Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter connect for 1st touchdown of 2024 season
Despite months away from game action, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter haven’t missed a beat. It took less than a quarter for them to continue their connection.
Hunter caught a pass from Sanders early in the fourth quarter, shook off a defender and ran it 41 yards for the touchdown. Just like that, Colorado went out in front 7-3 against FCS powerhouse North Dakota State.
Hunter was Sanders’ top target a season ago and looked to stay in that role this year. Through one draft, that appeared to be the case as his first catch resulted in Colorado’s first touchdown of the 2024 season.
Hunter cemented himself as a key piece of Deion Sanders’ plan at Colorado despite missing three games due to an injury. On offense, he hauled in 57 receptions for 721 yards and five touchdowns while adding 30 tackles and three interceptions on the defensive side.
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As for Shedeur Sanders, he’s generating some early Heisman Trophy buzz. He put together an impressive 2023 season at Colorado with 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns on 69.3% passing, along with just three interceptions. The connection with Hunter is one of the biggest keys to success, but keeping the two-way star on the field is also important.
Hunter suffered a scary injury against Colorado State a season ago, which caused him to miss three games. That’s why keeping him on the field is important for CU, although Coach Prime said there are times Hunter might need to take a breather since he’s playing both sides of the ball.
“We want him to stay healthy,” Sanders said on ESPN’s College Football Countdown ahead of kickoff vs. North Dakota State. “We’re gonna protect him a little bit more. But Travis is a dawg, man. He just wants to play. He don’t want to come out of the game. I’m gonna try to make him come out of the game so he can get some rest because we have more depth defensively at the cornerback position, as well as the receiver position.
“And I know him like a book, so I know when he’s a little winded. He won’t say it – he would never say it. But I got to take care of him.”
Travis Hunter’s skillset makes him a unique player when it comes time to talk about the NFL Draft. But staying healthy is going to be essential if Hunter wants to continue playing both sides of the ball at the next level.