Deion: Colorado star Hunter has 'tremendous chance' to return this week

It sounds like Travis Hunter is on track to return earlier than expected.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders said Tuesday that the two-way star has a "tremendous chance" to play Friday versus Stanford, according to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg.

Hunter has missed the Buffaloes' last three games since suffering a lacerated kidney in the team's third contest of the season. Sanders said on Oct. 3 that he intended to keep Hunter sidelined until after Colorado's bye week. Following Friday's game versus Stanford, Coach Prime and Co. will rest before taking on UCLA on Oct. 28.

"I don't want him to be a liability. I want him to always be a tremendous asset," Sanders said. "Travis came to me (Monday) morning, saying, 'What more can I do to help us get to the point that we need to get to?' I love the team aspect of Travis 100 percent. I hope he can play."

The 56-year-old coach added: "He's cleared and he has protection on to secure those areas, but the game is the game. The game is a violent game, it's a vicious game, it's a very physical game, but Travis is also physical."

Hunter - who followed Sanders and joined Colorado from Jackson State in the offseason - put on a show in his first three games with the Buffaloes. He caught 11 passes for 119 yards and recorded an interception while playing 129 snaps on offense and defense combined in his debut with the team against TCU. Hunter has racked up 16 receptions this season to go along with nine tackles and two pass breakups defensively.

After starting the 2023 campaign with three wins, the Buffaloes dropped two in a row against Oregon and USC. Colorado bounced back with a 27-24 victory over Arizona State on Saturday.