College Football

Colorado's Deion Sanders: Travis Hunter is 'feeling much better,' will play vs. Cincinnati

Published Oct. 22, 2024 5:29 p.m. ET

Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter has missed big portions the past two games with a shoulder injury, but he will start Saturday against the Cincinnati Bearcats, head coach Deion Sanders said Tuesday.

"Travis is better than last week. I think he'll have more productivity because he's feeling much better than last week," Sanders told reporters. "You can just tell with his little giddy-up and the way he goes about life, a little more pep in his step.

"But I think he will certainly contribute a lot more than he did a week ago because he's healthier."

Hunter, a Heisman Trophy hopeful who plays both cornerback and wide receiver, exited in the second quarter of Colorado's 34-7 win over Arizona last Saturday. He finished with one catch for 17 yards and a tackle, and played 54 snaps (41 on offense, 13 on defense).

After halftime, FOX Sports sideline reporter Allison Williams shared that the Buffs were keeping Hunter out "to be cautious" after he aggravated his shoulder injury. The week before, Hunter exited Colorado's 31-28 loss to Kansas State in the first half when he crashed into safety Daniel Cobbs after hauling in a 14-yard pass. He did not return. Hunter had three catches for 26 yards and one tackle against Kansas State and played a season-low 44 snaps — he usually averages well over 100 total per game between his roles at both wide receiver and cornerback.

Deion Sanders breaks down Colorado's DOMINANT 34-7 win over Arizona | CFB on FOX

Hunter leads the Buffaloes in receiving with 51 catches for 604 yards, and is second on the team in TD receptions with six. He has also forced more turnovers than any other player on Colorado's defense (two interceptions, one forced fumble).

Hunter's Heisman odds have dropped since his shoulder injury, but the junior is still the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

At 5-2, Colorado is one win away from being bowl eligible for the first time since 2016. The Buffaloes can get their sixth win if they beat the Bearcats in Colorado on Saturday night, and having their best player on the field will certainly help.

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