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Deion Sanders has made Boulder, Colorado, the improbable center of the sports world.

Why it matters: In Sanders' first year, he's led the once-hapless Colorado Buffaloes to a 3-0 start. Among his biggest supporters — Black fans around the country.

The big picture: Black households have been glued to the Buffs' first few televised games. 

Celebrities from Snoop Dogg to Dwayne Johnson are hyping the Buffs.

Black teachers, with no previous connections to Colorado, on social media call Sanders an inspiration.

Details: Sanders, aka Coach Prime, led the Buffs to a dramatic 43-35 double-overtime win over Colorado State on Saturday.

Lil Wayne, the Wu-Tang Clan and several NFL stars were among those on hand to watch the game as both ESPN's "College GameDay" and Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff" broadcasted pre-game shows from Boulder.

Superstars like LeBron James posted moments from the game on social media, including praising Colorado players' athletic actions.

Zoom in: Not since the Los Angeles Raiders of the 1980s or Michigan's men's basketball team The Fab Five of the 1990s has a team captivated Black America and hip-hop culture like the Buffs have so far.

Carl Suddler, an associate professor of history at Emory University, tells Axios that watching Sanders receive this kind of support from Black folks on social media has been exciting in the early weeks of the season.

"In this 'new age' of college football, he seems to be a one-of-a-kind draw — and hire — that may have more staying power than college football folks may have initially expected."

By the numbers: Colorado Buffaloes merchandise has become some of the hottest sports gear with sales skyrocketing over 800% from last season. 

Shirts and hoodies with Prime quotes "We Coming" or "I ain't hard to find" are, well, hard to find.

Catch up quick: Sanders took over a program that was 1-11 last season and used the transfer protocol to revamp the team with former players from historically Black colleges and universities.

He warned players from the previous Colorado Buffaloes team they might not have a spot and urged them to leave to make room for other players.

During the first game, Colorado shocked the college football world by beating TCU, last year's national title runner-up, 45-42, in a contest that drew a large Black TV audience.

What he's saying: "It's tremendous. It's not a burden whatsoever. It's a blessing," Sanders told reporters after being asked about people comparing Colorado to the Fab Five or being called Black America's Team. 

Sanders said his players weren't even born when those other teams were playing but his older coaches know and see similarities.

"I don't think our young men inside that locker room understand the moment."

Zoom out: Sanders, known for his swag and boasting, has brought that personality to Colorado and drawn criticism from other college coaches.

Yet that swag once displayed by Muhammad Ali, Jack Johnson and scores of Negro League baseball players is attractive to many Black Americans in the face of discrimination.

"So many people hold on to the misguided belief that there are 'right ways' to do something, to achieve the highest success in sports. And that 'right way' for Black folks ought to be as far from flashy as possible," Suddler said.

Yes, but: While Black America is embracing the Colorado Buffaloes, Boulder is a town with a Black population of 1%.

The University of Colorado has a Black student population of less than 3%.

Nearby Denver has a Black population of 9%, and its Five Points neighborhood was once called the "Harlem of the West."

The historic Black neighborhood where Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and Miles Davis once performed in packed rooms has become a major base for Sanders' support.

What's next: No. 19 Colorado Buffaloes take on No. 10 Oregon on Saturday in what will likely be the weekend's most-watched college football matchup.

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Coach Prime's making Colorado "Black America's team"

Black celebrities from Snoop Dogg to Dwayne Johnson are hyping the Buffs while Black households are glued to Colorado games.

Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes celebrates with quarterback Shedeur Sanders after a fourth-quarter touchdown against the Colorado State Rams at Folsom Field on Sept. 16 in Boulder. Photo: Dustin Bradford/Getty Images

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Michigan State leadership is under scrutiny for its handling of sexual harassment allegations made against football coach Mel Tucker.

Why it matters: Tucker's sudden suspension Sunday came with little explanation from university officials, leaving some to question whether anything has actually changed at MSU since the 2018 Larry Nassar scandal exposed systemic failures in dealing with sexual assault survivors.

