On the scoreboard, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders went out with a whimper at Colorado.
But their lasting impact in Boulder -- on the field and off -- was probably immeasurable.
With two dynamic stars playing their final college game, the 23rd-ranked Buffaloes were blown out 36-14 by No. 17 BYU in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday night.
Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner and two-way sensation, caught four passes for a game-high 106 yards and a touchdown. His 43-yard scoring grab from Sanders cut Colorado's deficit to 27-7 with 6:14 left in the third quarter. The lockdown cornerback also made four solo tackles.
Sanders was 16-of-23 passing for 208 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Both players are expected to be picked high in the NFL draft next spring.
"It felt great representing Colorado and bringing it back to where it was in the past," Sanders said. "And obviously, we laid the foundation of the program, so now it's stable for the other players that are coming in to take off and pick up where we left off at."
Nothing has been the same at Colorado since the school hired Deion Sanders as coach in December 2022 -- and that was the idea.
Along with the hype and hoopla surrounding the arrival of Coach Prime from Jackson State, the former NFL superstar brought a talented group of transfers to the Rocky Mountains -- most notably his quarterback son and Hunter. Together, they helped transform the Buffaloes (9-4) from a national afterthought to one of college football's greatest shows and hottest tickets.
While Hunter and Shedeur Sanders didn't have the send-off they were hoping for Saturday night, the Buffaloes are still excited about a bright future.
"I don't look forward to it, but I do because that means they are going to another level, another chapter of life, and they're going to soar," Deion Sanders said. "I'm thankful that I feel we've equipped them with all the tools necessary to be successful."
Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are expected to be among the first five selections in the 2025 NFL draft. Some are projecting that Colorado's star duo could join Penn State defensive end Courtney Brown and linebacker LaVar Arrington in 2000 as the only college teammates chosen with the top two picks.
Colorado is 13-12 under Deion Sanders, but the Buffaloes made their first bowl appearance since 2020, and fan interest is the highest it has been in decades.
All home games were sold out the past two seasons, a first in the program's 134-year history. The team also averaged 4 million viewers on national broadcasts during that stretch.
Colorado games attracted celebrities such as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, NBA stars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Chauncey Billups and Kyle Lowry, and rappers Offset, Master P and Key Glock.
Coach Prime made the program cool, but the entertaining play of Hunter and Shedeur Sanders provided a reason to watch.
During the 2024 regular season, Hunter had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns, plus a rushing score. On defense, he had four interceptions, made 32 tackles, broke up 11 passes and forced a critical fumble that secured an overtime victory against Baylor.
The Associated Press Player of the Year joined late running back Rashaan Salaam (1994) as the only Heisman Trophy winners in Colorado history and decided to skip his senior season at Colorado to enter the NFL draft.
Shedeur Sanders, a senior, completed 635 of 884 passes (71.8%) for 7,156 yards and 62 touchdowns in two regular seasons with the Buffaloes.
"All the OB's, original Buffs, how thankful and appreciative they were that they got an opportunity to come participate in a week of bowl festivities," Deion Sanders said after the game when asked what he has learned during his time with his departing players. "So, patience and forgiveness and just overall love, man."
The turnaround they spearheaded was exactly what Colorado athletic director Rick George had in mind when he hired Deion Sanders.
"I'm thankful that Rick gave me the opportunity," Deion Sanders said. "We wouldn't have had the Heisman Trophy winner, a guy that [could be] the first or second pick of the whole draft. Several other guys are definitely going to get drafted. It wouldn't have happened if I wouldn't have accepted that calling. So I'm thankful with the opportunity afforded to me. I'm thankful to be here, period."
And while Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are moving on, their impact on the program's future is already evident.
Quarterback prospect Julian "JuJu" Lewis, rated the No. 2 overall recruit by ESPN for the class of 2025, enrolled early at Colorado and worked with Shedeur Sanders and Hunter during practices for the Alamo Bowl. Lewis completed 267 of 353 passes for 3,798 yards and 48 touchdowns in leading Carrollton (Ga.) High School to the state final.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.