‘Eyes of the country’ to be on Shedeur Sanders’ new favorite Colorado football target

The “eyes of the country” will be on Shedeur Sanders’ new favorite Colorado football target, wideout Omarion Miller, during the Buffs’ Week 6 matchup against Arizona State — this, at least, according to Buffaloes Wire’s Stacey Blackwood.

“After last weekend’s breakout performance, I believe the eyes of the entire country will be on freshman receiver Omarion Miller,” Blackwood prefaced before saying, “Miller hauled in seven receptions for 196 yards last weekend and now appears to be one of Shedeur Sanders’ favorite targets.”

Miller earned that spotlight with 196 receiving yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown that cut the lead to 14 against USC during the two programs’ Week 5 conference clash on September 30 in Boulder. While the Buffs couldn’t complete the comeback, losing by just seven despite being down three touchdowns most of the game, Miller — as well as fellow freshman Cormani McClain on the defensive side of the ball — had his breakout game and now figures to be a weapon in the offense moving forward.

Travis Hunter injury allowed Colorado football freshman to step up

Travis Hunter’s injury, one caused by a dirty hit from Colorado State DB Henry Blackburn during the Colorado football program’s 2023 Rocky Mountain Showdown 43-35 double-overtime win, could’ve been catastrophic. With Oregon and USC on the schedule in Week 4 and Week 5, without their best player, the Buffs were like a lamb to the slaughter.

Against Oregon that turned out to be true, but it was against USC that the team decided not to accept that fate and instead saw monster performances from Miller and McClain in Hunter’s absence.

It’s arguable that Hunter would’ve made the difference against either team, but it’s inarguable that the loss of CU’s top two-way star turned out to provide the necessary opportunities to unearth two freshmen gems on the depth chart.

Especially in the case of McClain, who was seemingly on the way out of the program after a pre-USC game week filled with back-and-forth in-fighting with Coach Prime, those opportunities couldn’t have come at a better time.