The slate of college football games today just got even better with Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter expected to play on Friday against the Stanford Cardinal.
Hunter, a sophomore, missed the last two games after suffering a lacerated liver against Colorado State on Sept. 16. During his road to recovery, the college football star reunited with the player who caused his injury and the two hung out together.
- Travis Hunter stats 2023: 213 receiving yards, 13.3 yards per catch, 2 pass deflections, 1 interception in three games
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Now, the standout Buffaloes’ two-way player is poised to return to the field on Friday. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Hunter is expected to see the field tonight against Stanford.
Unsurprisingly, head coach Deion Sanders and Colorado’s medical team will keep a close eye on Hunter during pre-game warmups. The team wants to ensure Sanders is healthy and that he doesn’t suffer any setbacks or show limitations during pre-game drills.
If everything checks out, Sanders will resume his role as a two-way player with snaps coming at both wide receiver and defensive back. However, the Buffaloes’ coaching staff is already planning to significantly limit his snaps in comparison to his first two games.
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“I don’t want him to be a liability, I want him to always be a tremendous asset. Travis came to me [Monday] morning, saying, ‘What more can I do to help us get to the point that we need to get to?’ I love the team aspect of Travis 100 percent. I hope he can play.”
Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders on Travis Hunter
As Sanders shared with reports, Hunter pushed hard to make his return in Week 7. After returning to practice early this week, the medical staff cleared him to play and he showed more than enough on the practice field to convince his coaches that he’s ready.
For context, per ESPN, Sanders played 146 snaps in Colorado’s season-opening victory over TCU. While he played slightly fewer snaps the following week, Sanders was still out there a majority of the time for offensive and defensive snaps. On Friday, he’ll wear protective clothing to help reduce the risk of further injury.
Colorado is coming off a 27-24 victory over Arizona State in Week 6. With a win, the Buffaloes’ football program will match their highest win total since 2019.