Will Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders play in Alamo Bowl for ...

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Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter wins 2024 Heisman Trophy

Despite not making the College Football Playoff, Colorado star Travis Hunter did enough on the field to convince voters he was worthy of the Heisman Trophy.

Sports Pulse

Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are two of college football's biggest stars.

In two short seasons both have helped the Colorado football program return to the national conversation and become one of the top college football teams in the country.

That includes leading the Buffaloes (9-3) to their first bowl game in four years: the Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 28 against BYU at 5:30 p.m. MT inside the Alamodome in San Antonio.

REQUIRED READING: Deion Sanders issues warning to NFL teams: Why they should give Travis Hunter what he wants

As is usually the case with players of Hunter and Sanders' status — projected first-round draft picks — questions have arisen on whether they will sit out the Buffaloes' bowl game. Indeed, many NFL draft-eligible players have opted to sit out bowl games that are not part of the College Football Playoff in recent years.

That doesn't look to be the case for Hunter and Sanders going into Saturday's game.

Here's what you need to know about Hunter and Sanders' status for Saturday's Alamo Bowl against BYU, including a look at each of their NFL draft projections and stats this season:

Are Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders playing in the Alamo Bowl?

Yes, Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are expected to play in Saturday's Alamo Bowl against BYU.

Coach Deion Sanders first said his star wide receiver and quarterback would play in Colorado's bowl game following the Buffaloes' win over Oklahoma State on Nov. 29. He reaffirmed his comments during a news conference on Dec. 8, after the Buffaloes learned they would be playing in the Alamo Bowl.

"We have a plethora of seniors that are pro-bound and guess what? Every last one of them is going to play. We don't tap out. We don't sit out. It's a blessing to play this wonderful game, and our kids are gonna play," Deion Sanders said. "We got a kid (Travis Hunter) that is going to pick up the Heisman Trophy this week and he's gonna to play. We got a quarterback that picked up an award last weekend and he's going to play."

Hunter spoke about the decision to play in the Alamo Bowl while in New York City on Dec. 13, ahead of the Heisman Trophy ceremony. The projected first-round NFL draft pick cited the importance of finishing his time playing for Coach Prime and with Shedeur Sanders "right," as the three started their journey together going all the way back to their days at Jackson State.

"It's definitely important because I started this thing with Coach Prime and Shedeur and most of the coaches on the coaching staff. So I want to finish it off right," Hunter said. "I didn't give them a full season my first year (at Jackson State due to injury), so I'm going to go and end this thing off right.

"It will be our last game together. We'll go out there and dominate and show the loyalty that I have for them."

Travis Hunter NFL mock draft

Hunter is projected to be a first-round pick in April's NFL draft. He is ranked as the No. 1 prospect in this year's NFL draft class by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., and the No. 1 ranked wide receiver and assumed No. 1 ranked defensive back — as Kiper Jr. only ranked him positionally as a receiver.

Here's where some NFL mock draft analysts have Hunter projected to go in the 2024 NFL draft:

Note: Teams projected draft slots might not be reflective of NFL standings heading into Week 17

Shedeur Sanders NFL mock draft

Shedeur Sanders is projected to be one of the first quarterbacks taken off the board by several NFL mock draft analysts. He is ranked as the No. 3 prospect in this year's NFL draft class by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., and the No. 1 ranked quarterback.

Here's where some NFL mock draft analysts have Shedeur Sanders projected to go in the 2024 NFL draft:

Note: Teams projected draft slots might not be reflective of NFL standings heading into Week 17

Travis Hunter stats

Hunter put up historic numbers in the regular season this year: He finished with 1,152 receiving yards and 15 combined touchdowns on offense, adding 31 total tackles, 11 broken-up passes and four interceptions on defense en route to winning the 2024 Heisman Trophy.

He's played 670 snaps on offense, 686 on defense and 24 on special teams this season for the Buffaloes per Colorado's press release after he won the Heisman.

Here's a breakdown of Hunter's career stats at Colorado:

• 2023: 57 receptions for 721 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns; 31 total tackles with five broken-up passes and three interceptions
• 2024: 92 receptions for 1,152 receiving yards and 14 receiving touchdowns; one rushing touchdown; 31 total tackles with 11 broken-up passes, four interceptions and one forced fumble

Shedeur Sanders stats

Shedeur Sanders recorded career-high numbers this past season at Colorado, as he threw for 3,926 yards and 35 touchdowns. His 3,926 passing yards set a new Colorado single-season passing record, breaking a 28-year-old record that was previously held by Koy Detmer in 1996.

Here's a breakdown of Shedeur Sanders' career stats at Colorado:

• 2023: 298 of 430 (69.3%) passing for 3,230 yards with 27 touchdowns and three interceptions; four rushing touchdowns
• 2024: 337 of 454 (74.2%) passing for 3,926 yards with 35 touchdowns and eight interceptions; four rushing touchdowns