Colorado coach Deion Sanders made it clear after a 28-6 victory over Colorado State on Saturday night that the Rams had made the game personal by taking shots at his players and program.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders was more direct, saying, They just asked for it.
Comments made by Colorado State quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and receiver Tory Horton during a media day interview surfaced online in the days leading up to the game. Deion Sanders addressed the negative remarks, noting, These are young men. They have feelings and emotions. They see the texts and the DMs. It doesn’t make them feel good.
Star player Travis Hunter, who had been injured during last year's matchup, downplayed any extra motivation but could be seen silently nodding as the crowd hurled profanities during pregame warmups. Hunter finished with an impressive stat line, contributing on both offense and defense, recording five tackles, a pass breakup, an interception, and 13 catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
After a 62-yard run by Avery Morrow late in the game, Hunter briefly pulled himself from the field as Colorado State scored their only touchdown with him on the bench. Shedeur Sanders later scolded him for leaving the game, saying, Don't ever do that again.
eion Sanders was asked if this was the best performance from Hunter, to which he replied, No. Travis is phenomenal week in and week out. And we've got a quarterback who's just as phenomenal.
Shedeur Sanders threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns, while Colorado’s offensive line played a critical role, allowing just one sack and paving the way for a balanced rushing attack that tallied 109 yards.
he week had been full of tension, with Horton previously expressing regret over last year's 43-35 loss to Colorado, saying, We should have murdered them. Fowler-Nicolosi added that Colorado’s media hype only went so far, stating, We'll see how far Instagram followers get them.
Colorado responded with their best game of the season, controlling the contest from the outset. Deion Sanders acknowledged the emotional stakes, saying, They made it personal. We just wanted to play football, but the disrespect was uncalled for.
The rivalry even extended into pregame warmups when a Colorado State player elbowed Colorado’s receivers coach Jason Phillips. During the game, with Colorado State trailing 14-3, Fowler-Nicolosi taunted Hunter, signaling that he was too small. Deion Sanders condemned the gesture, saying, This is Travis Hunter. Who does that?
Asked about calling passing plays with the game secured late in the fourth quarter, Sanders replied, We wanted to score. The game is about scoring. If the other team is trying to score, we are too.
Colorado rebounded from a previous 28-10 loss to Nebraska, in which they struggled offensively. On Saturday, they averaged 5.7 yards per carry and only allowed one quarterback hurry on 49 attempts. Postgame, Shedeur Sanders and Hunter brought their offensive line into the spotlight during interviews to acknowledge their crucial role in the victory.
Deion Sanders summed up the performance: We're headed in the right direction.
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