Colorado Buffaloes Football

The Colorado Buffaloes had a bye this past week. It ended up working out just fine for them in the polls.

Deion Sanders' charges moved up to No. 21 in the Week 11 Associated Press Poll, an increase of two spots from last week.

Colorado, which sits at 6-2 on the season, was ranked for the first time last week after beating Cincinnati, 34-23. It was the team's second straight win in the Big 12 after smoking Arizona, 34-7.

"We have earned where we are," head coach Deion Sanders told reporters before the Cincy win. "We actually feel like we're better than what we are. Because we are just starting to see the fruit of the work and the understanding of the expectation that we have for ourselves. Forget what others have for us, but what we have for ourselves."

The team's Week 2 loss to Nebraska doesn't look quite as good in hindsight, as the Cornhuskers are just 5-4 on the year. The team also lost to Kansas State earlier in October, with the Wildcats (7-2) surprisingly ranked 22nd in the latest AP Poll, one spot below the Buffaloes.

Both teams are trying to catch No. 9 BYU (8-0, 5-0 in conference) and No. 17 Iowa State (7-1, 4-1) in the Big 12 with a spot in the championship game on the line. Colorado's remaining schedule includes conference matchups against Texas Tech, Utah, Kansas and Oklahoma State. Of that group, only the Red Raiders (6-3) currently have a winning record.

Behind star quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way dynamo Travis Hunter, the Buffs are in the hunt for a conference title. Win out, and they'll not only potentially have a shot in the conference title game, but perhaps the College Football Playoff as well.

There's a lot of football left to be played before that talk, however.

University of Colorado two-way superstar Travis Hunter provided some insight Saturday into how he prepares for games on a weekly basis.

Speaking to former Alabama head football coach Nick Saban on ESPN's College GameDay, Hunter divulged that he watches at least 10 hours of film every week on his own in addition to the film work the Buffaloes do together as a team:

Coach Saban talked to Travis Hunter about how he approaches practice as a two-way player 😤 pic.twitter.com/Nx2IBepnua

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 2, 2024

Hunter added that he practices at "full speed" and doesn't let anyone stop him even though head coach Deion Sanders attempts to rein him in at times.

The 21-year-old Hunter is the most unique player in FBS college football in that he stars on both sides of the ball as a wide receiver and cornerback, and regularly plays over 100 snaps per game.

After bursting on the scene last season following his transfer from Jackson State, Hunter has been even better this season, playing his way into the Heisman Trophy conversation.

Appearing in all eight games for the 6-2, 23rd-ranked Buffaloes, Hunter leads the Big 12 in both receptions (60) and receiving touchdowns (eight), and has also racked up 757 receiving yards.

Additionally, Hunter has been a force on defense, recording 14 tackles, two interceptions and a Big 12-leading seven passes defended.

It isn't yet clear how Hunter will be deployed when he reaches the NFL, but his skill set and versatility make him a strong candidate to potentially be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

It is atypical for players to play both ways in the NFL, but based on his preparation and practice habits, he may be the prospect capable of bucking trends and seeing at least some action on both offense and defense at the next level.

Travis Hunter plans to celebrate Halloween in style this year.

"For Halloween, I might dress up as Coach Prime," Hunter said during his weekly show (5:40 mark). "Get me an overalls, gold chain and the glasses with some shoes. But I dunno man, just gonna have fun."

In case you were wondering about the overalls, here's one of Deion Sanders' fits from a practice several months ago. The chains and glasses, on the other hand, have been a Sanders' staple for many years now.

As for Hunter, he's tricked opposing quarterbacks into throwing him a pair of interceptions this season and has treated the Colorado offense to 60 receptions for 757 yards and eight touchdowns. There arguably hasn't been a better dual-threat player in college football since Charles Woodson won the Heisman, and it's only appropriate that Hunter would mimic his head coach—himself a two-way weapon and two-sport star back in the day—on this holiday.

Colorado jumped into the Associated Press poll at No. 23 after defeating Cincinnati 34-23 last Saturday, but it's clear Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders isn't concerned with the ranking (conversation begins at 3:10 mark).

"It doesn't really even matter," Sanders said during a conversation on his 2Legendary podcast. "I don't think the rankings really matter, honestly to us. Because you can be ranked one week and not ranked the next week."

Colorado made its first appearance in the poll since Sept. 17, 2023, when the team was 19th following a 3-0 start.

Sanders had Colorado offensive lineman Justin Mayers on as a guest this week, and he gave his take on the matter as well.

"We're bowl eligible now, but that's not the end goal. We're trying to make a championship. I feel like a lot of big teams when they start looking at the AP stuff, they lose themselves. But us, we've been through so much as a team that it doesn't matter to us...so we just keep working week in and week out, we'll get what we really want."

