“A Few of My Favorite Things” – Part I

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“A Few of My Favorite Things” – Part One: Players

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CU’s season ended with an embarrassing, disappointing and humbling 36-14 loss to No. 17 BYU in the Alamo Bowl. While Buff fans may be forgiven for never wanting to see San Antonio again, it’s not too early to try and put the bitter end of the 2024 season behind us, while taking the time to savor the season that was.

Four months ago, CU was coming into the 2024 season with the hangover of a six-game losing streak to end the 2023 season. The pundits were saying that Coach Prime couldn’t coach at the Power Four conference level. Las Vegas, setting CU’s under/over win total at 5.5, wasn’t sure if the Buffs would go bowling in Coach Prime’s second season.

Four months ago, if Buff fans were offered a 9-4 season, even with a loss to Nebraska in the regular season and a blowout loss in a bowl game … 99.9% of us would have taken the nine-win season sight unseen.

So, rather than dwell on how the season ended, let’s take a few minutes to look back on one of the most exciting seasons – if not the most exciting season – in the past 20 years.

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Here are a few of my favorite things from the 2024 season (Players) … 

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— Favorite Player, offense (not named Shedeur Sanders or Travis Hunter) … The wide receiver corps at the University of Colorado was exceptional. Not only did CU have the Biletnikoff winner in Travis Hunter, the Buffs had downfield threats in Jimmy Horn, Will Sheppard, and LaJohntay Wester. Of the three – any of whom would have been WR1 for CU in most seasons, I’m going with Wester as my favorite offensive player of the 2024 season.

Wester, who played his first four years at FAU, finished his college career with 326 catches. That ranks 6th in the history of the FBS. This year, Wester had 74 catches (9th-most in CU history) for 931 yards (12th-most) and 10 touchdowns. How good was Wester? His ten receiving touchdowns in one season ties him for fourth on the all-time list at CU. The only receivers above Wester: Travis, with the new CU record of 15, set this season; Nelson Spruce, with 12 in 2014; and Derek McCoy, with 11 in 2003). Of course, Wester also had the touchdown catch against Baylor, but also had an important score against Texas Tech. The Buffs were down, 13-0, midway through the second quarter when Wester took a wide receiver screen and raced down the sideline for a 23-yard touchdown. That score helped change the narrative, with the Buffs going on to a 41-27 win.

The play of the season … 

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— Favorite Player, defense (not named Travis Hunter) … Colorado linebacker BJ Green was named first-team All-Big 12, but my favorite player on defense other than Travis this season was safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig. Silmon-Craig finished this season with a team-leading 93 tackles, also the most tackles for a CU defensive back since Cha’pelle Brown had 96 in 2009. Silmon-Craig also had 10 tackles for loss, an impressive total for a safety, with Silmon-Craig being a mainstay in run support all season. Silmon-Craig’s tackle for loss total was the highest for a Buff defensive back since Chidobe Awuzie had 13 in 2015.

Oh, and there was that 95-yard fumble return for a touchdown to put away Central Florida …

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— Favorite play, Shedeur Sanders … It’s hard to put into words (or numbers) just how much Shedeur Sanders meant to the CU offense, and the CU program. Let’s start by noting that Sanders may become CU’s first-ever No. 1 NFL Draft pick (running back Bo Matthews went No. 2 overall to San Diego in 1974). Even if Sanders doesn’t go No. 1 overall, he will certainly become CU’s first quarterback to go in the first round (Kordell Stewart went in the second round to Pittsburgh in 1995).

Sanders set CU single season records for passing yards (4,134); passing touchdowns (37); completion percentage (74.0%); completions (353); and 300-yard passing games (7). He also, in only 24 games, set the school record for passing touchdowns (64), passing Steven Montez and Cody Hawkins, who each had 63 while playing in many more games.

So, my favorite Shedeur Sanders play of 2024? Hard to pick. The touchdown pass to LaJohntay Wester to send the Baylor game into overtime will live into CU lore, and will be the most replayed play of CU’s 2024 season. But, earlier in that same game, the Buffs were down to Baylor, 24-10, with just over a minute to play before halftime. The Buffs were on their own 42-yard line, and then this play happened. The escape by Shedeur, then the improbable finish by Miller, not only got the Buffs back in the game, but helped to set the stage for what would happen on the last play of regulation …

— Favorite play, Travis Hunter (offense) … With a school-record 15 touchdown receptions, there are plenty of choices for a favorite play from Hunter. But I’m going with two other plays from Hunter’s magical season, two plays which showcased Hunter’s talents … two plays which helped seal the Heisman.

