Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders exited Colorado with a disappointing loss, but their influence on the program is undeniable.In their final college game, the 20th-ranked Buffaloes suffered a 36-14 defeat to No. 17 BYU in the Alamo Bowl on Saturday night.“That’s a wrap. It’s over,” said Colorado coach Deion Sanders. “They’re on to the next. They are going to have tremendous careers. They may analyze it on the way home, but they are going to flush it.”
Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner and standout two-way player, recorded four receptions for a game-high 106 yards and a touchdown, with a 43-yard scoring catch that narrowed the gap to 27-7 in the third quarter. He also contributed defensively with four solo tackles. Shedeur Sanders completed 16 of 23 passes for 208 yards, throwing two touchdowns and two interceptions, while being sacked three times in front of a sellout crowd of 64,261.
Both players are projected to be high selections in the upcoming NFL draft.“It felt great representing Colorado and bringing it back to where it was in the past,” said Shedeur Sanders. “We laid the foundation of the program, and it’s safer for the other players coming in to pick up where we left off.”
Since Deion Sanders took over as head coach in December 2022, Colorado has undergone a significant transformation. The arrival of Coach Prime from Jackson State brought excitement and a talented group of transfers, including his son Shedeur and Hunter. Together, they revitalized the Buffaloes (9-4), turning them into one of college football’s most compelling teams.
Despite the disappointing finale, there is optimism for the future. “I don’t look forward to it, but I do because that means they are going to another level, another chapter of life, and they’re going to soar,” Deion Sanders said before the game. “I’m thankful that I feel we’ve equipped them with all the tools necessary to be successful.”
Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are expected to be among the top five picks in the 2025 NFL draft, with some analysts predicting they could become the first college teammates selected with the top two picks since Penn State’s Courtney Brown and LaVar Arrington in 2000.
Under Deion Sanders, Colorado has a record of 13-12, but the Buffaloes made their first bowl appearance since 2020, generating unprecedented fan interest. All home games sold out for the past two seasons, a first in the program’s 134-year history, and the team averaged 4 million viewers on national broadcasts.
The program has attracted numerous celebrities, including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and NBA stars like Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, drawn by the exciting play of Hunter and Shedeur Sanders.
In the 2024 regular season, Hunter recorded 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns, along with a rushing score. On defense, he registered four interceptions, 32 tackles, and 11 pass breakups. He became only the second Heisman Trophy winner in Colorado history, joining late running back Rashaan Salaam (1994), and opted to forgo his senior season to enter the NFL draft.
Shedeur Sanders, completing his senior season, threw for 7,156 yards and 62 touchdowns over two years with the Buffaloes, achieving a completion rate of 71.8%. He was named the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and earned second-team AP All-America honors, finishing eighth in Heisman voting.
The turnaround in Colorado’s fortunes aligns with the vision of athletic director Rick George, who hired Deion Sanders. “I’m thankful that Rick gave me the opportunity,” Deion Sanders said. “We wouldn’t have had the Heisman Trophy winner, a guy that could be the first or second pick of the draft, without this opportunity.”
As Hunter and Shedeur Sanders move on, their legacy is already shaping the program’s future. Top quarterback prospect Julian “JuJu” Lewis, ranked No. 2 overall by ESPN for the Class of 2025, has enrolled early at Colorado and practiced alongside Shedeur and Hunter in preparation for the Alamo Bowl. Lewis led Carrolton (Ga.) High School to the state final, completing 267 of 353 passes for 3,798 yards and 48 touchdowns.Now, it’s his turn to carry the torch.
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