What they're saying: "There has been one consistent trajectory at MSU. Obfuscate and wait. Repeatedly refuse transparency and accountability," Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to speak publicly against Nassar, posted on social media Sunday.

Catch up fast: Tucker's initial ascent at MSU was sudden and celebrated. He was rewarded in 2021 with a $95 million, 10-year contract.

Everything changed early Sunday, when USA Today published a bombshell report detailing accusations from public speaker and rape survivor Brenda Tracy that Tucker "made sexual comments about her and masturbated" during a phone call in April 2022.

Tracy, who was hired to work with the MSU football team starting in 2021, filed a complaint in December with MSU's Office for Civil Rights, which is responsible for preventing and investigating allegations of sexual misconduct and other forms of harassment on campus.

The outside attorney MSU hired completed an investigation into the allegations in July.

Tucker "acknowledged masturbating on the call" to the investigator, per USA Today, but denied any misconduct, characterizing it as consensual phone sex.

The latest: Tucker released a statement Monday that called the allegations "completely false" and asserted the university's investigation is biased.

State of play: Michigan State is facing a growing uproar about why it suspended Tucker only after the news leaked and did not act several months ago, when officials were made aware of the complaint.

Interim university president Teresa Woodruff and athletic director Alan Haller briefed a handful of trustees on the complaint in December, the Detroit News reports.

"This morning's news might have sounded like the MSU of old," Woodruff said at Sunday's press conference. "It was not. It is not because an independent, unbiased investigation is and continues to be conducted."

The other side: "MSU is only doing the right thing now because they've been called out and there's been publicity around it," Lori Bullock, an attorney who represented MSU swimmers and divers in a previous Title IX case, told the News.

What's next: A university hearing to decide whether Tucker broke MSU policy is slated for the week of Oct. 5, per the News.

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Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker, who was suspended without pay Sunday, walks the sideline at Spartan Stadium against Central Michigan this month. Photo: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images

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ACC proposed expansion, 2024-25

Data: Axios Research; Graphic: Rahul Mukherjee and Erin Davis/Axios; Note: Notre Dame is independent for football.

The Atlantic Coast Conference will include teams on both the East and West Coasts: It voted on Friday to add Stanford, California and SMU as new members next school year.

Why it matters: Conference realignment is drastically reshaping the college sports landscape and pushing student-athletes to travel vast distances for games.

The ACC will join the Big Ten as one of two college sports conferences that have member schools on both coasts.

Driving the news: The additions will expand its membership to 18, including 17 schools that will play football in the conference full time.

These will be the conference's first new members since Louisville joined in 2014.

Between the lines: Stanford and Cal's joining the ACC is a major blow to the Pac-12 Conference, which will have just two remaining programs: Washington State and Oregon State.

Other Pac-12 members are departing for either the Big 10 or the Big 12 Conference starting in 2024.

By the numbers: The furthest distance between two ACC members — Boston College and Stanford — will be nearly 2,700 miles.

The average distance between the colleges currently in the ACC is approximately 886 miles, Axios' Erin Davis notes. 

With the new schools, the average grows to 2,070 miles.

The big picture: The ACC has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue in recent fiscal years. But it's still far behind the Big Ten and the SEC.

The gap between the Big Ten, the SEC and everyone else is expected to widen even further after a series of major media deals were signed.

Go deeper: College football ticket sales are "through the roof"

College football ticket sales are "through the roof"

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ACC expands to the Pacific with Stanford, Cal and SMU

The additions will bump the conference's membership up to 18.

A map showing the proposed expansions of the ACC for the 2025-25 season. The teams will expand, with the distance between the furthest teams doubling.

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

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The Big Ten college football season is about to begin. 

Why it matters: It's the last season the teams will compete in their existing divisions as the conference is set to expand next year.

