Big 12 Football

Arizona Wildcats coach Chuck Cecil revealed he "didn't even know (he) was bleeding" after head-butting—or "love-tapping"—one of his players to fire him up.

The 60-year-old defensive assistant coach assured fans on social media that he was fine following Arizona's 49-7 loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils.

"Thanks for all the support and check-in's but I'm not entirely sure what all the fuss is about," Cecil shared on social media. "I didn't even notice I was bleeding, and it was a love tap, not a head butt! Clearly, turning 60 means I need to be a bit more careful with the thin skin, and maybe we should issue a disclaimer: 'Kids, don't try this at home; leave it to the professionals!"

Cecil, a former safety for the Green Bay Packers and Arizona Wildcats, played for the Packers from 1988 to 1992, recording 13 interceptions and 340 tackles during that span.

At Arizona, he finished with 21 interceptions over three years and won the 1987 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year.

Needless to say, the former Wildcat quite literally bleeds cardinal red and navy blue.

"Seriously, there's nothing that I love more (aside from my wife and daughter) than the University of Arizona, our players, and the incredible Wildcat community," Cecil wrote. "We need to come together, rally around our team/kids and work towards building a championship-winning program. That's my sole focus and the reason I returned from the NFL—to contribute in any way I can. Let's bear down and make it happen!"

Cecil has coached at Arizona since 2018, following a lengthy NFL coaching career with the Tennessee Titans, St. Louis Rams and Los Angeles Rams before returning to Tucson.

Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire slammed the College Football Playoff selection committee on Saturday for where Big 12 teams were placed in the latest playoff rankings.

Boise State is ranked above every Big 12 team at No. 11 in the Week 13 CFP rankings and could beat out the conference for a first-round bye.

"It's absolutely embarrassing what they're doing to this conference," McGuire said on Saturday. "If they look at it that way, if they sit there and say who's playing the best football, who's the most competitive conference, who week in and week out, what you see on tape and the games that you've got to play, I think the Big 12 should be in, the Big 12 champion should be in the Final Four."

McGuire added: "I think it's absolutely ridiculous what is happening at that level, with that committee."

The four conference champions ranked highest by the CFP committee earn an automatic spot in the playoff quarterfinals.

McGuire pointed out that the teams with a shot at the top spot in the power conferences played in other conferences last season, including former Pac-12 teams Oregon and Arizona State. Oregon has clinched a spot in the Big Ten championship game, while Arizona State can still qualify for the Big 12 title game.

"Just go back and think about that, I guess, whenever you're away, and you just change your patch on your jersey, that it actually means something that you're in a different conference, and that conference is all-powerful," McGuire said.

The CFP rankings are decided by a 13-person panel. McGuire expressed hope that the former football coaches among the group would have "more of an influence" on the rankings going forward.

McGuire's critiques echo a recent comment by conference commissioner Brett Yormark, who told Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger that the Big 12 champion deserved a spot among these top four seeds.

"Based on where we sit today, I see no rationale for the Big 12's champion not getting a first-round bye," Yormark said, per Dellenger. "The winner of our championship should receive a bye. I have a lot of trust in the selection committee and I'm sure they'll see it that way.

"Just look at the data. The data doesn't lie. From a strength-of-schedule standpoint, all four of our schools at the top of the standings are ranked ahead of Boise State."

The fifth of six CFP rankings will be released after Week 14 play wraps up on Tuesday, Dec. 3.

Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter may be sticking around for a bowl game, but they likely won't be in Boulder for long.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders said ahead of Friday's 52-0 shutout of Oklahoma State that Sanders and Hunter would be playing in a bowl game "because our fans deserve the absolute best."

But Sanders and Hunter are both potential first-round picks in the 2025 NFL draft, and whatever their bowl game and College Football Playoff results, the Buffaloes are due for major turnover this offseason.

Here's a look at which members of the 2024-25 Colorado roster are on track to leave the Buffaloes after this season.

Travis Hunter (WR/CB)

Hunter recently told reporters he "for sure" plans to enter the 2025 NFL draft. He is a lock to be selected after excelling on both offense and defense this season, even if his future pro team may limit him to one position. The B/R NFL Scouting Department currently projects him as the No. 1 pick of the draft. The two-way star has one year of college eligibility remaining but is a veritable lock to leave Boulder after this season.

Shedeur Sanders (QB)

Another projected first-round pick by B/R NFL scouts, Shedeur has also indicated he plans to enter the 2025 NFL draft rather than using his final year of college eligibility. Given that Colorado successfully flipped the commitment of five-star quarterback prospect Julian Lewis, the Buffaloes are already prepared to work on replacing him next season.

