October 30th 2024.
During a game against Cincinnati on October 26, 2024, at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado, the crowd erupted in cheers as Colorado kicker Alejandro Mata successfully made a field goal. He celebrated with snapper Kameron Hawkins, and the two teammates shared a moment of triumph on the field.
Despite this success, Mata couldn't shake off the disappointment of his blocked field goal attempt at Nebraska on September 7. The missed 44-yarder at Colorado State also weighed heavily on his mind. "Really wish I could get those kicks back, especially in Nebraska, knowing..." he trailed off, shaking his head in frustration. But he didn't allow himself to dwell on it, saying, "But nothing we could do about it now but move on."
And move on he did. During the game against Cincinnati, the junior kicker went 2-for-2 on his field goal attempts, including a game-sealing 47-yarder with only 1 minute and 39 seconds left on the clock. Despite his success, Mata apologized for his final kick, acknowledging that it barely cleared the crossbar. He promised to do better, but was grateful for the support of his teammates and coaches.
His coach, Deion Sanders, praised Mata's performance, saying, "Mata was phenomenal at the conclusion of the game, doing what he did. Like I always tell him, I don't care how high it goes through the uprights; they don't give you points for that. As long as it goes through, I'm good with that."
Mata's confidence was restored after the game against Cincinnati, and he attributed his earlier struggles to off-field distractions. He admitted, "First three games, that wasn't really me. I was dealing with a lot of stuff off the field, and I was doing a bad job keeping it off the field, which affected me in certain games." But now, with his focus back on the game, Mata is a valuable asset to the team. He may not have the longest range as a college kicker, but he is reliable from 45 yards and in.
In his two seasons at CU, Mata has an impressive record of 19-of-23 on field goal attempts, making him the most accurate kicker in program history with at least 20 attempts. He has also scored 115 points in his time at CU, ranking 13th among kickers in program history. Including his freshman season at Jackson State, Mata has a career record of 30-of-35 on field goals.
In related news, CU junior cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter has been named as a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the best defensive back in the country. He leads the Big 12 in pass breakups and has two interceptions. Hunter has also been added to the watch list for the Maxwell Award, a prestigious player of the year award. He was named the Maxwell player of the week for his outstanding performance against Cincinnati.
As the team prepares for a bye week, quarterback Shedeur Sanders is looking forward to some much-needed rest and recovery. He has been sacked 25 times this season and is grateful for a break from the intense physical demands of the game. Shedeur also struggled with the flu leading up to the Cincinnati game, affecting his performance. He reflected, "You lose weight, you lose strength, you lose a lot of things dealing with that."
Shedeur is not the only player on the team dealing with injuries. Many others, including Hunter, receiver Will Sheppard, defensive linemen Chidozie Nwankwo and Shane Cokes, and running back Dallan Hayden, will also benefit from the week off. The team is looking forward to using this time to get healthy and come back stronger for the rest of the season.
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