Report: Deion Sanders expected to accept Colorado job Saturday night, Board of Regents meeting called

Just minutes before Deion Sanders prepares to coach Jackson State in the SWAC Championship, the final preparations are being made for his departure. The Colorado Board of Regents has called a special meeting for Sunday, Sports Illustrated reported.

SI’s Ross Dellenger, Pat Forde and Richard Johnson reported Sanders is expected to arrive in Boulder Saturday night following Jackson State’s SWAC title game matchup against Southern. Additionally, a “grand celebration” is planned for when he touches down.

The trio reported Sanders is expected to touch down in Colorado around midnight PT and the Board of Regents will meet Sunday at 10 a.m. PT to presumably approve the contract.

A report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel late Friday said Sanders has been taking steps toward taking the Colorado job. He’s reaching out to potential staffers and possible transfer portal targets — including one highly touted transfer he told to hold off on a decision until he takes the job, Thamel reported.

Sanders hasn’t hid Colorado’s interest in him or his interest in the Buffaloes. He confirmed an offer was on the table earlier this week, and now it appears things are heating up and a departure from Jackson State is imminent.

Jackson State and Southern kicked off the SWAC Championship at 4 p.m. ET.

ESPN’s Thamel: Deion Sanders recruiting on-field staff, support staff, transfers to Colorado

Sanders is recruiting on-field staff, support staff and players from the transfer portal to join him with the Buffalos, Thamel tweeted. The news comes one day before Jackson State is set to play in the SWAC Championship against Southern — and Thamel said Sanders’ exit would likely come after that game.

Sanders talked to a highly touted transfer and told him to hold off on a decision until he was able to recruit him to Colorado, Thamel reported. On Colorado’s campus, preparations are being made for the hire even though staff members haven’t been told about a decision.

“They’re not doing a great job of hiding this,” a source told Thamel. “If he backs out of this deal, it would be a huge problem for Colorado.”

Jackson State has had an impressive three seasons under Sanders, totaling a 26-5 record during that time, including a perfect 11-0 mark this year heading into the SWAC title game. He also had the biggest recruiting victory of the 2022 cycle when he got Travis Hunter — who, at the time, was the No. 1 recruit in the country — to flip his commitment from Florida State to Jackson State.