Game Day, August 29, was the stream that had everyone sweating, not just from the heat. Little did ESPN expect the Colorado Buffaloes vs. North Dakota State playoff to break all records. All thanks to the showstopper for the evening, Deion Sanders’ dual-threat, Travis Hunter. The “Shohei Ohtani of college football” was enough to turn the game in the Buffs’ favor after Cam Miller and Co. had given them a tough time in the first half.

Until now, Deion Sanders has been responsible for anything related to the boost in media value. However, Hunter has been filling Coach Prime’s shoes well. 

Travis Hunter turned game night into a ratings bonanza

The August 29 big game was enough to leave the fans biting their nails off in excitement. Neither of the programs took it easy and gave the other a tough call. More than the Buffs and Bison fans, it was the ESPN team whose tense-o-meter got high. And there they landed with a sweet surprise. The numbers were enough to leave the broadcasting platform dancing in happiness, “Colorado’s win over North Dakota State averaged 4.8M viewers, peaking at 5.6M. It was ESPN’s best Thursday opener in seven years and up 49% over last season’s.”

Travis Hunter turned a weekday into a party day after leaving the fans locked to their TV screens. After all, he is Deion Sanders’ favorite student and had to have the Coach Prime effect. According to reports, taking up the Buffs reins, Coach Prime gained the university over $340 million in media value. Before he landed in Boulder, it was limited to only $87 million. And what made it impossible to tear our eyes away from Hunter on August 29?

Travis Hunter’s impressive night

The 2024 season marks the last lap in Hunter’s college football career. Thus, he made the most out of the opportunity to claim the spotlight to help him land in NFL recruiters’ hot list. During the Buffs vs. Bison face-off, North Dakota State corner Jailen Duffie harassed him and had a flag thrown on the play; Hunter became more stubborn to show his rivals who he was. The Buffs two-way star then dusted off the frustrations. 

And BOOM! There was no turning back ever since. Hunter gifted the Buffs fans a hat-trick of touchdowns. Besides, his overall performance helped Deion and Co. sail smoothly in the second half and crush Tim Polasek’s squad. His records from the August 29 evening are 43 defensive snaps, 116 receiving yards, and 35 offensive snaps. 

All these made bigshots root for Travis Hunter. The NBA superstar and Buffs loyal LeBron “King” James tweeted on the same day, “MAN TRAVIS HUNTER IS RIDICLOUS!!!!! WOW.” Besides, Hunter got that much-awaited NFL traction when mesmerized by his talents. NFL legend and ex-Arizona Cardinals defensive back JJ Watt tweeted, “”That was a glitch on EA Sports.” What a great way to describe that Travis Hunter catch. Incredible snag.” Does this mean Travis Hunter’s path to Heisman glory is all clear? Let your opinions pour in!