Colorado vs. North Dakota State score, takeaways: Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders star as Buffaloes rally (2024)

Travis Hunter is college football's top player by a mile

In each of the top players rankings I did this offseason, Travis Hunter was No. 1. I feel great about that after last night. Colorado may not be a bowl team, but Hunter is the best player in college football by a country mile. Whether he'll last through a full season playing 150-plus snaps a game is my only question.

Colorado has game management issues to clean up

No team is a finished product in Week 1, but Colorado was fortunate that a few late-game snafus didn't cost it the game. Unable to run the football effectively, the Buffaloes opted to take a deep shot on first down with under two minutes remaining, despite the fact that North Dakota State had just one timeout remaining. The pass fell incomplete, which helped ensure that the Bison got the football back with enough time left to mount a final drive. The deep ball was a head-scratching time-management decision.

After getting the football back with 32 seconds remaining and 92 yards to go, NDSU moved the football to its own 47-yard line to attempt a Hail Mary pass on the game's final play. Colorado's prevent defense left something to be desired as North Dakota State's Tyler Terhark reeled in Miller's desperation heave. However, he was stopped at the 4-yard line, just a couple body lengths away from a potential game-winning touchdown. It was the ultimate definition of bending without breaking in a critical moment of situational football. Colorado was also whistled for having too many players on the field on North Dakota State's kickoff with 2:19 remaining. With road rivalry games against Nebraska and Colorado State up next, the Buffaloes have some things to clean up if they want keep winning close games.

Mixed Week 1 results from Colorado's revamped o-line

Colorado's offensive line still isn't where it needs to be despite rebuilding the trenches in the portal in the offseason. The Buffs replaced eight departing linemen with several starters from other Power Four programs, but they weren't gelling Thursday night. Shedeur Sanders had to run for his life several times. He escaped pressure beautifully, tossing a deep pass early despite pressure in his face and nearly having his arm clipped by a defender. He was prolific in the final minute of the first half, escaping pressure again and again to push the Buffs into field goal range. He did it again and again and again in the third quarter, too.

Colorado managed only 49 yards yards on 23 carries, which is troublesome and about on par for last season's numbers. Until Colorado can develop a potent rushing attack, the pass protection will likely continue to struggle. Sanders sure was getting hit an awful lot. Many of the same problems that plagued Colorado late last season in the trenches happened again -- and with a new crew. That's gotta change, even with Sanders showing again why he's one of the best quarterbacks in the game.

Perhaps Travis Hunter's NFL future is at receiver?

Travis Hunter is a generational athlete. Full stop. The junior is totally capable of playing cornerback or receiver in the NFL, but after witnessing in person his seven-reception, 132-yard, three-touchdown night, we wonder if he might he be a better receiver than

The former No. 1 overall recruit was electric all night on offense, leveraging his way in tight coverage for several big catches down the sideline. His body control is impressive, his catch radius stellar, particularly high-pointing the ball. Hunter is an elite defender, and knowing that, opposing offenses will not often isolate him in coverage to test him. Meanwhile, on offense, Hunter manages to win every one-on-one, and with Shedeur Sanders firing the ball 30-plus times a game, why can't Hunter catch eight of those passes and continue to pile up 100-yard games? Either way, Hunter is a treat to watch.

North Dakota State draws within a score

4Q: Colorado 31, North Dakota State 26

Cam Miller scrambled for a 20-yard touchdown with 2:19 remaining to bring North Dakota State within 31-26. The subsequent 2-point conversion attempt failed, meaning the Bison still need a touchdown. They kicked it deep and will use their two timeouts plus the two-minute warning to try and get the football back. No quit in NDSU, which now needs heroics from its defense.

Travis Hunter is not human, Colorado builds double-digit lead

4Q: Colorado 31, North Dakota State 20 (7:57)

Colorado's Travis Hunter Is going to make a lot of money In the NFL. What he's doing tonight on every play In tight coverage has been worthy of the highlight reel (see below). His latest was a finger-tip grab In which he snared a ball with his right fingertips and regrouped the pass Into his left hand as he fell backwards In the front right of the end zone. Hunter Is up to 132 yards and three touchdowns on seven catches. He had another highlight-worthy catch to convert a third down (see below) to keep the latest scoring drive alive.

