BOULDER, Colo. – Contrary to his “Prime Time” nickname during his playing days, Deion Sanders definitely prefers those early kickoffs.

It's just the coaching side of him coming through, even if these late-night games give the Colorado Buffaloes more exposure on national television.

Sanders was filled with a list of “likes” and “dislikes” at his weekly press conference on Tuesday. On the Likes page of the ledger were the manicured grass he sees on his walks around campus (he's talked about it quite a bit), the strength of his sack-producing defense, and the improved health of two-way standout Travis Hunter, and a Victory away from bowl eligibility.

Then there were his “dislikes,” which involved relying on analysis rather than gut decisions, and of course the late starts that sometimes ended well past bedtime.

“We don't like it, but we love it,” said Sanders, whose Buffaloes (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) host Cincinnati (5-2, 3-1) on Saturday, with kickoff scheduled for 10 a.m.: 3 p.m. ET on ESPN. “We will not turn up our noses when we appear on national television. Yes, we might argue over time, but we are still thankful and thankful.”

The Buffaloes on late night television usually provide entertaining theater. Colorado beat Baylor last month thanks to a Hail Mary pass for a TD that tied the score in regulation and a forced fumble by Hunter that secured the win in overtime.

This week, Sanders plans to implement a revamped routine to ensure his team is wide awake for the Bearcats.

“To make sure we sleep properly, rest properly and are ready and prepared for kickoff no matter what time it is,” Sanders said.

Sanders said the Buffaloes expect to have back a healthier version of Hunter, who was limited in a 34-7 win at Arizona last Saturday to give his ailing shoulder more time to recover. He had two catches for 17 yards on offense and one tackle on defense.

“He's on the right track conditioning-wise because he never gets tired, and we want him to stay the way he is,” Sanders said of his Heisman hopeful receiver/cornerback. “He will certainly contribute a lot more than he did a week ago because he is healthier.”

In Sanders' second year in Boulder, the Buffaloes are one win away from the program's first six-win season since 2016, when they finished 10-4 under coach Mike MacIntyre and advanced to the Alamo Bowl. Four years later, they also earned a bid to the same bowl in a 4-2 season with COVID restrictions under Karl Dorrell.

“We deserve what we are,” Sanders said. “But we actually feel like we are better than what we are because we are just beginning to see the fruits of our labor and understand the expectations we have for ourselves.”

“We could be in a much better place, but we control our own destiny and we like that.”

They're in the title game in a crowded Big 12 with two undefeated teams (No. 11 BYU and No. 10 Iowa State) and four others with a loss in conference play (No. 16 Kansas State, Cincinnati, Colorado and Texas Tech). .

Colorado's offense is scoring points (31 points per game), trailing Shedeur Sanders' play, although the game still struggles to find its rhythm at times.

The defense had 16 sacks in the last three games, including seven sacks against the Wildcats.

“We expect that. We expect them to be where they are right now,” the elder Sanders said of his pass rushers. “We expected this a few weeks ago. Right now they are meeting the expectations we have of them.”

Just don't mention the analysis.

“Who is this guy named Analytics?” I've never met him. I've never seen him before. I don't know what he looks like. Is he a winner? Is he wealthy? Is he broke? Who is he? I don't know what he looks like. “I don’t know what he looks like,” Sanders joked. “You have to know your team. Forget analytics, man. You have to know your team and what they are capable of.”

“Sometimes it’s just self-explanatory. I wasn't a math major in college, but I was pretty smart. I’m not going to sit there and do math on the side.”