Coach Prime expects Travis Hunter’s return right away
Oct 15, 2024, 12:08 PM
The Colorado Buffaloes dodged awful news on Tuesday, with Deion Sanders sharing that the team expects Travis Hunter to return to the playing field again on Saturday.
The do-it-all player left the Buffs battle with Kansas State in the second quarter due to an injury. The lump appeared to impact Hunter’s shoulder, as he left for the locker room before halftime and came back onto the sideline but was never considered for getting back in the game. Coach Prime never shared what the injury actually was but it appears as though it will only keep CU’s star out for little more than a half.
Before Hunter left the game against K-State he had just three catches for 26 yards. Colorado’s defense noticeably got worse without him and so too did the offense, who crazily lost four wide receivers, including Hunter, to injury during the game. The Buffs also got some good and bad news there with Sanders sharing that Jimmy Horn Jr. could be back this weekend, though Omarion Miller might be lost for the season.
Coming into last weekend, Hunter ranked top five nationally in receptions (46) and touchdown catches (6) while he’s within the top ten for receiving yards at 561. Hunter has also had huge contributions on defense as well, with two picks, one forced fumble and a tackle for a loss.
Without Hunter and some of the other standout pass-catchers, the Buffaloes fell short to the Wildcats 31-28. The team briefly took the lead in the fourth quarter after a surging comeback. But the defense could not hold on and Shedeur Sanders, minus his top targets, wasn’t able to answer back with Colorado’s final offensive drive.
Horn has 26 catches for 347 yards and a touchdown this season. Miller’s season stats aren’t hugely impressive since he’s mostly been a reserve but the underclassman has twice led the Buffs in receiving yards during a game the past two years—going for 196 against USC last fall and for 145 against K-State before the injury on Saturday.
For Sanders, it’ll be a boon to have both Hunter and Horn for this game as CU battles Arizona in the desert. One could argue Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan are the second-best quarterbacks and wideout paring in the country—second only to Sanders and Hunter. McMillan and Hunter will be fighting to be the top receiver taken in the spring’s NFL Draft, meaning a lot of scouts should be in Tucson.