Travis Hunter continues to be ridiculous

Travis Hunter just caught a 13-yard pass on third-and-10 In which he conroted his body, bending backwards on a crossing route (imagine *that* scene from "The Matrix") to convert a crucial third down just outside North Dakota State's red zone. All things considered, that may have actually been Hunter's best catch of the night, trumping even those ridiculous sideline catches (and the 41-yard touchdown on his first touch of the season). Hunter looks every bit the part of a generational player as both a receiver and cornerback. He's up to 129 yards with two touchdowns. Colorado Is driving with a 24-20 lead with under 10 minutes remaining In the fourth quarter.

Colorado's defense steps up in third quarter

North Dakota State hasn't been able to get much going in the second half. The first three drives have ended in punts against Colorado's defense. The latest possession went nine plays and burned 6:31 off the clock, but NDSU substituted quarterback Cam Miller and the offense stalled again near midfield. The Buffs outgained the Bison 152-44 in the third quarter and was 2 of 3 on third downs. Colorado can put some distance between itself and the Bison on this drive. Let's see what Shedeur Sanders can do.

North Dakota State's drives

FG
TD
TD
FG
PUNT
PUNT
PUNT

Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr. eclipse 100 yards receiving

Travis Hunter's 13-yard touchdown catch gave Colorado the 24-20 lead midway through the third quarter and helped propel him to 116 yards and two touchdowns on five catches. Jimmy Horn Jr. has been the star in the middle of the field, catching all six passes thrown to him for 191 yards and one touchdown.

Shedeur Sanders erases interception with 100th career touchdown

3Q: Colorado 24, North Dakota State 20 (7:45)

Colorado's defense stepped up and Shedeur Sanders again led the Buffs down the field, and this time he converted with a 13-yard pass to Travis Hunter in the back right of the end zone. Sanders has been masterful with the ball tonight, save for a fluke ricochet interception of a Bison player's calf. He has completed 17 of 22 passes for 375 yards and three touchdowns against one interception. The latest drive went 72 yards on five plays. Sanders now has 100 career touchdowns.

The Buffaloes have amassed 415 yards with 7:45 remaining in the third quarter. Can NDSU respond?

Crazy interception ends Colorado's first drive of second half

Shedeur Sanders was the victim of a fluke play as a pass ricocheted off the leg of a North Dakota State defender, who had slipped on the ground in the end zone. The pass bounced into the air and was intercepted by Nathaniel Watson in the end zone for a touchback. It ended what was a great opening drive in the second half. Sanders had Colorado marching after Travis Hunter beat coverage, managing separation with his arm at the last second on a fly route down the sideline for a 40-yard gain. Colorado's pick ended the drive at the 5-yard line. NDSU still leads 20-17 with 9: 51 remaining in the third quarter.

Give Jimmy Horn Jr. some love, too

As great as Shedeur Sanders was In the first half, receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. has been electric getting open along the sideline and in the middle of the field. He had four catches for 134 yards and one touchdown. More impressive is he picked up 59 yards after the catch. Horn transferred from South Florida before the 2023 season and has emerged as a go-to threat beside Travis Hunter in this wide-open offense.

Quarterbacks put on a show in first half

END 2Q: North Dakota State 20, Colorado 17

As much as the defenses have struggled, give more credit to the play of Sheduer Sanders and Cam Miller. The Buffs lead in total yardage (273-242) but the Bison have been methodical in its sets, lining up with six linemen, motioning before the snap and confusing Colorado's linebackers and secondary to hold onto the ball for 21:48 compared to just 8:12 for the Buffs.

Sanders ended the first half with a beautifully executed 89-yard drive to pull the Buffaloes within 20-17 of the Bison. He led the team downfield with only 53 seconds remaining on the clock, connecting on throws of 16, 11, 25 and 31 yards to set up a 27-yard field goal as time expired. He did so under pressure, too, escaping pressure three times on three throws, and absorbed a big hit after launching a 25-yard pass to LaJohntay Wester with 19 seconds remaining.

Sanders' line: 12 of 15 for 254 yards and 2 touchdowns
Miller's line: 10 of 13 for 144 yards and 1 TD

Colorado's offensive line has been bothered by NDSU's stunts, which Is not a good sign for the rebuilt trench. Meanwhile, NDSU has had to fight for yardage but has hit big play again and again on second and third downs. The Bison are 4 of 7 on third-down conversions.

