After Colorado won just one game in 2022, Deion Sanders came to Boulder to change the culture and try to establish a winning program for a team with a storied history.
The Buffaloes jumped out to a 3–0 start to the season, but went 1–8 the rest of the way to finish 2023 with a 4–8 record.
One of Sanders’s top transfers that came with him from Jackson State to Colorado was Travis Hunter. When healthy, Hunter established himself as one of the best players in the country.
The two-way star has high expectations for the Buffaloes next year.
Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports
“You know, it was a hard season for us,” Hunter told Bleacher Report. “A group of men coming together that we never seen before. Next year, best believe we’re winning more than four games. We’re coming different next year, for sure.
“Expectations for next year, just go out and ball. [I’m] trying to become the highest draft pick I can. Try to win something with my team. Try to get to the national championship. Try to get a bowl game. Just try to get everything we didn’t get this year. Hey it’s going to be a better year for me, better year for the team. If you’re a fan of us, stay with us. We got y’all, we won’t let y’all down next year.”
Travis Hunter has a message to Colorado doubters for next season 😤
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 29, 2023
(via 12 Talks with @TravisHunterJr) pic.twitter.com/XJ8LdAb7bF
Even though the Buffaloes finished the season with a 4–8 record, it was clear that the identity of the program changed under Sanders. Colorado will need to address issues in the trenches on both sides of the ball, which will certainly be a priority in the transfer portal, but the expectation heading into 2024 will be making a bowl game and taking another step in a positive direction as a program.
