He did really well at the FCS level, so I'm sure he had a TON of G5 offers.  But P5s (especially established P5s) are going to be a bit more restrained in making a controversial hire.   He's not done anything at the FBS level yet and there are (quite possibly unfounded) concerns about not playing by the rules.

 

 

So which of the 24 FBS (11 P5) schools with an opening should have offered him?

• Among Bigger Name Schools
• Nebraska?  Hired Matt Rhule who has a reputation for resurrecting programs from the ashes, so that's defensible
• Wisconsin? Hired Luke Fickell from Cincy who just brought a G5 to the playoffs and knows the midwest.
• Auburn?  OK, yeah, Hugh Freeze has a lot of concerns and I don't love the hire...but he also has success coaching in the South and (somehow) turned Liberty into a solid team
• Stanford?  Stanford would have been a fit and Deion could sell it hard... but they've got their own issues with academics and admissions. It's a longer rebuild here since they can't really use the portal.  Also, unsure how many of his JSU players (including his son) he could have brought in
• Mississippi St?  This would have been a good fit for Deion...but the school wanted continuity after the sudden passing of Mike Leach.  I get and respect that
  
  And now we're into jobs that are on par with Colorado
• Louisville?  Is this better or worse than the Colorado job?  About the same?  In any case, they got native son Jeff Brohm, which carries extra value as he's more likely to stay even with success
• Georgia Tech?  This is another one that would make some sense... great location, and (like Colorado) a solid history that has fallen apart.  GaTech wanted to reward the interim coach though who coached the team to 4-4, better than the previous coach ever did.  Generally I think elevating an interim coach is a mistake, but I get where they're coming from
• Arizona St?  They wanted to go very young with Kenny Dillingham.  I could see Sanders making sense here as well (PAC and Big 12 also have the clearest path to playoff), and honestly wouldn't be surprised if they did offer him
• Purdue?  Another team that may well have offered Sanders... but not any more high-profile than Colorado and has to deal with Michigan and Ohio St in conference.
• Cincinnati?  Another possible fit... but again, not a school where you call them a big name, or bigger than Colorado.  Like Colorado, they do have the advantage of going to a conference without a clear top dog.
  
  G5 jobs that are certainly worse than Colorado
• Liberty - G5, plus some other limitations/implications with religious affiliation that make it tougher
• Florida Atlantic - Great location/fit... but G5.  They also hired a big name of their own in Tom Herman
• Tulsa -  yeah, anybody takes Colorado over that one
• Navy - G5 with recruiting restrictions... No thank you
• Kent St - Not even a high end G5 and not a great location
• Texas St - location would be great...but G5
• North Texas - See above
• South Florida - Another good location, but hindered by G5 affiliation
• Coastal Carolina - Underrated location, but G5
• UNLV - Same story as Coastal Carolina.  Underrated location, but G5.  If a PAC invite came, then it might be a fit
• UAB - Nobody wants to compete in the same state as Bama and Auburn
• Charlotte - New FBS program, I'm sure they'd want him...but of course he'd choose Colorado over them
• Western Michigan - .... No

 

Colorado gives him an easier path to the playoffs, with a historically respected program that is willing to take a shot on a relative unknown.  There just weren't many "big name" programs out there looking for a new HC this year.  Nebraska was the only one.  And even if you stretch it to include Wisconsin, Auburn, Stanford, Miss St, there's reasons for each of those to pass on him, given who they got.