Travis Hunter on controversial play: "We can't leave it up in the refs' hands"

The Heisman hopeful is determined comeback stronger this week in Tucson

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Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter expressed frustration over the team's narrow 31-28 loss to Kansas State, highlighting both the team's fight and the missed opportunities. Hunter didn't hold back when reflecting on the game during his latest podcast. "We know we should've won that," he said. "We dropped like flies during that game." Hunter was one of four Buffaloes who suffered injuries during the game, but despite the setbacks, he emphasized the resilience of the team. "We still found a way to fight through adversity," he added.

The game was filled with ups and downs for the Buffaloes, who ended on a controversial note. On Colorado's final drive, quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw a pass to wide receiver Will Sheppard, but no flag was thrown for what many believed was an obvious pass interference by Kansas State. The defender failed to turn around to play the ball, leaving players, coaches, and fans alike questioning the officiating. Hunter echoed those sentiments, sharing his thoughts on how the game's conclusion felt unjust.

"The last play was controversial. I don't know what happened," Hunter said. "The ref, they pulled a flag on us on their touchdown and they did the same thing to us. At the end of the day, we can't beat the ref and play football. We can't leave it up in the refs' hands. That's our fault. We just got to take that one on the chin."

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Despite the disappointment, Hunter's comments reflect a key lesson for the Buffaloes: not to let the game be decided by the referees. Moving forward, they will have to shake off the bitter defeat and prepare for their next challenge against the Arizona Wildcats. The game is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET on FOX, where the Buffs will look to bounce back from this heartbreaker and get back on track.