Travis Hunter had shocking reaction to injury during Colorado football' big win over CSU

Travis Hunter took himself out of Colorado football's 28-9 Rocky Mountain Showdown victory over CSU in Week 2 with what appeared to be an injured shoulder. It was something he hadn't done before, as he's since revealed.

“That’s probably the first time I did that,” Hunter said (h/t USA Today). “That’s probably the first time. Because normally, when I run him down, I’d be able to catch my breath and get back up, but that time I was just, I don't know what happened.”

Hunter doesn't appear set to miss anytime. It was revealed on gameday that he gets three days off a week, so he'll be rested and ready by the time September 21 and Baylor roll around.

Sidenote: it's incredible that Hunter doesn't prepare to the level of most Division I players across the country and still looks better than everyone with limited practice time.

Travis Hunter lost much of 2023 Colorado football season due to injury

During the 2023 Rocky Mountain Showdown, Hunter suffered a lacerated liver from a dirty hit from CSU DB Henry Blackburn. In what was one of the sweetest moments of CU's 28-9 win over the Rams, Hunter caught a TD pass from Shedeur and held onto it despite Blackburn trying to punch it out of his grasp.

No dice. Hunter, like the Buffs, won round two convincingly.

But it cannot be lost on anyone that Hunter's liver injury last year -- one brought on by a dirty hit from Blackburn -- caused him to miss a crucial stretch of games that included a 42-6 blowout at Oregon's hands, a near-come-from-behind effort from Colorado against USC that fell short, and the team's last win of the 2023 season against ASU.

Hunter came back and immediately got Moss'd by Elic Ayomanor during the Stanford loss. He'd regain his rhythm in 2023 but he not playing anything like he is now.

Hopefully his shoulder doesn't derail his brilliant play in 2024.