Penalties set up NDSU field goal

2Q: North Dakota State 20, Colorado 14 (4:33)

North Dakota State capitalized on an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on defensive back Shilo Sanders, who drilled an NDSU offensive player after the play on a high hit. The penalty on third-and-5 at the 19 gave the Bison new life, but NDSU was called for an ineligible receiver downfield and holding on back-to-back plays to back them up to first-and-goal at the 20-yard line. Colorado's red-zone defense finally stiffened, including a seven-yard tackle for loss by B.J. Green on a nifty motion by NDSU that was blown up in the backfield. Griffin Cross hit a 31-yard field goal to extend the lead.

NDSU has held the ball for 20:03 compared to Colorado's 5:24. Slow and methodical is winning this game, for now.

Bison get the first defensive stop of the game

Colorado was unable to convert a fourth-and-1, giving North Dakota State the first defensive stop of the game by either team. The Bison have the lead (17-14) with just over 9minutes remaining in the first half and are now inside Colorado's 30-yard line. NDSU has been unable to consistently run the ball, so we'll see how much longer the Bison can remain one-dimensional on offense. Quarterback Cam Miller has been a gamer so far, converting third downs and picking up tough yards when not much is there In the run game.

North Dakota State is the itch Colorado can't scratch

2Q: North Dakota State 17, Colorado 14 (12:07)

North Dakota State loves those long, double-digit play drives. The Bison just conducted their second 10-play drive to take a 17-14 lead early in the second quarter. The Bison picked up a key third down on an unexpected play that had Colorado's defense playing catch-up. Backup quarter Cole Payton came into the game on third-and-short for what everyone in the stadium believe was just going to be a quarterback power run. Instead, he made one read and threw to RaJa Nelson, who bled out of the backfield on a wheel route for a 16-yard gain and the first down. Quarterback Cam Iller came back into the game and Colorado bit heavily up the gut, so he kept the ball for a five-yard touchdown run to cap a 10-play, 77-yard drive.

Both teams need a breather after breakneck first quarter

End 1Q: Colorado 14, North Dakota State 10

Phew. It's a track meet early here at Folsom Field and it's the passing attacks that are lighting up the scoreboard. Shedeur Sanders is hitting anything and everything on the field, including when under pressure, and is 5 of 5 passing for 134 yards and two touchdowns. North Dakota State veteran Cam Miller isn't far behind and might be more impressive considering the talent disparity in the trenches. He's 7 of 8 passing for 125 yards and one touchdown. More importantly for him, he has the Bison marching down the field once again heading into the second quarter. NDSU will have the ball at the Colorado 37-yard line when play resumes. It seems whichever team can adjust defensively will win. NDSU's play designs — and pre-snap movement — seem to be bothering Colorado quite a bit. Meanwhile, Colorado just has faster and more athletic talent on offense. Colorado's offense looks like it did early last season when it was scoring 35-plus at will.

Shedeur Sanders throws a bomb under immense pressure

1Q: Colorado 14, North Dakota State 10 (3:15)

Shedeur Sanders just made an NFL-like throw to put the Buffaloes ahead again. Sanders stepped up in a collapsing pocket and just as a North Dakota State defender nearly clipped his arm, he heaved the ball downfield to Jimmy Horn Jr. in the middle. Horn did the rest, running to the left side as he beat several Bison in a 69-yard footrace to the end zone. It's obvious Colorado is so much faster and better on offense, but can the defense get a stop with the way North Dakota State has been able to throw the ball? By the way, Sanders is a perfect 5 of 5 passing for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Sanders is putting on a show here early and showing why he's a highly-regarded NFL prospect.

North Dakota State's pre-snap movement bothering Colorado

1Q: North Dakota State 10, Colorado 7 (3:59)

North Dakota State may have lost three offensive linemen from last season's electric rushing attack, but the passing game is doing just fine with veteran quarterback Cam Miller. Miller just capped a beautiful 10-play, 75-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Joe Stoffel. The tight end bled into the boundary uncovered in man coverage, turned for the ball, caught the low throw and stepped into the end zone.

North Dakota State's play-action passes, misdirection and movement before the snap seems to really be bothering Colorado's defense, which has given up several big plays. Miller is 6 of 7 passing for 117 yards and one touchdown on just two possessions.

