"It’s about the team": Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders explains why he didn't opt out of the Alamo Bowl 

Shedeur Sanders decided against opting out of the Alamo Bowl to the surprise of many college football fans. The quarterback is projected as a top pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL draft but decided to go against the trend of skipping a bowl game.

As the Saturday night matchup approaches, Shedeur Sanders expressed his desire to play alongside his Colorado teammates. He also emphasized his willingness to embrace challenges others might avoid, reaffirming his fearless approach to the game.

“I don’t do what other people do,” Sanders said. “I feel like that’s even from the beginning. We went to HBCU and I had every offer in the country. I don’t really care what other people do. I’ll say it’s about the team, and it’s about everything I stand for. You know, it is about equality."

“Just because they projected X, Y, and Z, that don’t mean I can’t play with my X, Y, and Zs. You get what I’m saying? I got to play with my receivers. I’ve got to be able to play with the team, the O-line, everything like that because we may not ever have a chance to play again together on the same team.”

The Buffaloes are scheduled to face Big 12 rival BYU at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, and Shedeur Sanders will hope to end his college career on a high against the Cougars.

Shedeur Sanders explains what the Alamo Bowl game means to him

The Alamo Bowl game on Saturday will be Shedeur Sanders’ last game for Colorado before moving on to the professional stage. The quarterback is relishing the moment and he explains what it means to him.

“So it’s about cherishing the moment,” Shedeur Sanders said. “It’s about knowing this is the final collegiate game, and each and every game we left it all out there.

There’s no regret. I don’t ever want to go anywhere with regret, so that’s the thing. If I felt like anything negative, I wouldn’t have played this year. I was going first round last year regardless anyway, so — you feel me? It’s no difference. I would have just went.”

Colorado delivered a season to remember in 2014, missing out on the Big 12 championship game on tiebreakers and pushing the boundaries of College Football Playoff contention. While they ultimately fell out of the race, they still closed the season with an impressive 9-3 record.

A win over BYU on Saturday night would cement their achievement, propelling the team to a rare 10-win season—only the third time in the 21st century.