The Colorado Buffaloes’ three-game winning run came to a halt against Kansas State on Saturday. The Buffs rallied from being  24-14 down in the fourth quarter to briefly take the lead, but couldn’t hold on. The end of their impressive run was not the only thing that would have irked Coach Prime. Four of their players went off injured during the game with the loss of two-way star Travis Hunter, arguably the biggest blow.

During the second quarter, Hunter suffered a right shoulder injury after taking a hard hit while making a 14-yard reception. He exited the field and did not return. Hunter, who has been a standout player this season and a Heisman Trophy contender, was having an impressive season with 587 receiving yards, and six touchdowns to go along with 16 tackles and one forced fumble.

But now his injury not only impacts the Buffaloes’ chances going forward but also is a massive setback to his aspirations for the prestigious Heisman Trophy in 2024.

According to ESPN, Hunter was 30-1 after the second week of the season and was placed as the second favorite for the honor entering Week 7. But his injury in Week 7 has cut down his chances of winning the Heisman trophy considerably. According to FanDuel, Hunter’s injury means he is not in the Top 12 favorites for the trophy, with his teammate Shedeur Sanders occupying the last spot at +4500 odds. 

Hunter had been a key component in the Buffs’ 4-1 start to the season. Before the Kansas game, he had ranked in the top five across the country in receptions (46), receiving yards (561) and touchdown catches (6). The highlight of his season came against Baylor, where he forced a last-second fumble to secure the OT win.

This year Hunter had taken up an increased workload on both sides of the field. Even in the game against Kansas, he played 44 of the first 45 snaps: 21 on defense and 23 on offense before going off injured. Meanwhile, Deion Sanders also had to deal with injuries to Jimmy Horn Jr., Omarion Miller, and Terrell Timmons Jr. during the game. After the loss, he provided an update on their injury status.

After Hunter left the field, the misery for the Buffs was compounded as Jimmy Horn Jr. was hit after a 12-yard catch. He went to the sidelines and didn’t return to the game. Sophomore Omarion Miller stepped up big time with eight catches for 145 yards. But, as he caught a 41-yard pass from Shedeur on the third play of the fourth quarter, he went down and suffered a leg injury. WR Terrell Timmons also limped off the field after catching a pass late in the fourth quarter.

“I saw Omari in a boot, kind of a cast. I thank God we have everything we need on the second floor here in this wonderful building,” coach Deion Sanders said after the game. However, Deion Sanders did not have any updates on the other three players.

“But I haven’t gotten an update on those particular young men. Hopefully, they can get back at it, but we’re not going to rush them. Their safety and their health is much more important than this game,” Coach Prime added. The severity of injury for each player is unclear. In Hunter’s case, the Buffs fans will hope that it is not something that will keep him out from most of the games coming their way. They will be wary of how things unraveled for them after Hunter missed three games last season after taking a hit against Colorado State.

The Buffs, who were 3-0 at the time, tanked to finish 4-8. The Buffs faithful will hope there is no such repeat this time around. Losing four receivers to injury in one game is something Coach Prime would not have anticipated, and given the form that Hunter has exhibited this season, he would be right to feel hard done by the result. Still, the performance of Shedeur Sanders was noteworthy

Kansas State moves to 5-1, Shedeur impresses despite hardships

Chris Klieman and his Kansas State Wildcats are looking strong this year with a 5-1 record. Last night’s victory brought them one step closer to the playoffs. The Buffaloes have played several nail-biting games this season, managing to overpower their opponents until now. However, in a critical moment, quarterback Avery Johnson stepped up when it mattered most, leading his team to a 31-28 win over Colorado with just 2:14 left on the clock.

Johnson rebounded from a late interception to connect with Jayce Brown for a pivotal 50-yard touchdown, securing the victory for No. 18 Kansas State. The Wildcats had initially built a 21-7 lead but watched as Colorado fought back to take the lead late in the game. After Colorado scored to go ahead 28-24, Johnson, who was the star of the night, led a quick drive that culminated in a game-winning touchdown.

While the Buffs were struggling on the field with injuries, Shedeur Sanders completed 34 of 40 passes for 388 yards and scored three touchdowns, which helped the Buffs to fight for a long time. He set a school record by completing 16 consecutive passes. He nearly achieved a 17th, but wide receiver Will Sheppard redeemed himself with a challenging 7-yard touchdown reception.

Post the game, we even got to see a different, mature Shedeur, who refused to blame the refs for a non-call on a possible pass interference. “No, whatever the refs calls, he calls. The call wasn’t pass interference, so it’s okay. We just got to move forward and focus on what we did wrong,” Shedeur said after the game.

The play culminated the game for the Buffs- a 4th and 6, Shedder failed to connect with Sheppard for a deep pass. However, the replay showed that the Wildcats’ defender had obstructed Sheppard, and it could have been a DPI. Rather than putting it on the refs, Shedeur showed the maturity and leadership that he displayed throughout the game in the absence of his reliable weapons.