With Colorado football (4-5) in freefall mode for almost the entirety of conference play, the Buffaloes are in severe need of a mental boost going into Saturday's game against No. 23 Arizona (6-3). And they might have just gotten it, courtesy of a former player.

Linebacker Taylor Upshaw, who spent a few months with Colorado football before ultimately transferring to Arizona in May, has his sights set on star quarterback Shedeur Sanders. That is an understatement, actually.

Upshaw posted an Instagram video of a 1991 press conference between “Iron” Mike Tyson and Donovan “Razor” Ruddock, in which the legendary heavyweight makes some strong and unsavory comments about his opponent. Upshaw inserted a caption that he directed to Sanders. “Get Your Mind Right little boy,” he said, via AZ Band Cat Sports.

Them's fightin' words. An intriguing matchup between two Pac-12 programs on the rise (both headed to Big 12 in 2024) is now going to center around all the pregame chatter.

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Of course, the Buffaloes are no strangers to such a scenario, having engaged in multiple “personal” showdowns early in the season. But this one will hit differently for Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders and son Shedeur Sanders, especially based on what we now know.

Upshaw is sending a clear message to one of the nation's high-profile QBs. Sanders is posting mixed results against conference foes this season but is still marching towards an impressive 2023-24 campaign. Although Colorado football fans have seen him fired up before, there is no telling what reaction this verbal onslaught will evoke on Saturday afternoon.

In many ways, Arizona and Colorado football mirror one another. Both teams were stuck in irrelevancy before Jedd Fisch and Deion Sanders immediately rejuvenated them upon their respective arrivals.

The chance for any common ground is effectively gone now, though. Opening kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET.