Colorado Buffaloes Lose Veteran Offensive Line Option Against Northwestern

Colorado offensive lineman Sean Kinney keeps the starting center job, but fellow offensive lineman Demetrius Hunter’s absence removes the Buffaloes' most experienced option behind him.

Colorado center Demetrius Hunter will miss a second straight game after suffering an injury in the season opener at Georgia Tech. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colorado trails Northwestern 21-0 at halftime, and the Buffaloes are without veteran center Demetrius Hunter. DNVR Buffs reporter Scott Procter reported about an hour before kickoff that “Colorado center Demetrius Hunter is OUT today. Sean Kinney gets the start again.”

That keeps Colorado’s starting five intact, but it removes an experienced option behind Kinney. The Lafayette transfer has started the first two games at center and will make his third straight start in front of quarterback Julian Lewis.

Sean Kinney will make his third straight start at center for Colorado against Northwestern. | University of Colorado Athletics

Demetrus Hinter is out for two consecutive games

Hunter’s absence needs to be corrected from earlier projections (he did play in the season opener at Georgia Tech). Kinney started that night, but Hunter replaced him in the second quarter before suffering an injury of his own. Hunter then missed the Weber State game and will not sit out the Northwestern match.

Colorado center Demetrius Hunter is OUT today.

Sean Kinney gets the start again.

— Scott Procter (@ScottProcter_) September 19, 2026

Colorado added Hunter after he made 25 career starts at Houston. He started 24 consecutive games over his final two seasons there per his Buffaloes bio, logging 1,541 snaps while allowing two sacks in 757 pass-blocking opportunities, according to Pro Football Focus.

Hunter explained why that experience carries value at the center during an April interview with Colorado Athletics.

“A lot of it is muscle memory, Hunter said. “Just knowing what you’ve seen before and applying it.”

Julian Lewis has been sacked four times through Colorado’s first two games. | Julian Lewis/CU Buffs

That experience is what Colorado loses tonight. Kinney is not an emergency starter. The concern is that the Buffaloes no longer have Hunter as the veteran fallback if the middle of the line gets shaky.

Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis keeps the same group in front of him

Colorado’s starting line remains Bo Hughley, Chauncey Gooden, Kinney, Jayvon McFaden and Leon Bell. Lewis was sacked once at Georgia Tech and three times against Weber State, so keeping the same five together gives the group some level of continuity before another road game gets underway.

The center quarterback exchange is worth watching as well. Kinney had snapping issues in the humid opener before Hunter entered the game, but he has not had two more weeks working with Lewis.

Danny Scudero remains another pregame question

Jul 7, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado wide receiver Danny Scudero speaks with reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wide receiver Danny Scudero remains another name to look out for with kickoff approaching.

“I don’t know if Danny’s going to be healthy this week," coach Deion Sanders said during Colorado’s Tuesday press conference in Boulder.

Speaking with reporters Wednesday, wide receivers coach Rashad Davis gave a similar update: “We may see him on Saturday; we may not, but he’s working,” Davis said.

Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. MT on FOX. If Kinney handles the middle cleanly, Hunter’s absence may stay in the background. If Colorado has trouble with snaps or protection, the experience option missing behind him will become much more difficult to ignore.

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