Colorado did become bowl-eligible with the victory, but it's clear Sanders and the rest of the Buffaloes have greater goals. The Buffaloes are still in the mix to make the Big 12 Championship Game, and a win there would solidify a top-four spot in the College Football Playoff.

Right now, Colorado is tied for third with Kansas State at 4-1 in conference, looking up at 5-0 BYU and 4-0 Iowa State. Colorado's lone conference loss was to KSU, 31-28 on Oct. 12.

The bad news for Colorado is that the team doesn't control its own conference destiny at this juncture. The Buffaloes notably don't play BYU or Iowa State down the stretch. But Colorado has averaged 35.0 points per game and looked primed for a strong finish that could at least put them in position to maybe steal a top-two spot with some help down the stretch.

Up next is a bye week before Colorado hits the road to visit Texas Tech on Saturday, Nov. 9.

Colorado two-way phenom Travis Hunter added a new accolade to his already impressive resume.

By being named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Saturday's 34-23 win over Cincinnati, Hunter is now the first player in conference history to win offensive and defensive weekly awards in the same season.

Generational.#Big12FB | @CUBuffsFootball pic.twitter.com/jULOO67wZ4

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) October 28, 2024

Hunter recorded nine catches for a career-high 153 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's victory, further solidifying his candidacy for the Heisman Trophy this season. He also notched two tackles and four passes defended on defense, and his performance led his head coach Deion Sanders to make a lofty declaration.

"Travis is the best football player in the country," Sanders said after the game. "We all know that. Why are we even deliberating over that?"

Hunter was also named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week in September after recording five tackles and an interception in a 28-9 win over Colorado State. He also caught two touchdown passes in that game.

Hunter now has 60 receptions for 757 yards and eight touchdowns, ranking in the top 10 nationally in each category. On defense, he has 20 total tackles, seven passes defended, two interceptions and a forced fumble.

The most dynamic player in the country, Hunter already was a consensus All-American in 2023 and won the Paul Hornung Award in recognition of his versatility. B/R NFL scout Cory Giddings ranks him as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 NFL draft class.

Hunter and the Buffaloes will be on a bye this week before returning to action on Nov. 9 against Texas Tech.

The Colorado Buffaloes keep winning football games. The Associated Press voters have finally been moved.

Deion Sanders' charges were ranked for the first time this season in the Week 10 AP Poll, coming in at No. 23.

The Buffs won their second straight game on Saturday, defeating Cincinnati 34-23 behind Shedeur Sanders' 323 yard and two touchdowns, while Travis Hunter added nine receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns on offense and two touchdowns on defense.

WAIT FOR TRAVIS HUNTER'S CELLY 🔥 pic.twitter.com/j6KQT9mHJM

— ESPN (@espn) October 27, 2024

ANOTHER TD FOR TRAVIS HUNTER 😤 pic.twitter.com/qWxfhdLMPH

— ESPN (@espn) October 27, 2024

The win made Colorado bowl-eligible with four games remaining in the season and kept the Buffaloes firmly in the Big 12 title race, currently behind only the undefeated pair of BYU and Iowa State as well as Kansas State (7-1 overall, 4-1 in conference).

"It's cute. It really is," the head coach said of becoming bowl eligible. "Because we really want that, but that's not all we're after. That's one of the hurdles that we're jumping over and going over. That's a tremendous hurdle that we're happy, we're excited, but that's not the end goal for us. That's the beginning, but we are thankful and appreciative that the hard work is going noticed."

Deion Sanders has Colorado bowl eligible for the first time in eight years.
That’s it. That’s the tweet.

— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) October 27, 2024

Colorado has more Big 12 wins (4) than Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma State and Utah combined (3).

The latter four all received multiple first-place votes in the Big 12 media poll.

— Kyle Bonagura (@BonaguraESPN) October 27, 2024

Colorado is 6-2, 4-1 in the Big 12, going bowling for the first time in eight years and still in the league title race. Deion Sanders has delivered on what he was hired to do.

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) October 27, 2024

Colorado was the worst team in the P5 two years ago...Deion Sanders came to Boulder as their Head Coach and now they're 6-2 headed to a Bowl...4-1 in the Big 12 with an outside shot at the Big 12 Title Game

Where you at haters??

— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) October 27, 2024

As for Colorado's absence from the polls until this point, Sanders said he was more than happy to remain unranked.

"Don't rank us, please," he told reporters after Saturday's win. "We don't like that. We'd rather be in the back in the dark, just chillin'."

Voters didn't comply, however. Colorado will now face Texas Tech in two weeks, followed by matchups with Utah, Kansas and Oklahoma State. Should they continue collecting wins, the Buffs have the chance to climb the polls and perhaps even make noise in the Big 12 title race.

