At the Colorado game against Utah, 54,646 fans at Folsom Field and Ralphie the Buffalo sang “Happy birthday” in unison in honor of her centennial… for “the rock” that holds the Buffs Nation together: Peggy Coppom or affectionately known as Miss Peggy. But Deion Sanders, who dedicated the season to getting the new centenarian to a bowl game, has a sweet gesture in reserve on Tuesday for her official birthday.

And when his 100-year-old friend walks up to her seat, Deion wouldn’t allow that to happen without hype! Assisted by Coach Prime and a round of thunderous claps at the press room, Peggy was given a special honor when Prime Time announced that a special line of apparel would be launched, some proceeds of which are going to her and her family.

“She is the epitome of CU Buffs. She is the epitome of Buff Nation. She is the rock that holds us all together. And I’m thankful to know her.” The day was over and Sanders was back to doing what he loves every day. Back to the locker room on Wednesday but only Deion was still hung on those strong imprints that Peggy had left in him.

He shared with the boys, “Guys, I had the honor and the pleasure to share a press conference yesterday with Miss Peggy. Peggy turned 100 years old. That in itself is a statement to understand what she’s seen, what she’s been through, what she’s absorbed, what she’s condoned, what she’s condemned.” 
He continued, “I mean her life is a picture of God’s grace and every time I talk to her she’s so appreciative of the moment and of the day and that’s the same thing that you’re taking for granted. You have a tremendous moment and you have a tremendous day, to go out there and attain any darn thing you want and often times you’re letting it escape you and you’re allowing it to slip by when you will never get this moment in this day back. Think about that and do something about it today.”

Coach Prime is often seen sprinkling words of advice to his players and this was no different. Only this time, he used the example of Miss Peggy, who has been attending Colorado games since the 1940s and has reportedly only missed three home games since 1966.

Incidentally, one of those rare occasions came a few weeks ago when the Buffs secured bowl eligibility with a 34-23 win over Cincinnati, when Peggy couldn’t make it after contracting COVID. But Sanders made sure to talk about Peggy to his players and gave her a call from the locker room to let her know that she would be going to a bowl game.

On the call, he told Peggy, “

We love you, we appreciate you, and we wanna thank you and we congratulate you for being able to go to a bowl game this year.” At the end of the call, all the Buffs players and coaches said, “We love you Peggy” as she was equally appreciative of the gesture.

She said, “I’m so happy thank you so much for the turnaround you have done for us. Thank you for that.” During Sanders’s time in Boulder, his bond with Miss Peggy was one of the heartwarming stories.

Last year, he invited Peggy to the 2023 Spring Game, where she kicked the ball off to open the game and Sanders announced her as the MVP of that game. They also celebrated a 2023 win over Nebraska by dancing together.

During the Tuesday press conference, Sanders described Peggy as the glue holding the Buffs community together. “She’s always greeted me with love, compassion, support, stability and hope. And I’m thankful to know her. I’m thankful that she can get to me anytime she desires to and I’m thankful to be celebrating her 100th with her. She is the epitome of CU Buffs. She is the epitome of Buff Nation. She is the rock that holds us all together. And I’m thankful to know her. I really am,” he said.

Meanwhile, Coach Prime and the Buffs also had a surprise lined up for Peggy’s milestone birthday

Deion Sanders’ heartfelt gesture on Peggy Coppom’s 100th birthday

Folks, she turned 100! Not many of us will be lucky to celebrate our special day at this age. So, it had to be special, right? At 11 a.m., Coppom made an appearance with Deion where the Buffs HC had a surprise ready for her. He announced a new line of apparel only in honor of the Buffs’ biggest fan. Also, the proceeds from the brand will be going to benefit her and her family. Wait, that’s not the end!

She then attended a birthday party, that her church planned on her special day which ended with a dinner at her favorite fine dining joint, The Boulder Cork. No, she didn’t take a rest. Yes, Deion was right when he said that Coppom could have beaten his mother, Connie Knight when she was 40. And now you know where he came from when he said that Coppom is “appreciative of the moment.”

The busy week of celebration saw her attending the Colorado vs Utah game on Saturday, November 16. There the Buffs ticked off all the boxes to make her feel special. 

As tagged by Deion Sanders, it was indeed an “epic” moment. The Folsom Field was filled to the brim as all the tickets were sold out. The fans sang “Happy Birthday” to Peggy Coppom in unison. This was enough to make Coach Prime emotional as he later confessed, “I had to turn away from the screen, because I was getting ready to cry.”

Even at 100, this superfan’s vibrant spirit keeps fueling the Colorado Buffaloes, while Deion Sanders and his team make sure she knows she’s their MVP.