The dust has settled from Saturday’s huge Colorado win over No. 17 TCU. The significance of this win for a Buffaloes program looking to return to the days of yesteryear can’t be understated.
And, when you consider the roster overhaul by first-year head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders this didn’t seem possible until it happened. The CU Buffs’ surprising 45-42 win over the Horned Frogs, who are just eight months removed from a College Football Playoff national title loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, is a pretty big deal.
The win also highlighted Sanders’ arrival at Boulder as a success already, and it didn’t hurt that Sanders still makes his offseason home in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, a place he’s called home since he played for the Dallas Cowboys. Another interesting tidbit is the Horned Frogs spurned Sanders in 2021 to hire current head coach Sonny Dykes. While Sanders led the troops, it was the play of his two brightest stars that shined brightest.
Coach Prime told reporters this in his postgame interview:
“We had some guys that singled themselves out with their playing and playing ability. A lot of you guys doubted — one of them from an HBCU — I think he had 510 yards passing in a Power Five football game. And he happens to be my son, and I’m proud of him, tremendously.”
Shedeur And Travis Hunter See Huge Jump In Heisman Odds
In Saturday’s game, which happened to the first Power Five game for both QB Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, both went out and had themselves a day. Sanders, the 2021 four-star signal-caller who followed his dad to both JSU and Colorado, passed for a school record 510 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. Sanders playing this well at this level shouldn’t be that big of a surprise. He did have 26 offers coming out of high school, and those included Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Oregon, Florida FSU, and many others.
His good friend and two-way star Travis Hunter, who was the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit in 2022, showed why he’s a projected top-five pick in 2025 if he chooses to leave. The dynamic Hunter played 129 snaps in 103-degree heat, tallying 11 receptions for 119 yards on offense. On defense, Hunter had three tackles, three passes defensed and one of the best and most instinctive interceptions you’ll see at any level of football.
Both saw their Heisman odds jump significantly with Saturday’s performance. Sanders went from +15000 to +4000. Hunter went from +10000 to +4000).
Sanders Vouches For Players To Be In Early Heisman Talks
In wake of his team’s stunning performance, Coach Prime didn’t miss the opportunity to push his two stars’ Heisman bids.
“We had a couple guys who should be a front-runner for the Heisman right now,” he said. “Who did that? Who did what they did today?”
As for Hunter, who told us during Pac-12 media days that nothing the Buffaloes do should be considered unexpected, he channeled those same feelings following Saturday’s big win.
Next up is the Buffaloes’ home opener against archrival Nebraska.