Sanders and his team certainly remain confident.

"We're on a wonderful journey," he said Saturday. "We know the direction we're going."

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders believes his team is relishing more of an underdog role after improving to 6-2 on Saturday thanks to a 34-23 win over Cincinnati.

In his postgame press conference, Coach Prime quipped that he doesn't want voters in the Associated Press Top 25 poll to make the Buffs a ranked team.

"We ain't thinking about the playoffs right now. We go one game at a time," he told reporters. "We don't even want to be ranked. Don't rank us, please. We don't like that. We'd rather be at the back, in the dark, just chilling in the cut. We good, we cool, we straight. So don't feel pressure to rank us."

Sanders' comments are a marked contrast from the general swagger that surrounded the program when he first arrived and then after a 3-0 start. He appears to have learned his lesson in terms of managing expectations and keeping them relatively grounded.

The Buffs weren't even in the receiving votes category of the AP's Week 9 poll, but they could claim a spot when the rankings are updated Sunday.

Illinois (No. 20), Misssouri (No. 21), Navy (No. 24) and Vanderbilt (No. 25) all lost this weekend and could fall out of the Top 25. Should that happen, Colorado might be among the beneficiaries. The team is bowl-eligible and tied for the third-best mark in the Big 12 (4-1).

Some will argue the Buffaloes' record flatters them a bit, though, considering they lost their two biggest games so far, falling to Nebraska on Sept. 7 and Kansas State on Oct. 12. The Wildcats are the only ranked team they've played so far.

Still, there's no getting around the fact that Colorado is a much better team than it was in 2023, and AP voters will reward Sanders and his players accordingly if they keep adding to their win tally.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders weighed in on this year's Heisman Trophy race following the Buffaloes' 34-23 win over Cincinnati on Saturday.

Sanders said he doesn't necessarily care whether quarterback Shedeur Sanders is considered a serious candidate but that "it's just strange" he isn't in the conversation much.

"It's just funny to me," Coach Prime told reporters. "I just think it's just ignorant, but it's funny to us because Shedeur could care less. Shedeur wants to be drafted in a wonderful city. He wants to win out. That's what he thinks about. He ain't thinking about no darn Heisman, man."

Sanders was much more declarative when it came to two-way star Travis Hunter, whose Heisman candidacy lost momentum when a shoulder injury limited his usage in Colorado's previous two games.

"Now, Travis is the best college football player in the country. We all know that," Sanders said. "Why are we even deliberating over that? What are we doing? Like, when does that change? So what's the criteria? Somebody needs to say what's the criteria of that prestigious award. Because we're looking at the best high school football player that — there hasn't been a Travis Hunter ever. Ever. And I'm sitting up here saying that."

On Shedeur, Sanders answered his own question to some extent when he lobbied for Hunter.

It takes exceptional circumstances for teammates to be on the same Heisman ballot. Alabama had two finalists in 2020 (Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith), which came after the Crimson Tide were 11-0 and the SEC champions. Ohio State also did it the year earlier with Justin Fields and Chase Young, and the Buckeyes were likewise unbeaten going into the postseason.

Colorado, by contrast, is unranked and lacks a true signature win. Both are unhelpful toward any efforts by Shedeur to build a Heisman campaign. His individual numbers are also strong (2,591 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and a 165.0 passer rating) but not exceptional enough to overcome his team's record.

Hunter, on the other hand, reminded fans why he has a case to be atop the Heisman hierarchy. He caught nine passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns while notching two tackles and breaking up four passes against Cincinnati.

The junior is at the very least on track to get an invite to New York City of the Heisman ceremony, and he might wind up as the second winner in program history after Rashaan Salaam in 1994.

Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are continuing to improve their reputations ahead of the 2025 NFL draft.

Sanders threw two touchdown passes to Hunter, and rushed for another touchdown, in the first half of Saturday night's home game against Cincinnati.

His effort led the Buffaloes out to a 10-point lead at the half.

Shedeur Sanders ➡️ Travis Hunter 🔥@ShedeurSanders x @TravisHunterJr

📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/Hh4uKdKWbU

— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) October 27, 2024

Shedeur & Travis different, different right now man!

— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) October 27, 2024

Shedeur to Travis, touchdown, 24-14 Buffs at half. These two ARE SO GOOD. I'll say it AGAIN: 1-2 or 2-1 in the NFL draft.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) October 27, 2024

Shedeur and Travis Hunter every week for Colorado pic.twitter.com/MSEEBDKHEj

— Kuru 🦅 (@KuruBwa) October 27, 2024

Sanders ended the Buffaloes' first drive of the game with a short touchdown pass to Hunter, then ran for a touchdown of his own on the next Colorado possession.

