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 some had awesome performances Friday successful the Buffaloes' rout of Oklahoma State.

Sanders threw 5 touchdowns successful the 52-0 triumph implicit the Cowboys, and Hunter caught 10 passes for 116 yards successful Colorado's regular-season finale. The two-way prima besides intercepted 1 of Oklahoma State backmost Maealiuaki Smith's passes. 

Before the game, Shedeur and his member and teammate, Shilo Sanders, were escorted onto the Buffaloes' location tract by their father, Colorado caput manager Deion Sanders. 

Shedeur is wide projected to beryllium 1 of the archetypal players selected successful adjacent year's NFL Draft. Hunter, a Heisman Trophy contender, is besides apt to beryllium a first-round draught selection. 

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Shedeur Sanders (2) and Travis Hunter (12) of the Colorado Buffaloes observe aft a 3rd 4th touchdown against the Oklahoma State Cowboys astatine Folsom Field Nov. 29, 2024, successful Boulder, Colo. (Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

Shedeur and Hunter's NFL prospects person sparked immoderate speculation astir whether the prima players would skip Colorado's yet-to-be determined vessel game. But the Buffaloes' signal-caller says he'll play successful the vessel game.

"It’s a squad thing," Sanders said Friday. "If maine and T and a mates of different players aren’t retired there, the Buffs aren’t going to look the same. We recognize the pieces we are to the team, the leaders we are wide and the magnitude of players that would beryllium retired if we weren’t retired determination doing it."

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Colorado needs assistance Saturday to marque it to the Big 12 rubric game. If the Buffs don’t get it, they volition beryllium a bully stake to marque the Holiday Bowl Dec. 27 oregon the Alamo Bowl Dec. 28. It volition beryllium Colorado's archetypal vessel crippled successful a non-COVID play since 2016. The Buffs haven’t won a vessel crippled since 2004.

LaJohntay Wester (10) of the Colorado Buffaloes celebrates with Travis Hunter (12) and Shedeur Sanders (2) aft his archetypal 4th touchdown against the Oklahoma State Cowboys astatine Folsom Field Nov. 29, 2024, successful Boulder, Color. (Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

Bowl games person declined successful popularity and value since the instauration of the College Football Playoff, and the strategy is expanding from 4 to 12 teams this year. 

Though galore apical players take to skip the second-tier vessel games, manager Sanders said the Buffs volition each amusement up and play. 

"Our kids are going to play successful our vessel crippled due to the fact that 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 pat retired due to the fact that that throws disconnected the operation of adjacent season."

Colorado caput manager Deion Sanders waves to the assemblage earlier a crippled against North Dakota State Aug. 29, 2024, successful Boulder, Colo.  (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Sanders played astatine Florida State earlier making it to the NFL. Last season, the Seminoles got snubbed from the four-team playoff contempt their undefeated record. A fig of players opted retired of the Orange Bowl, and the Seminoles mislaid 63-3 to Georgia. 

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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