Deion Sanders benches top QB recruit for NFL star’s brother as Colorado misery continues

Deion Sanders benched starting quarterback Julian Lewis as Colorado suffered a second straight miserable defeat.

Lewis, a prized recruit across the country, decommitted from USC to commit to Sanders and the Buffaloes at the height of their momentum with Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter back in 2024.

Lewis served as backup to Kaidon Salter last year before taking over as the starter this year. But at halftime of just the fourth game of the season, he was pulled and replaced by Isaac Wilson, younger brother of NFL quarterback Zach Wilson.

The Colorado offense scored just three points in the first half of Saturday’s road game against Baylor with Lewis under center.

After he was replaced by Wilson, a transfer from Utah, the Buffaloes offense improved but still fell to a 23-13 loss to drop to 2-2 on the season.

It marked the second straight tough loss for Colorado having been beaten 41-7 by Northwestern last week.

Lewis had a tough afternoon as Colorado scored just three points in the first half in Waco

Asked about benching Lewis after the game, Sanders said: ‘I’ll take the responsibility. It was a decision that I made because I was trying to get us going. 

‘That’s it, just based on let’s go, we gotta get going. We gotta score some points. Isaac came in – a little shaky, nervous, I don’t know what – then he calmed down a little bit and got us down the field. Did his job. That’s all we wanted.’ 

After last week’s loss, in which Lewis threw two interceptions, Sanders tried to defend his young quarterback. 

‘Don’t put that much pressure on him; let’s take it off,’ Sanders said. ‘That’s going to happen. You didn’t think we were going to go through the darn whole season without a pick [did you]? That’s not going to happen.’  

Lewis was considered a big coup for the program, becoming Sanders’ third five-star and his highest rated recruit since he flipped Travis Hunter from Florida State to Jackson State before becoming Colorado head coach.

‘It was a great thing for the program,’ Sanders said at the time. ‘We know that’s been in the working for quite some time. Great kid, great talent. I like the qualities and the home structure. I like all of that, and I can’t wait to be a part of his life and coach him.’ 

Ahead of the first game of this season, Sanders said: ‘He has all the intangibles that you need to be successful. Let’s do it. Let’s study. Let’s prepare.

‘These receivers are trying to go pro, so they’re depending on you. I’m not putting no pressure, but I want you to apply pressure…Just play your game.’ 

Isaac Wilson, younger brother of NFL quarterback Zach , replaced Lewis in the second half

Sanders saw his team beaten for the second straight week as their misery worsened

But Lewis is now facing questions over his future as starter in Boulder, while Wilson is looking to carve out the role for himself and follow in his older brother Zach’s NFL footsteps.

Asked what Lewis needs to improve after being benched against Baylor, Sanders told reporters not to ‘give up’ on him but admitted: ‘I don’t know. You’ve got to ask him that. That’s a good question for him.’ 

Having dropped their second straight game, Sanders insisted his team is better than their 2-2 record suggests.  

‘It seems as though we’re better than our opponents, but the score is just not dictating that,’ Sanders said. ‘And that’s the fascinating thing. We’ve got to find out why.’