Shilo Sanders (S)

Shilo is less of a lock for the 2025 NFL draft than his brother. After undergoing shoulder surgery last spring, he has at times struggled to be effective on defense for the Buffaloes, and NFL Mock Draft Database shows his draft odds dropping throughout the 2024-25 season. Regardless of his draft results, the safety is in his final year of college eligibility and will not be returning to Boulder.

Dayon Hayes (DE)

Hayes transferred from Pitt last spring and provided a boost to the Buffaloes defense for the beginning of the season. He most recently played for the Buffs on Sept. 21 before undergoing surgery that ruled him out for the rest of the season. His injury calls into question his NFL draft odds, but given that he arrived in Boulder with just one year of eligibility and a redshirt season available he is likely to move on from the team this spring.

Jimmy Horn Jr. (WR)

Like Hayes, Horn is playing in his final year of eligibility. Also like Hayes, he has been sidelined with an injury, last playing on Nov. 9 at Texas Tech. With LaJohntay Wester and Will Sheppard having joined the team during the offseason, Horn had already seen his target share decrease prior to the injury, which could impact his draft odds coming out of his final season with the Buffaloes.

Will Sheppard (WR)

Another wideout in his final year of eligibility, Sheppard saw his draft stock climb as he received more targets following Horn's injury. He will be headed out of Boulder hoping to hear his name called in a later round of the draft.

LaJohntay Wester (WR)

Wester has seen his draft stock climb after he moved to the Big 12 out of Florida Atlantic ahead of his final year of college eligibility. He will join Horn and Sheppard as late-round draft hopefuls after this season.

Sanders recently told reporters that, like in previous seasons, the Buffaloes plan on using the transfer portal to fill in for holes in the roster.

"We haven't spoken to all the guys that are probably going to jump in the portal, but we're going to do some good things and replace some players who are pretty much irreplaceable," Sanders said.

Before taking another big swing at the transfer portal, the Buffaloes will continue leaning on Hunter and Sanders as the team prepares for its first bowl game since 2020.

No one is more confident in Travis Hunter's chances of winning the Heisman Trophy than his coach, Deion Sanders.

Following Hunter's standout performance in Colorado's 52-0 blowout victory over Oklahoma State, where he recorded 116 receiving yards on 10 receptions and three touchdowns, Sanders believes the competition is settled.

"Travis clinched the Heisman with his performance," Sanders told reporters after the game.

Hunter recorded one tackle and one interception on defense and his all-around performance was more than enough for Sanders to praise him after the game.

"What did he (have)? Three touchdowns, 100 yards and an interception and two passes broken up," said Sanders. "He should have had another pick, hit him right in the darn chest. I'm not happy with that but I'm happy with him."

Sanders' Heisman endorsement comes just days after he expressed frustration over Hunter being excluded from the list of finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award.

The Buffaloes' head coach won the award himself in 1988 while at Florida State.

"How is Travis Hunter snubbed by the Thorpe Award?" Sanders told reporters on Tuesday, per USA Today's Brent Schrotenboer. "You can have my award. You can have it back. Matter of fact, I'm going to give him mine. I ain't using it. It's just sitting up there collecting dust. So Travis can have my Thorpe Award, because if this ain't the most idiotic thing in college football, that he's not a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and he is, I would say arguably, but I don't think it's really an argument about this young man being the best defensive back in college football."

Hunter has -10000 odds of winning the Heisman Trophy, ahead of competitors Ashton Jeanty (+2500), Cam Ward (+20000) and Dillon Gabriel (+25000), according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

It's safe to say senior day was a success for the Colorado Buffaloes.

The final game of the regular season saw Colorado improve to 9-3 on the season with a 52-0 dismantling of Oklahoma State.

The day began with the senior day festivities and head coach Deion Sanders was able to escort his sons Shedeur and Shilo onto the gridiron.

When the game began, it was all Colorado from the jump. The Buffaloes scored 21 points in the first half and added the additional 31 in the final two quarters to secure the blowout victory.

Colorado produced 471 total offensive yards while limiting Oklahoma State to just 124. The Buffaloes defense forced four Cowboy turnovers and the Colorado offense was electric.

Shedeur Sanders went 34-of-41 for 438 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. During the game, he set Colorado's single-season passing record, which had been set by Koy Detmer 28 years ago and also earned the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

He is up to 3,926 yards on the season with 35 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. Fans took to social media to praise his play and project his NFL future.

Sanders wasn't the only one who had an excellent day. Two-way star Travis Hunter had 10 catches for 116 yards and three touchdowns on offense while securing an interception on defense.

