No. 23 Colorado routs Oklahoma State, keeps Big 12 title game hopes afloat

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Travis Hunter strengthened his Heisman hopes with three touchdown catches and an interception as No. 23 Colorado routed Oklahoma State 52-0 on Friday to keep its outside Big 12 title game hopes afloat.

With this win, the 1-in-256 scenario where Arizona State doesn’t get into the Big 12 title game with a win against Arizona on Saturday is still in play.

Hunter finished with 10 receptions for 116 yards. His three touchdown catches gives him 14 on the year and moves him past Nelson Spruce (12 TDs, 2014) for the most by a Colorado receiver in a single season. Hunter, who caught the last one with a defender hanging on him while he was falling to the turf, punctuated the moment by striking a Heisman pose.

Shedeur Sanders threw for 438 yards to break the school’s single-season passing record for the bowl-bound Buffaloes (9-3, 7-2, No. 25 CFP). He closes the regular season with 3,926 yards passing to top the single-season mark turned in by Koy Detmer (3,527) in 1996. Sanders also added five TD passes to increase his total to a school-best 35 for the season.

Their work done, the Buffaloes need chaos to unfold across the conference Saturday to earn a place in the league’s championship contest on Dec. 7 in Arlington, Texas.

One scenario to get in requires two losses out of either No. 14 Arizona State (at Arizona), No. 19 BYU (hosting Houston) or No. 17 Iowa State (hosting Kansas State). Another other scenario would be a loss by BYU and a win from Texas Tech (hosting West Virginia).

The Buffaloes jumped out to a 21-0 in the first quarter and kept rolling in the second half. The defense forced four turnovers, including a pick-6 by DJ McKinney. This was the Buffaloes first shutout since a 34-0 win over Arizona on Oct. 16, 2021.

LaJohntay Wester finished with 11 catches for 175 yards and two scores. His 322 career catches with Colorado and Florida Atlantic ties him for sixth on the NCAA’s career receptions list.

Before the game, Sanders was named the winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the nation’s top QB. It may be one of numerous awards that Sanders and Hunter pick up.

Hunter, though, wasn’t named a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award as one of the top defensive backs, drawing the wrath of coach Deion Sanders. Hunter had one of his easiest picks when Maealiuaki Smith tossed up a pass in the first quarter. He dropped another and stared at his hands.

Oklahoma State ended the year on a nine-game skid after being picked to finish third in the preseason media poll. This marked the Cowboys’ first winless conference season since 1994 when they were in the Big 8.