2 days Ago
While focused on yet another big game this week, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to celebrate the Buffaloes’ most beloved fan. “I have a special, wonderful, young, beautiful guest with me today,” he said as he walked into his weekly press conference Tuesday with Peggy Coppom. “It’s Miss Peggy’s 100th birthday.
” Coppom and her late sister Betty were born only about a month after the first game at Folsom Field – then called Colorado Stadium – in 1924. Betty and Peggy were well known and loved as the CU Twins. Since Betty passed away in 2020, Peggy has continued to support her Buffs and has become a national celebrity because of her friendship with Coach Prime.
“It’s amazing that God would find two people from two different walks of life, two different generations, and bring them together as he has,” Sanders said, with his arm around Peggy. “She’s always greeted me with love, compassion, support, stability and hope, and I’m thankful to know her.” Peggy’s 100th birthday comes at a time when her Buffs (8-2, 6-1 Big 12) are ranked No.
16 in the country and preparing for Saturday’s matchup at Kansas (4-6, 3-4) at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (1:30 p.m.
MT, Fox). Since the end of last season, Sanders said his goal was to get Peggy to a bowl game. That goal has been achieved, and it is, without question, a season dedicated to her.
“Well, I don’t know that I can explain what it’s meant,” Peggy said. “It’s been unbelievable to me. And (Sanders) given our whole community and the university all this attention because of him.
He’s a very, very honorable man and I am just grateful for it. I think this is all unbelievable, so that’s what he is, kind of unbelievable.” During a 49-24 win against Utah on Saturday, the crowd of 54,646 took a few moments to sing “Happy Birthday” to Peggy, which brought tears to her eyes.
Even Coach Prime said he was almost in tears. Of course, the best part of the day for both was CU’s victory. The Buffs will aim for another this week as they visit a Kansas team that hasn’t lived up to expectations but has been hot of late.
The Jayhawks are coming off back-to-back wins against ranked opponents (Iowa State and BYU). “We’re playing against a tremendous team,” Coach Prime said. “They have not given up, regardless of what their record may state.
The last two weeks, they’ve knocked some people off their off their feet. It’s going to be a tremendous task for us.” There is plenty at stake for both teams.
Projected in the preseason for a fourth-place finish in the Big 12, the Jayhawks started 1-5, but have won three of their last four games and can become bowl eligible for a third consecutive season with wins against CU on Saturday and at Baylor on Nov. 30. For the Buffs, who were projected to finish 11th in the conference, a spot in the Big 12 championship game is in reach.
They are tied for first with BYU and will get to the title game – to be played Dec. 7 in Arlington, Texas – with wins against Kansas, and Oklahoma State on Nov. 29.
Asked how his team will handle the stakes, Coach Prime pushed aside the notion that there is pressure on the Buffs. “Look at me, man,” he said. “Do I look like I subscribe to pressure? Or do I look like I apply it? We apply pressure.
We don’t subscribe to it.” Coach Prime, of course, handled pressure just fine as a Hall of Fame player who competed in not only Super Bowls but a World Series. His attitude toward pressure has rubbed off on the team.
“We play Colorado football,” safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig said. “It’s no new pressure. I mean, we always been a team that everybody’s shooting at.
So we used to pressure. If we don’t have no pressure, we’re gonna seem off. So we’re just going out there, handling our business.
That’s who we are. We’re under pressure every game.” By handling the pressure and winning games, the Buffs have not only secured a bowl game for Peggy, but now seek much more.
Before Peggy left Tuesday’s press conference, Coach Prime asked her which bowl game she wants the Buffs to reach. “I’ll take anything they give us,” she said..
