Deion Sanders certainly knows how to get a crowd going, and he didn’t disappoint Friday.

A year ago, the Colorado head football coach declared that the goal was to get Miss Peggy — CU’s 100-year-old superfan, Peggy Coppom — to a bowl game.

During the 36th annual Boulder Chamber Kickoff Luncheon at the Buffaloes’ Ford Practice Facility on Friday, Sanders took it a step farther for this year’s team.

“I hate sharing goals and thoughts and visions, because that’s really between me and God, but last year the goal was to get Miss Peggy to a bowl game,” Sanders said.

“That was the goal, and we did that. Now, when I’m talking to God, he told me I’ve got to be more specific. So this year we want to get Miss Peggy to a bowl game and win.”

The hundreds of fans in attendance certainly liked hearing that, as CU hasn’t won a bowl game since 2004, losing five in a row since then.

First up for the Buffs, though, is getting a retooled roster to prove it can get back to the postseason. CU, which went 9-4 and played in the Alamo Bowl last season, hasn’t been to back-to-back bowls since 2004 and 2005.

Several of the stars from last year, including Heisman Trophy-winning receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and Sanders’ record-breaking quarterback son, Shedeur, are gone, but Coach Prime continues to express confidence in a new team.

Hunter, Shedeur, and several other players from last year are currently in NFL training camps, leaving several holes to fill. CU could have 10 new starters on offense and eight on defense. Coach Prime, however, believes the staff has filled those holes.

“(The graduated players) are phenomenal players, but I feel like, wholeheartedly, this is a better football team, offensively, defensively, special teams,” he said.One of the returning starters, senior nickel back Preston Hodge, agreed with his coach.

The Buffs open the season against Georgia Tech on Aug. 29 at Folsom Field (6 p.m., ESPN), and Hodge said he’s eager to get going, “just to show the world that it’s still possible (to win), even though the team is different.”

On Saturday, CU will complete the third week of preseason camp, and Coach Prime is excited about the progress he’s seen on the field.

“I feel good. I feel really good,” he said. “I think we can go to another level. We hit a lull in the last week or so. They’re getting those camp bodies, and we got some injuries. … But I want these guys to take it to another level, because you (as fans) deserve that. How you give, how you support, how you encourage, these Buff fans are crazy.”

Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston gave a positive review of his side of the ball, saying that after the first three weeks, “I love where we’re at. We’ve got competition on all levels. … When you have competition, you stress to be the best. That’s what we’re seeing.”

On offense, the Buffs will look dramatically different without Shedeur, Hunter and three other receivers now in the NFL, but coordinator Pat Shurmur said his unit is coming along.

CU has had the worst rushing offense in the country the past two years, and when Shurmur said on the podium,

“I really believe we’re going to be able to run the ball better,” there was a loud cheer and applause from the fans in attendance.

“If we can run the ball and protect the passer a little better than we did last year, then all that fancy stuff will show up,” Shurmur said.

The fancy stuff includes the big plays, touchdowns, wins, a bowl appearance and, possibly, that elusive bowl win.

Like Coach Prime, Shurmur expressed his confidence in the Buffs to have a big year.

“I think this team can be tremendous,” he said, “and we should be in a position win every game we play.”