Travis Hunter blazes past Bison for easy score

1Q: Colorado 7, North Dakota State 3 (9:31)

North Dakota State can't match Colorado's speed on offense, particularly that of the best player perhaps in all of college football. Travis Hunter just made a routine short pass to the field look like child's play in the backyard. He caught the ball, turned his body to the other side, stepped into his run, blazed upfield and was off to the races — and beyond the reach of NDSU's pursuing defenders. The 41-yard play was set up by a great pass in the middle to Lahontay Jay for 14 yards. Sanders was on the mark the entire 75-yard drive, connecting on all four passes for 65 yards, to capture the lead after North Dakota State marched down the field on its opening drive.

North Dakota State strikes first

1Q: North Dakota State 3, Colorado 0 (12:12)

North Dakota State draws first blood on Griffin Crosa's 36-yard field goal with 12:12 remaining in the opening quarter. The score was set up on a beautiful pass design. Cam Miller hit TK Marshall coming across the middle of the field and he cut it upfield for a 48-yard gain to place North Dakota State at Colorado's 24-yard line, but the Bison stalled in the red zone after a six-yard run and an inexplicable pass to a tight end In double coverage down the sideline.

Bill Goldberg is in the house

WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg is on the sidelines to watch Colorado play North Dakota State in the season opener. His son, Gage, walked on at Colorado three months ago to play middle linebacker for the Buffaloes. Goldberg Is high on the Buffs this year after attending a few practices In Boulder.

"I think they're gonna be a hell of a lot better than they were last year," he told CBS Sports before the game. "I think they're gonna shut a lot of people up. I think they're gonna surprise a lot of people, but at the end of the day, if you don't win every game, then you've fallen short. To Deion, if they do better than last year (4-8), that doesn't matter. He wants to win It all."

North Dakota State strong against Power Four competition

Though the Buffaloes are almost double-digit favorites against their FCS foe, keen college football fans know that it's not smart to sleep on the Bison. They have five wins against current Power Four opponents since 2010, including a 3-1 record against the modern Big 12 -- and that one loss came by three points against Arizona in 2022. All of those victories were road games for North Dakota State, as well. New NDSU coach Tim Polasek will absolutely be looking to make an impression against one of college football's most buzz-worthy teams.

Big year on tap for Hunter

Colorado wide receiver/cornerback/do-it-all-man Travis Hunter is one of college football's most electric players. He'll go for 100-plus snaps per game dominating on both sides of the ball and, no matter his usage, his quality of play rarely drops off. He's equally adept at keeping wide receivers in his pocket as a defensive back and making defensive backs look silly as a wide receiver. He's also got a bright NFL future. CBS Sports recently listed him as the No. 2 overall prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft. Call this a contract year for Hunter, who can put some quality film out against the Bison.

Setting the scene here in Boulder

The students are filling up their seats at Folsom Field as Colorado's players begin warming up on the field less than an hour before kickoff against North Dakota State. There Is a strong contingent of North Dakota State fans here In Boulder. They were spread across downtown along The Hill, the well-known party district adjacent to campus, partaking In day-drinking and dining at The Sink, the gathering spot for most out-of-town fans. Outside the stadium, the Prime Time Effect melts Into every tailgate. There are opportunists at nearly every crosswalk, hawking T-shirts and unofficial memorabilia. The backside of the video board at Folsom Field Is adorned with quarterback Shedeur Sanders' new Nike campaign picture, for all to see as they enter the stadium.

Can Colorado go bowling?

Any sort of postseason bid is the goal for the Buffaloes, given what they've gone through in recent years. With players like Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders leading the way, there's some optimism that Sanders' second year will end in a bowl bid. It's not going to be easy, especially with how loaded the Big 12 looks this year, but it would be a mighty step for a program that's been re-energized off the field.

Colorado vs. North Dakota State prediction

Expectations outside Colorado have cooled but the hype is still hot in Boulder. Deion Sanders wants a more balanced offense after the bulk of the pressure to produce was on his son, Shedeur, to throw the ball in 2023. NDSU provides a great first test for the revamped offense, particularly on the ground. Though North Dakota State has experience and plenty of elite FCS talent, the Buffaloes have proven Power Four starters at every position on the field, unlike last season. This is an improved Colorado team and the Buffs will prove it.Pick: Colorado -9.5

Read on below for a full preview of Colorado vs. North Dakota State.