CSU coach Norvell takes shot at Buffs’ Sanders

Colorado State coach Jay Norvell just heated up the rivalry with No. 18 Colorado by poking at his counterpart Deion Sanders, writes Pat Graham of The Associated Press.

On his coach’s show Wednesday night, Norvell made a reference to Sanders’ tendency to wear a hat along with sunglasses at news conferences and said that “when I talk to grownups, I take my hat and my glasses off.”

Norvell also mentioned his players had a “chip on their shoulder” after conducting interviews with ESPN in advance of the game dubbed the Rocky Mountain Showdown. The Rams are a 231⁄2-point underdog, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, on Saturday night against Colorado at sold-out Folsom Field.

“I sat down with ESPN, and I don’t care if they hear it in Boulder, I told them I took my hat off and I took my glasses off,” Norvell said on his show that airs from a restaurant in Fort Collins. “That’s what my mother taught me.”

His words drew applause from the crowd. The Rams (0-1) have lost five straight to Colorado (2-0) in the series.

Sanders responded Thursday at practice. In a video posted on YouTube, Sanders started out by saying: “Beautiful day, ain’t it?”

“I’m minding my own business, watching some film, trying to get ready, trying to get out here and be the best coach I can be,” he continued. “I look up and read some bull-junk that they said about us. Once again, why would you want to talk about us when we don’t talk about nobody? ...

“But when they give us ammunition, they done messed around and made it, what?”

His team responded in unison: “Personal.”