Colorado responds to week of ‘disrespect’ with Travis Hunter-led win over Colorado State
Colorado bounced back from a rival loss by delivering one. The Buffaloes played at Colorado State for the first time since 1996 and overwhelmed the Rams 28-9 on Saturday.
The rematch for last year’s thrilling game in Boulder, which went to two overtimes, was less exciting and had fewer goals, but it did showcase a better Colorado team than the Buffaloes’ poor performance a week ago, when Colorado trailed 28-0 at halftime in a 28-10 loss to Nebraska.
Colorado State quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and receiver Tory Horton provided another shock to the rivalry this week with some pregame trash talk. Horton argued that the Rams should have “killed” Colorado last season, and Fowler-Nicolosi said he wanted to “see how far their Instagram followers will take them.” Fowler-Nicolosi and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders appeared to exchange words after the game. Sanders said that before the game, a Colorado State player ran into Colorado receivers coach Jason Phillips and elbowed him.
“The disrespect was uncalled for during the week,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said. “We knew it was going to get a little personal going into the game. … I just pray that our kids would never act like that because you guys would have a holiday with it.”
Saturday’s game was the most convincing for Colorado, with the Buffaloes improving their lead to 2-1 and securing their seventh straight victory in the intrastate rivalry, retaining the Centennial Cup in Boulder.
“Those Instagram followers got us far today, did you hear?” Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter said in a live video posted to social media.
They also ruined Colorado State’s first sellout game at Canvas Stadium, which opened in 2017.
“Oh! This was the first time they sold out here? Why was that? You know damn well why that was,” Sanders said.
Colorado led 14-3 at halftime after trailing 3-0 after the first quarter, then scored early in the third quarter to extend its lead to 18 and then calmly resumed. Last week’s lopsided loss in Lincoln raised many questions about how the transfer-heavy Buffaloes roster would respond. Sanders couldn’t have been happier with what he saw.
“I’m just so proud,” he said.
Hunter strengthens his Heisman case
Fowler-Nicolosi teased Hunter for a “too small” gesture after a two-yard scramble in the first half, but Hunter intercepted the quarterback in the second half for his first interception of the season, returning 38 yards. Hunter missed most of last year’s comeback win after suffering a lacerated liver on a late hit by Rams safety Henry Blackburn.
“How stupid is that?” Sanders said. “This is Travis Hunter. Man, this is Travis Hunter. This is Travis Hunter. Who does that? I’m not letting my kids do that.”
Hunter caught a career-high 13 passes for 100 yards and two scores, his fourth straight game with triple-digit receiving yards. He also added a pass breakup and five tackles on defense.
“Travis is phenomenal,” Sanders said. “Week in and week out.”
Colorado’s offensive line reshuffle pays off
Deion and Shedeur Sanders criticized the offensive line’s play a week ago against Nebraska’s defensive line, both in terms of protecting Colorado’s quarterback and the effort it took to establish a running game.
Deion Sanders warned that a shakeup could be coming, and so it happened. The Buffaloes benched UTEP transfer Justin Mayers and moved Florida International transfer Phillip Houston to starting right tackle. They also moved Tyler Brown from right tackle to left guard. Five-star freshman Jordan Seaton remained at left tackle, and Hank Zilinskas (center) and Khalil Benson (right guard) stayed where they were.
The result? Sanders had more time and better protection than he has all season, albeit against a Colorado State defense that ranks 85th nationally in tackles for loss and 118th in sacks with just one in two games this season. Sanders was sacked just once for a loss of six yards.
All five offensive linemen were present at the post-game press conference, along with Shedeur Sanders and Hunter.
“I’m so proud of these guys, I don’t know what to do,” Deion Sanders said during an in-game interview on CBS. “I just want to line them up and kiss every single one of them. I love them to death.”
For the second time under Sanders, the Buffaloes had a rusher pass for 60-plus yards in a game despite missing starting running back Dallan Hayden. Colorado rushed for 112 yards on 17 carries. Freshman Micah Welch, one of Colorado’s 11 high school signees in the Class of 2024, carried the ball nine times for 65 yards.
“It was very personal. It meant everything to us to prove the world wrong,” Brown said.
(Photo: Andrew Wevers / Getty Images)