Catch up fast: Here is a quick preview from our Axios Local reporters on how their respective teams stack up in 2023.

Star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. at the Ohio Stadium in April. Photo: Ben Jackson/Getty Images

The No. 3 OSU Buckeyes are poised to compete for their first national title since 2015 under fifth-year head coach Ryan Day, writes Axios Columbus' Tyler Buchanan.

Mostly, the team is focused on avenging two-straight losses to its maize and blue rival up north.

The intrigue: Kyle McCord will be the Buckeyes' starting quarterback in the first game against Indiana — but Day says Devin Brown will also get some play time. 

The two players are battling to replace NFL-bound C.J. Stroud.

Photo of a football player on the field looking at coaches 

J.J. McCarthy during the Michigan spring game in April. Photo: Jaime Crawford/Getty Images

Ann Arbor is buzzing with national championship expectations — and with good reason, writes Axios Detroit's Joe Guillen.

The intrigue: Those aspirations hinge on star quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who can be turnover-prone despite his dynamic athleticism.

Yes, but: The early-season cupcake schedule makes coach Jim Harbaugh's three-game suspension a virtual non-issue.

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Running back Nicholas Singleton (10) after running for an 80-plus-yard touchdown against Utah Utes in the Rose Bowl. Photo: Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images

Rosy projection or rose-colored glasses? Only time will tell for Penn State, which is coming off an 11-win season and a Rose Bowl win, writes Axios Philadelphia's Isaac Avilucea.

Zoom in: The Nittany Lions have one of the best returning rosters in the Big Ten and are being lauded as potential College Football Playoff contenders.

Yes, but: Penn State must get past Ohio State and Michigan, both ranked in the Top 5 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, to do so.

Easier said than done, considering that head coach James Franklin is a combined 4-14 against those teams. Plus, he's never beat both in the same season.

Indiana University coach Tom Allen during a game last year. Photo: Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

IU regrettably starts its season against Ohio State, and even optimistic fans can't say this is ideal, writes Axios' Lindsey Erdody.

State of play: The Hoosiers only won six games during the last two seasons combined, but defensive changes and stronger wide receivers on the roster could make a big difference this year.

Yes, but: Coach Tom Allen still hasn't publicly said who the starting quarterback will be.

My prediction: It'll be a rollercoaster, but IU just might eke out six wins to qualify for a bowl game.

Head coach Mel Tucker of the Michigan State Spartans last November. Photo: Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Coach Mel Tucker is under pressure to right the ship and justify his $95 million contract after the Spartans stumbled to a 5-7 record last season, writes Axios Detroit's Joe Guillen. 

What to watch: The starting quarterback is still a mystery with the season opener just days away.

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Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Gavin Wimsatt runs during a game against Maryland last November. Photo: Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Head coach Greg Schiano is still trying to recapture the magic from his first run at Rutgers (2005-2011), when he led the team to several winning seasons. 

Since returning in 2019, Schiano and Rutgers have been basement dwellers in the Big Ten East. 

What's new: Not a lot, which is a good thing. Several veterans return. 

The Iowa defense surrounds a Nevada running back during a game last year at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Photo: Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The offense is going to be low-scoring and the defense will be nasty — just another normal fall in Iowa City, writes Axios' Everett Cook.

Driving the news: ESPN ranks the Hawkeyes defense No. 6 in the country, noting the team is "78-36 since 2014 and 51-23 since 2017, despite having an offense that ranks 91st and 93rd nationally in scoring over the same two spans."

And, sure, the offense averaged just under 18 points per game last season, but Iowa gets to avoid both Michigan and Ohio State in conference play this year. A trip back to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game might be in the cards.

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Jer'Zhan Newton (4 )and Calvin Hart Jr. (5 )of the Illinois Fighting Illini sack Payton Thorneof the Michigan State Spartans in November. Photo: Michael Hickey/Getty Images

The Illini were a breath of fresh air last season under new head coach Bret Bielema, winning eight games and making a bowl game for the first time since 2019, writes Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann. 

