JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Shedeur Sanders threw for four touchdowns and Jackson State routed Southern 43-24 on Saturday in the Southwest Athletic Conference championship, hours before Colorado hired father Deion Sanders away from the Tigers.

Colorado athletic director Rick George announced Saturday night that the school had hired Sanders as head coach after three seasons with the FCS program. Reports swirled before the game that Sanders would announce his departure after the game, following his acknowledgement earlier this week of an offer from the school and talks with other FBS programs about vacancies. Colorado's board of regents called a special meeting for Sunday but hadn't commented on any candidates taking over the Buffaloes until George's announcement.

Neither Sanders nor JSU players spoke to reporters afterward. A SWAC spokesman said the team had proceeded to go to campus for a team meeting, during which the coach told his team he had accepted the job at Colorado.