Colorado star Travis Hunter ‘should play for certain’ vs. Arizona

Travis Hunter’s apparent shoulder injury isn’t keeping him on the sideline for long.

Colorado‘s two-way star is expected to play in Saturday’s game at Arizona (4 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App), coach Deion Sanders told reporters on Tuesday.

“Travis should play for certain on Saturday,” Sanders said.

Hunter suffered the apparent shoulder injury in the first half of Colorado’s loss to Kansas State this past weekend. On the play he got hurt, Hunter hauled in Shedeur Sanders’ pass on a crossing pattern for a 14-yard gain at midfield and ran full speed into safety Daniel Cobbs. He held onto the ball but signaled to the sideline that he needed a sub. He went to the locker room for an extended period of time before returning to the field in his uniform and pads. However, he never re-entered the game.

Colorado sparked a comeback in the second half of Saturday’s loss against Kansas State, turning a 10-point deficit into a four-point lead with just over three minutes remaining. However, Kansas State scored shortly after before winning, 31-28. Sanders didn’t provide an update on Hunter’s status following Saturday’s loss.

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Prior to Week 7, Hunter had the second-best betting odds to win the Heisman. He’s been productive on both sides of the ball, recording 49 receptions for 587 yards and six touchdowns to go with two interceptions this season.

Hunter also maintained that high level of production while playing many snaps. He averaged 132 snaps per game through Colorado’s first five games. Before sustaining the shoulder injury, Hunter was on track for his usual workload — a whopping 124 snaps per game — as he was on the field for all but one of Colorado’s first 45 combined offensive and defensive snaps.

Hunter missed three games last season with a lacerated liver after taking a hard hit against Colorado State in Week 3.

Colorado will also have standout wide receiver Jimmy Horn back in the lineup for Saturday’s game, Sanders said. Horn left Saturday’s game with an apparent ankle injury. He’s recorded 26 receptions for 347 yards and a touchdown this season.

“Certainly losing Travis and Jimmy and the others was tremendous,” Sanders told reporters on Saturday. “Because they’re a vital part of our team, a vital part of our identity, they’re a vital part of who we are. That took a lot out of us. But other guys had the opportunity to step up and they did.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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