Colorado coach Deion Sanders says Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter, other stars ‘going to play’ in bowl game

Colorado football stars Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter both had impressive performances Friday in the Buffaloes’ rout of Oklahoma State.

Sanders threw five touchdowns in the 52-0 win over the Cowboys, and Hunter caught 10 passes for 116 yards in Colorado’s regular-season finale. The two-way star also intercepted one of Oklahoma State quarterback Maealiuaki Smith’s passes. 

Before the game, Shedeur and his brother and teammate, Shilo Sanders, were escorted onto the Buffaloes’ home field by their father, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders. 

Shedeur is widely projected to be one of the first players selected in next year’s NFL Draft. Hunter, a Heisman Trophy contender, is also likely to be a first-round draft selection. 

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Shedeur and Hunter’s NFL prospects have sparked some speculation about whether the star players would skip Colorado’s yet-to-be determined bowl game. But the Buffaloes’ signal-caller says he’ll play in the bowl game.

“It’s a team thing,” Sanders said Friday. “If me and T and a couple of other players aren’t out there, the Buffs aren’t going to look the same. We understand the pieces we are to the team, the leaders we are overall and the amount of players that would sit out if we weren’t out there doing it.”

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Colorado needs help Saturday to make it to the Big 12 title game. If the Buffs don’t get it, they will be a good bet to make the Holiday Bowl Dec. 27 or the Alamo Bowl Dec. 28. It will be Colorado’s first bowl game in a non-COVID season since 2016. The Buffs haven’t won a bowl game since 2004.

LaJohntay Wester (10) of the Colorado Buffaloes celebrates with Travis Hunter (12) and Shedeur Sanders (2) after his first quarter touchdown against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field Nov. 29, 2024, in Boulder, Color. (Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

Bowl games have declined in popularity and importance since the introduction of the College Football Playoff, and the system is expanding from four to 12 teams this year. 

Though many top players choose to skip the second-tier bowl games, coach Sanders said the Buffs will all show up and play. 

“Our kids are going to play in our bowl game because that’s what we signed up to do,” the Pro Football Hall of Famer said. “We’re going to finish. We’re not going to tap out because that throws off the structure of next season.”

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders waves to the crowd before a game against North Dakota State Aug. 29, 2024, in Boulder, Colo.  (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Sanders played at Florida State before making it to the NFL. Last season, the Seminoles got snubbed from the four-team playoff despite their undefeated record. A number of players opted out of the Orange Bowl, and the Seminoles lost 63-3 to Georgia. 

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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