Yes, but: The team lost several stars to the NFL draft, including running back Chase Brown and cornerback Devon Witherspoon. 

The intrigue: The Illini still have several returning players on the defense, which led the nation in scoring last season. 

If they can get good play from Ole Miss transfer Luke Altmyer at quarterback, they could make a play for the Big Ten West. 

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Purdue Boilermakers head coach Ryan Walters during the Big Ten Conference Media Days in July at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Photo: James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Purdue has a new head coach this year, with Ryan Walters taking over after spending the last two years as defensive coordinator at Illinois, writes Axios' Lindsey Erdody.

State of play: The Boilermakers had a great season last year, going 8-6 overall, winning the Big Ten West division and playing in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Yes, but: The team lost five players to the NFL, including quarterback Aidan O'Connell.

My prediction: Purdue will still be good — not as good, but good enough to make it their third bowl game in a row.

Minnesota wide receiver Le'Meke Brockington during the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl last December. Photo: Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Gophers are coming off a 9-4 season, but graduated two All-Americans — center John Michael Schmitz and running back Mohamed Ibrahim, writes Axios Twin Cities' Nick Halter.

While there's still some promising talent on the roster, a much tougher schedule this year has lowered expectations for the program.

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Nebraska Cornhuskers cheerleaders at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. Photo: Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

The Cornhuskers invested big in the head coach, bringing in Matt Rhule, formerly of the Carolina Panthers. 

The Nebraska faithful are hoping Rhule can turn around what was a rough 2022 and get them back to a bowl game, especially with new  quarterback Jeff Sims, who transferred from Georgia Tech. 

Photo of a football player on the field. 

Maema Njongmeta of the Wisconsin Badgers rushes the quarterback against the Maryland Terrapins in November. Photo: John Fisher/Getty Images

The Badgers begin a new era with first-year head coach Luke Fickell. 

Zoom in: The coaching staff is implementing new systems on both sides of the ball, which may change the run-first mentality at Camp Randall. 

The other side: Maema Njongmeta returns at linebacker to anchor what could be a much-improved defense. 

The bottom line: A weak Big Ten West schedule could bring the Badgers back. 

Photo of a man walking with his head down 

Northwestern Wildcats interim head coach David Braun after speaking to the media during the Big Ten Conference Media Days. Photo: James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It's been an ugly offseason for the Cats, writes Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann.

What's happening: A hazing scandal engulfed the football team and led to the firing of head coach Pat Fitzgerald. 

The team promoted new defensive coordinator David Braun to interim head coach.

Zoom in: Northwestern lost several starters from last season, including offensive lineman Peter Skoronski, who was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the NFL Draft. 

Yes, but: Maybe losing players from last year won't hurt, since the team went 1-11. 

The current players have rallied around the new head coach and the football program, but even winning games may not remove the stain of this continuing scandal. 

Photo of football player running with a ball. 

Taulia Tagovailoa looks to pass in the Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in December. Photo: Grant Halverson/Getty Images

The Terrapins are hoping that offseason continuity will translate into more wins this season. 

Zoom in: Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa is the school's all-time passing leader as he enters his senior year. 

The younger brother of NFL star Tua Tagovailoa told reporters he was offered "crazy money" to transfer this offseason to an unnamed SEC team, but he chose to stay with the Terrapins.

The other side: The defensive line could be better after using the transfer portal to collect more talent up front. 

Yes, but: Maryland has to face Big Ten East powerhouses Penn State and Michigan this year. 

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NCAA

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All NCAA stories

Coach Prime's making Colorado "Black America's team"

Michigan State under fire for Mel Tucker suspension

ACC expands to the Pacific with Stanford, Cal and SMU

Your guide to 2023 Big Ten football

College football ticket sales are "through the roof"

College sports viewership is on fire

In college baseball, home runs are on the rise

College football's transfer portal is in overdrive

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