moment was enough to catch the attention of South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who subsequently extended an invitation for Sanders and the entire Colorado football team to visit the state's landmark.
"If [Deion Sanders] needs to see Mount Rushmore, we'd love to show him," Noem tweeted. "Bring the whole [Colorado] team — we have buffalo herds of our own just a short ways away! Bring [the mascot] Ralphie, he'll love Custer State Park."
As to why Sanders thought Mount Rushmore was located in California, it turns out "Coach Prime" was conflating the monument with the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles.
"Wow, my geography," Sanders laughed when corrected by reporters. "That's the Hollywood Sign? That's what I thought, sorry. Thank you for educating me."
Colorado, which was already eliminated from bowl eligibility after suffering a blowout loss at Washington State in Week 12, is looking to snap a four-game losing streak as it travels to Salt Lake City to face the Utes. Colorado's debut season under Sanders began with optimism after the Buffaloes started 3-0, but they are since just 1-7 in Pac-12 play.
Saturday will mark Colorado's last Pac-12 game before it moves back to the Big 12 in 2024, joined by Utah, Arizona and Arizona State.
