Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter and the rest of the Buffs will suit up for Colorado one last time when they hit the field in the Alamo Bowl against BYU.
Head coach Deion Sanders has emphasized that QB Sanders and Hunter will be participating in CU’s final game instead of opting out. Health concerns are a potential issue when star players see action in bowl games, but Sanders assured that his players have insurance policies just in case an injury occurs.
This Alamo Bowl matchup will be somewhat of a third-place game in the Big 12 with both teams finishing just behind Arizona State and Iowa State during the regular season. BYU and Colorado and the Big 12 title opponents were all in a four way tie for first place before Arizona State and Iowa State ultimately ended up advancing. With Sanders and Hunter participating, the Buffs aim to put their best foot forward to secure Colorado's 10th win of the season — the first such instance since the 2016 season.
Here’s what CU Sports Report's Troy Finnegan and Nikki Edwards are monitoring ahead of Colorado’s first bowl appearance since 2020:
What is Colorado's biggest concern in this matchup?
Troy Finnegan: The biggest concern for Colorado coming into this game is just shaking off the rust. This is a team that has struggled with some slow starts over the course of the season, and having nearly a full month off between games could lead to another one in San Antonio.
The Buffs had one of their worst quarters of the season during the first quarter in Lubbock against Texas Tech, a game which came off a bye week. Colorado couldn’t find any success on either side of the ball early on in that game, which isn’t a great sign leading up to a contest where it has had so much time off. Look for CU to have to turn its wheels a little bit while it finds its footing in this game.
Nikki Edwards: BYU dominated in the Big 12 this season holding an defeated record through nine games. The Cougars are a balanced and formidable team on both sides of the ball. BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff presents a dual threat as he’s thrown for 2,796 yards and 20 touchdowns and has 388 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. The BYU offense runs through Retzlaff and Colorado’s front will have to bring pressure to minimize Retzlaff’s efficiency.
Running back LJ Martin, who leads the Cougars with 630 rushing yards, spearheads a quality rushing attack while Retzlaff has multiple pass catchers that will present a versatile set of looks for CU’s defensive backs.