Hunter is up to 92 catches with 1,152 with 14 touchdowns as a receiver and 12 interceptions on defense. Fans took to social media to praise his Heisman candidacy.

Colorado remains in contention for the Big-12 title game but will need some help in order to get there.

If the chips fall Colorado's way, a win in that game could secure the program a trip to the College Football Playoff. Regardless of how that shakes out, the Buffaloes are bowl-bound for the first time since 2020 and have nine wins for the first time since 2016.

One unnamed NFL executive believes that Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way athlete Travis Hunter will go one-two in the upcoming NFL draft.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz relayed the remarks Friday from Boulder, where the host Buffaloes crushed Oklahoma State 52-0.

Sanders threw for 438 yards and five touchdowns, three of which went to Hunter, who also caught 10 passes for 116 yards. On the defensive end, Hunter got an interception, his fourth of the year.

The latest B/R NFL Draft big board lists Hunter as the No. 1 prospect with a 9.2 grade out of 10. He's only one of three prospects to earn a grade of 9.0 or better alongside Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham and Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.

B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings wrote that "with proper development, Hunter has the tools to become a perennial Pro Bowler and one of the top cornerbacks in the league." He also compared Hunter to eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson.

In 12 regular season games, Hunter caught 92 passes for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also had 11 pass breakups and 31 tackles to go along with his four picls.

Sanders is ninth overall on the B/R NFL Draft big board and second among quarterbacks, right behind Miami's Cam Ward (No. 8 overall). B/R NFL Scout Dame Parson had this to say on him.

"Overall, Sanders' natural and pure passing abilities are the strength of his game. He is capable of winning from clean pockets and out of structure. Sanders will pick defenses apart with his quick release and accuracy, especially if he's kept clean. He is a high-floor prospect with a good enough ceiling to buy into. With his experience and the challenges he has faced, he is worth betting on."

Parson's pro comparison for Sanders was "shades of Joe Burrow & CJ Stroud."

For the regular season, Sanders threw for 3,926 yards and 35 touchdowns (eight interceptions).

It's not inconceivable to see Hunter and Sanders go one-two (in some order). Hunter is the clear top prospect in this year's draft given his tremendous versatility, and Sanders has a case to be QB1 heading into 2025, when multiple teams are looking for long-term signal-callers.

The latest NFL mock draft (Nov. 6) via Bleacher Report had Hunter No. 1 and Sanders No. 3.

We'll find out in five months where the two go when Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin hosts the festivities beginning on April 24.

The Colorado Buffaloes are continuing to wreck havoc on the recruiting trail.

Within a span of 30 minutes on Thursday night, the Buffaloes flipped the commitments of London Merritt, Alexander McPherson, Carde Smith and Quentin Gibson. The four had consecutive appearances on the Nightcap show hosted by Shannon Sharpe and Chad Ochocinco.

Merritt and McPherson are both edge rushers while Smith is an offensive tackle and Gibson is a wide receiver.

This wave of commitments comes just a week after the Buffaloes landed four-star quarterback Julian Lewis. The Buffaloes now have 15 hard commits and have the No. 32 ranked 2025 class, per 247 Sports composite rankings.

Merritt is the star of Thursday's commitments. He the No. 144 player nationally and the No. 13 edge rusher per 247's composite rankings. He has a 6-foot-two-and-a half, 250-pound frame and plays for IMG Academy. He had 39 total offers and was previously committed to Ohio State.

McPherson is also at IMG Academy and is rated as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports composite rankings. He has a six-foot-five-and-a half, 240-pound frame and had 19 total offers. He was previously committed to Oklahoma State.

Carde Smith is a four-star recruit per 247's composite rankings and plays at Williamson High School in Mobile, Alabama. He was previously committed to USC. Gibson is a three-star recruit from Fort Worth, Texas and had 26 total offers.

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders was pretty shocked that two-way star Travis Hunter wasn't a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation's top defensive back, calling the omission the "most idiotic thing in college football" while speaking to reporters on Tuesday.

In a behind-the-scenes video by Well Off Media on Wednesday, Sanders further elaborated on why he was so frustrated by the snub.

"How in the world can you be up for the player of the year, defensive player of the year, but [not the Thorpe]? How does that make sense?" he said in his office while meeting with Hunter ... "This is my theory. I figured it out, because it was on my mind all night. See, this is what they're thinking. They're thinking that you are going to win other awards, and you weren't going to be there. So guess what I did? I checked the dates of the award ceremonies. See this award ceremony is on the same date as this award ceremony. So they figure you're going to win this award and not want to come get that award."

