‘He’s the Shohei Ohtani of CFB’ First Take analyst lavishes praise on Colorado Buffaloes star after ND State heroics

ESPN analyst Bart Scott has been left speechless by Travis Hunter's game-winning performance for the Colorado Buffaloes.

Hunter scored three touchdowns as the Buffaloes opened up their season with a 31-26 win against North Dakota State on Thursday night.

Scott joined Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim on First Take to discuss the game.

The former Pro Bowler agreed with Colorado coach Deion Sanders that the team was far below their best despite getting the win.

But he had high praise for Hunter after the 21-year-old feasted on the ND State defense.

"I've never seen anything like Travis Hunter," Scott told First Take viewers on Friday.

"To me, he is the Shohei Ohtani of college football."

Hunter lined up on both defense and offense for the Buffaloes, playing snaps at both cornerback and wideout.

Scott's comparison appeared to derive from Ohtani, a star for the Los Angeles Dodgers in MLB, known as both a slugger and pitcher.

"We have never seen anything like this," Scott continued.

"This dude is like a marathon runner. He plays the whole game.

"We haven't seen anything like this. The Heisman is his award to lose. He's that special."

And Scott had a bold prediction ahead of next year's NFL Draft.

"For me, he is the No.1 pick," he continued.

"Bart is absolutely right," agreed Stephen A., calling into the show remotely.

"Hunter seems to win every one-on-one matchup you can find."

On a night filled with highlight reel plays, Hunter's acrobatic, 3-yard TD in the fourth quarter caught the eye.

Colorado Buffaloes 2024 season schedule

BELOW are the matchups for the Colorado Buffaloes for the 2024 college football season

• Colorado Buffaloes vs North Dakota State (August 29)
• Colorado Buffaloes at Nebraska (September 7)
• Colorado Buffaloes at Colorado State (September 14)
• Colorado Buffaloes vs Baylor (September 21)
• Colorado Buffaloes at Central Florida (September 28)
• Colorado Buffaloes vs Kansas State (October 12)
• Colorado Buffaloes at Arizona (October 19)
• Colorado Buffaloes vs Cincinnati (October 26)
• Colorado Buffaloes at Texas Tech (November 9)
• Colorado Buffaloes vs Utah (November 16)
• Colorado Buffaloes at Kansas (November 23)
• Colorado Buffaloes vs Oklahoma State (November 29)

The Colorado star somehow managed to grab the score despite a defensive back clambering on his back.

The incredible play lit up social media, with NBA legend LeBron James among those wowed.

"MAN TRAVIS HUNTER IS RIDICULOUS!!!!! WOW," James wrote.

On offense, Hunter finished the game with seven catches for 132 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Over on the defensive side of the ball, he chipped in with three tackles.

Following an opening night win, the Buffaloes take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers on September 7.

You can catch First Take every weekday on ESPN from 10 am ET.