Travis Hunter on Deion Sanders’ impact before final game at Colorado: “It changed my life forever”
Cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter has praised coach Deion Sanders ahead of their last game together. The No. 23 Colorado Buffaloes will take on the No. 17 BYU Cougars in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28. It will be the final game of Hunter's college career with Colorado as he prepares for the 2025 NFL draft.
He appeared on "The Pivot Podcast" on Tuesday, where he thanked Sanders for changing his life. The NFL draft prospect admitted that he was initially unsure about playing for Coach Prime. However, after Hunter spoke with Sanders several times, he knew he wanted to join the Buffaloes.
"When I first talk to him, it's like, I don't care who he is. I don't want to go there, but as I talk to him more, it's like, oh, this might be the place I want to go. He's more than just a coach. He's a father," Hunter said.
The cornerback/wide receiver shared that Sanders has treated him like family and has opened his home to Hunter. He added that he doesn't know where he would be without the NFL legend.
"I don't know where I would be. I try to figure that out, you know? I try not to think too much on it because it's our last...we got one more game and it's going to be our last together. It gets you kind of emotional because it changed my life forever," Hunter said.
He texted Coach Prime after a game this season, saying that he had changed his life forever and didn't know what would've happened if he had gone to the Florida State Seminoles.
Valero Alamo Bowl: How does Travis Hunter play a role in the BYU vs. Colorado matchup?
The matchup between BYU (10-2, 7-2 Big 12) and Colorado (9-3, 7-2) is set to take place at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Coach Prime hopes to lead his team to their first bowl game victory since 2004. Hunter may play a key role in Colorado's chances of winning the Alamo Bowl trophy.
He is one of the best options for quarterback Shedeur Sanders to throw the football toward. He has the most receiving yards with 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns. BYU's defense is among the best in the conference, notably having the most interceptions with 20 for the season.
Hunter will try to end his season on a high note to conclude his final year playing for Coach Prime.