BOULDER, Colo. — Travis Hunter boosted his Heisman hopes with three touchdown catches and an interception as No. 23 Colorado beat Oklahoma State 52-0 on Friday, keeping its hopes of a non-Big 12 title game alive.

Hunter finished the game with 10 balls for 116 yards. His three touchdown catches give him 14 this year, passing Nelson Spruce (12 touchdown catches, 2014) for the most by a Colorado receiver in a single season. Hunter, who caught the final attack with a defender hanging on him as he fell to the ground, punctuated the moment with a Heisman pose.

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

With their work done, the Buffaloes must wreak havoc in the conference on Saturday to secure a spot in the league’s championship contest on Dec. 7 in Arlington, Texas.

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

The Buffaloes jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and kept going 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 victory over Arizona on October 16, 2021.

LaJohntay Wester finished the game with 11 catches for 175 yards and two scores. His 322 career catches with Colorado and Florida Atlantic rank him sixth on the NCAA 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 could be one of numerous awards Sanders and Hunter receive.

However, Hunter was not named a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award as one of the top defensive backs, drawing the ire of coach Deion Sanders. Hunter had one of his easiest picks when Maealiuaki Smith threw a pass in the first quarter. He dropped another one and stared at his hands.

Oklahoma State finished the year with a nine-game losing streak after being picked to finish third in the preseason media poll. This was the Cowboys’ first winless conference season since 1994, when they were in the Big 8.

Farewell to Folsom

Shedeur and Shilo Sanders were among 21 players honored on Senior Day. The brothers were accompanied to midfield by their coach/father.

The snack bar

Oklahoma State: In a sideways year, receiver Brennan Presley became the only player in program history to reach 1,000 all-purpose yards in four seasons.

Colorado: After allowing 331 yards rushing in a 37-21 loss to Kansas last weekend, the Buffaloes held the Cowboys to 70 – and most of them in garbage time.

Impact on the survey

Colorado could move back up to the teens depending on what happens on Saturday.

Next

Oklahoma State: Get ready for next season.

Colorado: Expects a bowl bid, possibly a berth in the Big 12 title game.

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