FORT COLLINS, Colo. – After the game on Saturday night against Colorado State, Travis Hunter exited the field and paused to sign autographs for eager fans.

A fan from the front row in the end zone tossed him a Colorado helmet to sign, while others offered jerseys and gear, hoping to take home a piece of the excitement from Canvas Stadium – another remarkable football performance from a generational talent, as the Colorado Buffaloes claimed a 28-9 victory.

Following the match, Coach Deion Sanders praised Hunter as “phenomenal,” and his quarterback son, Shedeur Sanders, stated that “there’s no limit” to Hunter’s potential.

However, even Hunter acknowledged he has his limits after completing 13 receptions for 100 yards, scoring two touchdowns, making five tackles, and snagging one interception. At one point late in the game, the Buffs’ star two-way player had to take a breather after sprinting down a Colorado State player from behind.

“That’s probably the first time I had to do that,” said Hunter, who typically remains on the field without substitution on both sides of the ball. “That’s probably the first time. Normally, when I catch my breath, I’m good to go, but that time I don’t know what happened.”

Deion Sanders aimed for a definitive win against Colorado State

Despite that brief fatigue, Hunter stated, “I feel great.” He mentioned that he was looking forward to an ice bath back in Boulder afterwards.

“And I can’t wait to get home for a nice-cooked meal,” Shedeur Sanders added.

The Buffaloes (2-1) had an electrifying night. Coach Deion Sanders appeared relieved and didn’t hold back in celebrating their win over the rival Rams (1-2) in front of a sold-out crowd of 40,099.

“We truly wanted it to be decisive,” Deion Sanders expressed.

What upset Deion Sanders about Colorado State after the game?

He cited a few reasons, including provocative remarks made by Colorado State receiver Tory Horton and quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi. These comments circulated a few days before the game, although they were recorded in an interview prior to the season on August 14.

It didn’t phase Sanders, who referred to the game as “personal.”

“We just want to play some football,” he commented. “The disrespect leading up to the game was unwarranted. A couple of their players took jabs at the entire program.”

In the August 14 interview, both CSU players made light of the hype surrounding Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes.

“We’ll see how far Instagram followers get them,” Fowler-Nicolosi remarked then.

Deion Sanders questions, ‘How foolish is that?’

On Saturday, Fowler-Nicolosi had more to say. After stepping out of bounds with his team trailing 14-3, the Rams quarterback had words with Hunter and gestured with his arm, implying that Hunter was too small.

“How foolish is that?” Deion Sanders asked afterward. “This is Travis Hunter. Dude, this is Travis Hunter. Who does something like that? I wouldn’t let my kids behave like that, and everyone knows that. That should be reiterated.”

Sanders also pointed to an incident during warm-ups when someone from Colorado State allegedly bumped into or elbowed Colorado receivers coach Jason Phillips.

Deion Sanders called that “unjustified” as well.

“I just hope our kids never act in such a way because I know you all would have a field day if they did,” Sanders told the media.

Did Deion Sanders keep his starters in the game until the end for a reason?

Sanders and Colorado could have substituted their offensive starters in the game’s final minutes and run the ball on every play to let the clock wind down with a 28-9 lead. However, they did not do this. Instead, Shedeur Sanders launched deep passes during Colorado’s closing series and threw on five of his last seven plays.

Deion Sanders clarified afterward that his intention was not to retaliate against CSU’s behavior. He simply wanted to score more points.

“Isn’t the game about scoring?” Sanders questioned. “I’m not aware of any protocol. As long as the other team is aiming to score, we’re doing the same. That’s my philosophy.”

Shedeur Sanders completed 36 of 49 passes for 310 yards with four touchdown throws – two to receiver LaJohntay Western in the first half and two to Hunter in the latter half. The Buffs led 14-3 at halftime and only allowed one sack throughout the game after surrendering six in a preceding loss to Nebraska (28-10).

What was the issue with Colorado’s offensive line?

Six of CU’s offensive linemen attended the postgame press conference, standing together behind Hunter and Shedeur Sanders at the microphones.

This marked their best performance in a long while. The previous year, Colorado allowed the second-highest number of sacks in the country (56), resulting in Shedeur Sanders ending the season with a fractured back.

“I’m genuinely proud,” Deion Sanders stated. “From the moment we left the locker room last week, I could hear people criticizing us. I really dislike using that word, but it was said. These players stood up. You know, we could hear it. We have ears—two of them, in fact—and we caught all the nonsense and how some people thought we should just give up the season because we lost one game. Do you have any idea how many teams face just one loss in college football?”

On Saturday, Colorado made changes to its offensive line by starting a new right tackle: Phillip Houston, who transferred from Florida International. He took the place of Tyler Brown, who shifted to left guard.

“Our front line dominated on both sides of the game, and that’s how we secured the win,” said Hunter.

Why this victory was significant for Deion Sanders

A defeat against Colorado State could have spelled disaster for Sanders after a tough game against Nebraska the previous week. It would have prompted concerns about his development as a coach in his second year, especially following the Buffs’ victories over both Nebraska and Colorado State in 2023.

“That was the key theme of the week – how would we respond?” remarked Deion Sanders regarding the loss to Nebraska.

The Buffs now head into Big 12 Conference action with momentum, returning home next Saturday to face Baylor (2-1). This will mark their fourth consecutive prime-time game on national television, this time on Fox, following previous broadcasts on ESPN, NBC, and CBS.

`A historic achievement in college football’

The fact that their defense is hitting its stride also helps. Colorado has allowed only nine points over its last six quarters. On Saturday, the Buffs recorded two interceptions and recovered two fumbles in their seventh consecutive victory against the Rams.

“The arrow is definitely pointing upwards, particularly defensively,” Deion Sanders stated. “And everyone knows the formula: protect 2 (Shedeur), and you’re good to go. It’s that straightforward.”

Then there’s Hunter. He made history by achieving his fourth consecutive game with over 100 receiving yards. Additionally, he accomplished something that’s not easily recorded in the history books, achieving 13 receptions for 100 yards, making five tackles, snagging an interception with a 38-yard return, and breaking up a pass—playing 123 out of 138 snaps from scrimmage, as per Colorado statistics.

“It’s thought to be the first instance in modern college football history where such a stat line has occurred,” noted Colorado’s communications team in an email after the game.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer.