Travis Hunter endured a brutal late hit during the first half of the game against Colorado State. Check out update on Travis Hunter Injury.
Travis Hunter : Injury | Hospitalized | Update on Injury
A native of West Palm Beach, Florida, Hunter moved to Georgia as an eighth grader. He attended Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Georgia, where he played cornerback and wide receiver for the Eagles.
As a sophomore, he led the county with seven interceptions while recording 49 receptions for 919 yards and 12 touchdowns.
As a junior, Hunter made eight interceptions and 51 tackles in addition to catching 137 passes for 1,746 yards and 24 touchdowns, earning MaxPreps Georgia Player of the Year honors.
He also set Gwinnett County single-season records in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, leading the Eagles to a 12–3 record and an appearance in the Class 7A state title game.
As a senior, Hunter recorded 76 receptions for 1,128 yards and 10 touchdowns on offense and 23 tackles, four interceptions, and a forced fumble on defense, even after missing five games due to a mid-season ankle injury.
In the state title game, he made 10 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown, as well as a forced fumble, to cap off a perfect 15–0 record and Collins Hill’s first state championship in school history.
Travis Hunter Injury
Colorado coach Deion Sanders expects two-way star Travis Hunter to miss time with an undisclosed injury he received on a violent hit during the Buffaloes’ 43-35 victory over rival Colorado State on Saturday night.
“The first thing I heard is that he would be out for a few weeks,” Sanders said in his postgame press conference. “I heard that for sure. But we will do what we must to take care of him. I know Travis probably will want to be out for two weeks. But we got to make sure he is OK. His health is more important than this game.”
While playing wide receiver, Hunter was hit hard by Colorado State safety Henry Blackburn during the first quarter of the game and stayed down on the field to receive attention from trainers.
Blackburn was given an unnecessary roughness penalty. Hunter ultimately returned to the game following the hit and made a tackle in the second quarter before leaving the game for good.
It was not immediately clear whether Blackburn’s hit was responsible for Hunter’s departure, but it made for an early flashpoint in a contest that was already inflamed with tension. CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders met Blackburn face-to-face after the hit in defense of Hunter.
Hunter, who plays both wide receiver and cornerback for the No. 18 Buffs, made an early impression on the Heisman Trophy race with his performance in the season’s first two games after following Sanders from Jackson State.
Hospitalized
Colorado’s star two-way player, Travis Hunter, was rushed to a local hospital after a brutal late hit during Saturday night’s intense double-overtime clash against Colorado State. The shocking incident left football enthusiasts in awe and raised concerns about Hunter’s health.
Travis Hunter endured a punishing late hit in the first half of the game, which sent shockwaves throughout the football world. Despite briefly returning to the field, Hunter was unable to continue playing and had to exit the game before the second half began.
His departure prompted immediate concern and warranted a trip to the local hospital for evaluation, effectively ending his participation in the rivalry matchup against the Colorado State Rams.
Following the game, head coach Deion Sanders provided insight into Hunter’s condition, indicating that the star player would likely be sidelined for “a few weeks.” However, Coach Sanders did not divulge specific details about Hunter’s injury, prioritizing his player’s health above all else.
In his press conference, Coach Sanders expressed the importance of ensuring Hunter’s well-being and affirmed that the player’s recovery takes precedence over the game.
Update on Travis Hunter Injury
Following Saturday’s game, Sanders said that his star two-way player would be “out for a few weeks.” He said he is still waiting on further updates, but he knew there would be an extended absence.
“We’re going to do what we’ve got do to take care of him,” Sanders said in his press conference. “So I know Travis like a book, he probably is going to want to be out for two weeks, but we’ve got to make sure his health is more important than this game.”
Hunter missed several plays before eventually returning before the end of the first half. However, he did not play at all in the second half before he was officially ruled out and taken to the hospital.
Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders had overthrown Hunter on the play, though it was ruled to be pass interference.
However, after the ball had hit the ground, Blackburn came in front of Hunter and leveled him. Blackburn was flagged for a late hit, drawing the ire of the sports world in the process.
Hunter has taken the college football world by storm in his first year with Deion Sanders at Colorado. He has played in 183 snaps on defense and 157 snaps on offense coming into Saturday’s game, according to PFF.
He has caught 14 passes for 192 yards as a wide receiver. On defense, he has five tackles, three pass breakups, one interception, and has allowed only three receptions on 10 targets.