Coach Deion Sanders is making a return trip to his home state this week.

Alongside him is Travis Hunter, the standout player for Colorado football.

However, an impending hurricane is set to hit Florida, prompting the Colorado Buffaloes to depart on Wednesday instead of Thursday for their game against Central Florida on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET in Orlando. Rain is also expected over the weekend, leading to another challenging homecoming for the Buffaloes, as they face steep odds as underdogs against the Knights (3-0).

“These guys are ready to go back home,” said Colorado safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, who hails from Alabama. “Everyone is eager to trade tickets and everything. We have a ton of people coming to the game, so there’s a lot of excitement about heading down to Florida.”

Colorado currently features 18 players from Florida on its roster, ranking just below Texas, which has 21 players, and ahead of Colorado itself, which has 14 players from the state.

This count excludes Hunter, who grew up in West Palm Beach before moving to Georgia, and starting tackle Jordan Seaton, who attended IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, but is originally from Washington, D.C. Coach Sanders, 57, is from Fort Myers, roughly 160 miles from Orlando, and has emphasized recruiting players he calls his “Florida boys.” He was asked about their unique attributes during a press conference.

“It’s that hunger, that determination, that desire, that feeling of being against the world. Many have not had the best situations, but they strive to make the most of what they have, reflecting on how their parents overcame tough times and adversity,” Sanders explained.

Sanders pointed out the significant number of NFL players from Florida. According to a report by MaxPreps, Florida has the second-highest number of players in the NFL this year with 184, just behind Texas with 173. Last year, Florida ranked fifth per capita in NFL players, at one for every 121,001 residents, behind Deep South states like Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, as reported by NFL.com.

“Our Florida players are thrilled, but they also understand that we have a job to do,” Sanders mentioned during his Tuesday press conference in Boulder.

Colorado listed as heavy underdogs against UCF

The Buffaloes are currently facing a 15.5-point deficit against UCF, as per BetMGM. They will be up against a Knights team that is fresh off a bye week and holds the top national ranking in rushing offense with an average of 375.7 yards per game, driven by quarterback KJ Jefferson and Orlando’s own RJ Harvey, who is fourth nationally with an average of 149.3 rushing yards per game. In contrast, Colorado’s rushing game ranks fifth worst in the nation, averaging only 68.8 yards per game, coming off a thrilling comeback win against Baylor that featured a dramatic finish and a standout play by Hunter.

“We feel foolish for putting ourselves in that situation, and we don’t want to repeat it,” Sanders reflected on the conclusion of the Baylor game. “We believe we are better than that, but we are incredibly grateful and appreciative that our players didn’t give up and prevailed.”

Updates on Injuries for Shilo Sanders and Dallan Hayden

Coach Sanders mentioned that his son Shilo, a safety for Colorado, is unlikely to be back from a forearm injury until the next game after UCF, which will be on October 12 at home against Kansas State. Shilo has been sidelined for the last two games due to this injury incurred during a loss to Nebraska on September 7.

Deion Sanders also stated that two other key players, running back Dallan Hayden (a transfer from Ohio State) and defensive lineman Chidozie Nwankwo (a transfer from Houston), are expected to return from their respective injuries.

Coach Prime discusses Shohei Ohtani, Rickey Henderson, and Barry Bonds

In a recent interview, Sanders, a former Major League Baseball player, was asked about the exceptional talents of Shohei Ohtani, who recently achieved the rare feat of hitting 50 home runs and stealing 50 bases in a single season.

“He’s incredible, man,” Sanders stated. “You can compare him to the like of Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. That’s the level he operates on. He’s accomplishing things we’ve never even imagined.”

He also shared his personal insights.

“In my opinion, the best baseball player I’ve ever played with and witnessed has to be Barry Bonds and Rickey Henderson,” he noted. “I adore Rickey Henderson. He was phenomenal, and I always aspired to be like him.”

Henderson holds the all-time record for stolen bases with 1,406 over a 25-year career. He played in an era when pitchers didn’t have constraints on attempt limits for pickoffs to deter base thefts. Presently, pitchers are limited to two pickoff attempts per plate appearance.

“Can you imagine having Rickey Henderson with just two pickoff attempts? He’d be at third base in no time,” Sanders remarked.

Sanders also emphasized that Bonds, known for being the all-time home run leader, is the “greatest ever” and deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame, despite allegations of performance-enhancing drug use. Sanders played alongside Bonds during the 1995 season with the San Francisco Giants.

“If you threw a ball into his hitting zone, it was essentially a home run,” Sanders praised. “That’s just how exceptional he was.”

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer on Twitter @Schrotenboer.