Both plays were in the Utah game. The first was his circus catch late in the second quarter. The scene: fourth-and-eight at the Utah 34, with the Buffs clinging to a precarious 14-6 lead just before halftime. After scrambling around, Shedeur Sanders threw up a prayer into double coverage. Of course, Travis came down with the ball for a 28-yard gain and a first down. The Buffs scored on the next play, making it a 21-6 game, and pretty much settling the outcome.

The second play came late, with the game well in hand. The Buffs had a first-and-goal at the Utah five yard line, and tried a trick play. Travis got the ball on a reverse, and was supposed to pass the ball to Shedeur, but the CU quarterback was covered. Travis retreated all the way to the 20-yard line before reversing course, heading straight into the end zone for his lone rushing touchdown of the season.

With an early (10:00 a.m., MT) kickoff, Brad and I walked out of Folsom after the game, speculating that the remainder of the day, every time the CU/Utah game would be mentioned, that the networks would show three highlights from the game: Travis’ interception on a deflection; his circus catch; and his five-yard touchdown run.

The networks did just that … all but putting an end to the Heisman trophy debate in early November.

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— Favorite interception, Travis Hunter … Buff fans were introduced to Travis Hunter by way of his inhuman interception against TCU in the 2023 season opener. Hunter’s instincts and athletic ability are uncanny.

My favorite interception of the 2024 season came against CSU in game three. The situation: Late in the third quarter; the Buffs were up, 21-3, but had just fumbled the ball away near midfield. Momentum for the home team? Not so much. Travis gets the pick, taking the ball back into CSU territory. Hunter did get an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the play, but redeemed himself five plays later with a 21-yard touchdown reception. 28-3 – Game over

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— Favorite Awards Week moment/factoid … The 2024 season will long be remembered as the year Travis Hunter won CU’s second Heisman trophy, and rightfully so. Colorado is now tied for 13th on the all-time Heisman list, with as many Heisman trophies as the likes of Georgia, Miami, Texas, Wisconsin, and Texas A&M … and more than any other Big 12 team.

Partially lost in the build up to the Heisman trophy presentation, though, was how many other trophies – trophies no other CU player has ever earned, were being bestowed upon CU’s unicorn.

How absurd was CU’s week? …

• Hunter won the Bednarik Award, given to the nation’s best defensive player. Before Travis, the best any CU player had done was to be listed as a semi-finalist (one of 15 – Jordon Dizon, 2007);
• Hunter won the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s best wide receiver. Before Travis, the best any CU player had done was Rae Carruth, a finalist in 1996 (Michael Westbrook, in 1994, and Nelson Spruce, in 2014, were semi-finalists);
• Hunter won the Lott IMPACT Award, given to top defensive impact player (combined with community service). Before Travis, the best any CU player had done was to be a semi-finalist (Jordon Dizon in 2007; Nate Landman in 2020);
• Hunter won the Paul Hornung Award, given to the nation’s most versatile player. Prior to Travis winning in 2023 and 2024,  the best any CU player had done was to make the Watch list;
• Hunter also became CU’s seventh all-time unanimous All-American, the first since Daniel Graham in 2001;
• Meanwhile …
• Shedeur Sanders won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given to the nation’s top senior quarterback. Before Sanders, no Buff player had ever won the award, with three finalists: Kordell Stewart, 1994; Koy Detmer, 1996; and Steven Montez, 2019.

What’s more, it shouldn’t be lost on the Buff Nation that Shedeur had a legitimate Heisman trophy resume on his own. Instead of touting his own stats, though, Shedeur went out of his way to promote Travis as “the best player in college football”, helping Hunter secure what a closer than expected final tally for the Heisman.

I’ll leave you with Travis Hunter’s Heisman Trophy acceptance speech, one of the greatest moments in one of CU’s greatest seasons …

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This post, about the Postseason game, from the 2024 Season, is filed under Article.
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