The Colorado quarterback went into the halftime break having gone 18-of-21 for 219 yards with three total touchdowns through two quarters.

Perfect timing ⌚️@ShedeurSanders x #GoBuffs

📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/SE7WLhfULz

— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) October 27, 2024

WOW!
You give Shedeur ANY time on the clock and he will make you pay.

— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) October 27, 2024

Shedeur Sanders started the game with 15 straight completions.
2 passing TDs and 1 rushing TD in the first half.
Why is he not a bigger part of the Heisman conversation?

— Romi Bean (@Romi_Bean) October 27, 2024

I know Travis Hunter is the Colorado player everyone thinks of...

But it's time to think about Shedeur Sanders. He's the best quarterback in the country and is the main reason his team is on the hot streak they are. He's taken this team to a completely different level

— Caleb Mauldin (@cwmauldin00) October 27, 2024

Hunter caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Sanders, his second of the night, in the final seconds of the second quarter.

The wide receiver and cornerback headed into the break having made seven catches for 113 yards, while recording one solo tackle and two passes defensed on the other side of the ball.

Travis Hunter makes it look easy 😮‍💨@TravisHunterJr x #GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/aNjTbC8TZT

— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) October 27, 2024

travis hunter has 7 catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

it’s halftime.

— Kyron Samuels (@kyronsamuels) October 27, 2024

Travis Hunter has 113 receiving yards and two TDs ... in the first half ... while also breaking up two passes on defense. Ridiculous.

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) October 27, 2024

Travis Hunter is the best player in college football. It’s not a debate #CFB #Colorado #Buffaloes pic.twitter.com/zoBHrXVtJr

— Dillon Bates (@bates_dillon) October 27, 2024

The Saturday night dominance from Colorado's star duo led some fans to wonder if Sanders and Hunter could go as high as the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the upcoming NFL draft.

I’m sorry but Travis Hunter & Shedeur is cold enough for a franchise to empty the draft tank and try to draft both of them back to back to keep them on the same team

— Shadrick Bell (@Shadrick_Bell) October 27, 2024

Shedeur easily top 15 QB soon as the draft over

— Motion Sickness (@TeflonRique900) October 27, 2024

The crowd at Folsom Field on Saturday night included five-star quarterback prospect Julian Lewis.

Lewis, who will be part of the Class of 2025, verbally committed to USC but officially visited Colorado for the first time last spring.

Julian Lewis chopping it up with Shedeur’s QB coach 🦬 pic.twitter.com/TXhLSz4AMR

— Nikki Edwards (@nikkiedwardsss) October 27, 2024

Colorado will hope that tonight's outing from Sanders and Hunter is impressive enough to encourage Lewis to flip his commitment to Boulder for next season.

Colorado defensive end Nikhil Webb Walker announced to his team that he has been diagnosed with lymphoma and is set to undergo chemotherapy.

Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders and the rest of the team showed their support after Walker delivered the news:

“You’re never a distraction. You’re a blessing.”

Coach Prime comforts Colorado player Nikhil Webb Walker while he tells teammates he was diagnosed with lymphoma 🙏❤️

(via @DeionSandersJr, Well Off Media/YT) pic.twitter.com/4OLy7g8mTO

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 26, 2024

Walker's announcement was first chronicled by the latest video from Deion Sanders Jr.'s Well Off Media (1:22 mark).

Walker, a sophomore, transferred from New Mexico State to Colorado last offseason.

Walker said that doctors told him that the lymphoma is "very treatable." The initial concern arose after Walker found a bump on his chest, leading him to speak with trainers before he had a biopsy.

"So that's [what] I've been going through, and that's why a lot of you haven't seen me," Walker said, per the Associated Press.

"I've tried to keep it under the wraps, because I don't want to be a distraction to the team. I want to see how you all boys do, what you all do, and just keep winning -- conference championship, bowl game, national championship. That's why I've kept it under wraps."

Walker also noted how much his teammates helped him through the process.

"Just being here, just, like, helped me with the whole process and really just deal with it. I say thank you all boys because you all made it easier on me even though it's tough."

Sanders made abundantly clear that Walker was not a distraction and offered his full support.

"First of all, you're never a distraction. You're a blessing, and you allow us to understand what life really is. ... What you're dealing with is real, and the way you dealt with it has been just admirable. We love you. We appreciate you. We're here for you."

Walker has appeared in five games this season for the Buffaloes, who are 5-2 and 3-1 in the Big 12. Colorado, which is still in the Big 12 championship race, will now host Cincinnati on Saturday at 10:15 p.m. ET.