He added: "Then when you look at the statistics, it really made me mad. That really made me mad. That really made me mad. But statistics shouldn't matter because it's the threat, like the threat. The threat, like I ain't gonna throw it over here 'cause I know."

If Sanders is referring to the Heisman Trophy ceremony, his timeline is a bit off, given that it takes place on Saturday, Dec. 14. The Jim Thorpe winner, meanwhile, will be announced at The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 12.

Hunter is already up for the Chuck Bednarik Award (Defensive Player of the Year), Biletnikoff Award (outstanding receiver) and Maxwell Award (Player of the Year) at that same awards show. He almost assuredly will be a finalist for the Heisman as well.

Another theory, of course, is that while Hunter's offensive stats jump off the page (82 catches for 1,036 yards and 11 interceptions)—and his player of the year candidacies are supported by the fact that he's playing at a high level on both offense and defense—his stats at cornerback aren't quite as impressive.

This season, he posted 30 tackles, nine passes defensed, three interceptions and a forced fumble.

That argument falls apart on two fronts, however. First, consider the defensive stats from the Thorpe finalists. Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron has registered 41 tackles, eight passes defensed, four interceptions and a sack. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs has 50 tackles, three passes defensed and zero interceptions. And Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks has 55 tackles, two passes defensed and an interception.

Unless you really value tackles, those statistical profiles for defensive backs aren't more impressive than what Hunter has posted.

Plus, as Sanders noted, Hunter has put up his numbers despite teams avoiding his side of the field.

"He rarely gets thrown at," he told reporters. "They just messed up all the integrity of the award and he can have mine. Whoever's voting down there, whoever's bringing it home, thank you. Because I don't even want mine now. God bless you."

So you can understand Sanders—a former Jim Thorpe award-winner himself—sticking up for his guy. And while he may be a touch biased, he's also a Hall of Fame cornerback and his evaluation of the cornerback position is highly credible. And frankly, even from an outside perspective, it's hard to find a logical basis for the Thorpe not naming Hunter a finalist.

Shedeur Sanders will undoubtedly be one of the first quarterbacks off the board in the 2025 NFL draft, but one draft expert believes he also would have been an early pick in last year's draft.

Mel Kiper of ESPN said on Wednesday that he would have the Colorado quarterback as the fourth quarterback off the board, just behind Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, who were the top three picks in April.

"From a grades standpoint, Shedeur would be fourth," Kiper said (22:20 mark). "Behind the elite three and then fall in right there with (J.J.) McCarthy, (Michael) Penix and (Bo) Nix. That's where Shedeur and Cam Ward would fall. The grades would be closer to them than it would to the top three."

Sanders has had an outstanding season, throwing for 3,488 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions along with four touchdowns on the ground. Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department lists him as the No. 9 overall player in this year's draft class and the No. 2 quarterback, just behind Miami's Cam Ward.

This year's draft might not see as many quarterbacks taken in the first round as last year, but with the way Sanders has played, it's well within reason to think he could be selected on Day 1.

Behind Sanders, Colorado is 8-3 on the year after going 4-8 last season. While the Buffs' College Football Playoff hopes took a hit with last week's upset loss to Kansas, they can steal make the Big 12 championship and have a chance to get an automatic bid to the CFP if they win in the title game.

First, they'll have to handle business against Oklahoma State on Friday.

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was fortunate to avoid a knee injury from a late hit during Saturday's loss to Kansas, but he downplayed the entire situation Tuesday.

"Initially, nothing, honestly," he said on his podcast (1:30 mark) when asked what was going through his head after the play that generated plenty of buzz on social media. "It's just, did I complete the pass? I didn't hear our crowd that was there cheer, so I realized it was an incomplete pass."

Officials did not give Kansas a 15-yard penalty for the hit despite how bad it looked:

With that play as the backdrop, Sanders also gave advice to younger quarterbacks and suggested they always keep their knees bent when playing.

"It works for me, personally," he said. "... I never keep my legs locked out. Because that's when you have those knee injuries and all that type of stuff."

While Sanders avoided an injury, his team was unable to avoid a third loss on the season.

Kansas won 37-21 despite the Buffaloes quarterback throwing for 266 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Jayhawks running back Devin Neal was unstoppable with 207 yards and three scores on the ground, and the Colorado defense was unable to get any important stops when the game was hanging in the balance.

The loss was quite the blow for Colorado's College Football Playoff chances, but it is still one of nine teams that can make the Big 12 Championship Game heading into the final week of the regular season.

The Buffaloes will need to defeat Oklahoma State on Friday and then receive some help to make that a reality, but at least Sanders will be on the field after taking such a worrying hit against Kansas.