Deion Sanders definitely isn't a fan of the Pac-12 late-night Friday kickoffs. Just because the Colorado football coach is irked by his team's start time against Stanford, though, hardly means the college football world wasn't tuning in to watch the Buffaloes. Case in point? The slack-jawed collective reaction to Travis Hunter's ridiculous touchdown catch and run in the first quarter.
Hunter hadn't played since suffering a lacerated liver in his team's thrilling double-overtime win over Colorado State on September 18th. The two-way star wasted almost no time making his singular presence felt, though, catching on a routine crossing pattern before aggressively cutting up field, only to plant hard and spin back the other way before easily out-racing Cardinal defenders to the end zone.
TRAVIS HUNTER WITH THE SPIN MOVE, ALL THE WAY TO THE END ZONE. 🌪️
WELCOME BACK NO. 12 🔥pic.twitter.com/J6dbEGN7nf
— theScore (@theScore) October 14, 2023
College football world reacts to Travis Hunter's epic touchdown
You aren't the only one left in awe of Hunter's athletic gifts. His highlight-reel score was the talk of football followers across the country on Friday night.
Welcome back, Travis Hunter 💨
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) October 14, 2023
Welcome back, Travis Hunter.
— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) October 14, 2023
Spin. Six. TRAVIS HUNTER IS BACK🔥pic.twitter.com/WroMAxLyty
— On3 (@On3sports) October 14, 2023
TRAVIS HUNTER HIT 'EM WITH THE SPIN CYCLE 😤 pic.twitter.com/cUm2Vvq3kf
— ESPN (@espn) October 14, 2023
The refs flagged Hunter for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play, evidently miffed by his extended kneeling celebration in the end zone. Believe it or not, that call didn't go over too well with many viewers.
Did officials just flag Travis Hunter for spending too long on his knees after scoring his first touchdown after lacerating his liver?
— David Ubben (@davidubben) October 14, 2023
https://twitter.com/G_Miller1023/status/1713025992040559038
Hunter took college football storm in the first three weeks of the season, playing a sizable majority of snaps on both sides of the ball. He wasn't just the Buffaloes' most dynamic offensive playmaker before going down, but had quickly established as one of the premier cornerbacks in all of college football, opposing teams hesitant to throw his way.
A vicious hit from Colorado State safety Henry Blackburn in Week 3 put Hunter's ascent on hold, but he made good use of his time away. As both Colorado fans and other football mavens chastised Blackburn for his unnecessary blow to Hunter, the latter went out of his way to mend fences with his opponent. The pair even went bowling together, donating money to charity while streaming evidence of their budding friendship online.
Hunter has been Shedeur Sanders' go-to receiver against Stanford, but hasn't been quite as airtight on the other side of the ball Friday night. No matter. After almost a month away from the field while recovering from a serious injury, he was always bound for some growing pains vs. the Cardinal. As his highlight-reel scores makes abundantly clear, though, Hunter has the type of rare athletic tools to soon re-cement himself as one of the best players in the country.