Travis Hunter's return timeline: How long is the Colorado player out?

Following his superb start to the season, Colorado's two-way star Travis Hunter got injured during the Rocky Mountain Showdown on Saturday. He was violently hit by Colorado State safety Henry Blackburn in the first quarter, which led him out of the game at halftime.

Hunter was taken to a local hospital during the game for necessary medical attention. He is now expected to be out for a couple of weeks, which is a big blow for the Colorado Buffaloes. The Jackson State transfer has contributed immensely to the team on both sides of the ball.

When will Travis Hunter Return

Following the 43-35 win over in-state rivals Colorado State on Saturday night, Deion Sanders noted during the post-game press conference that Travis Hunter will be out of action for a couple of weeks. However, there was no certainty as to how long he will spend on the sideline.

"We’re going to do what we’ve got to do to take care of him," Sanders said in the post-game press conference. "So I know Travis like a book, he probably is going to want to be out for two weeks, but we’ve got to make sure, his health is more important than this game.”

Early today (Sept. 18), veteran journalist and "Undisputed" host Skip Bayless reported that Travis Hunter suffered a lacerated liver, and the wide receiver/cornerback will be out for three to four weeks. Bayless' report has not been confirmed or denied by either Colorado or Sanders.

Going by Bayless' report, Hunter is expected to miss Colorado's next three games at least, which will be against Oregon, USC and Arizona State. This is a big blow for the Buffaloes considering those ties against Pac-12 opponents are expected to test their resilience after a brilliant start.

Travis Hunter's performance so far for Colorado this season

Travis Hunter has been a crucial player for Colorado this season on both sides of the field. Ahead of the Saturday game, he had played a total of 183 defensive snaps and 157 offensive snaps.

In his role as a wide receiver, Hunter caught 14 passes for 192 yards. On the defensive side of the field, he made significant contributions with five tackles, three pass breakups, one interception and an outstanding statistic of allowing only three receptions out of 10 targets.

His absence will obviously be felt by Deion Sanders' Colorado in the next few games. The 2022 Southwestern Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year is slowly making a name for himself in the Football Bowl Subdivision.