Travis Hunter-Shedeur Sanders showdown highlights Week 1 NFL slate
The NFL schedule release features a potentially juicy Week 1 battle between former college teammates and top NFL stars.
The full 2026 NFL schedule dropped earlier this week, and there are plenty of intriguing matchups awaiting NFL fans next season, and one of those is a particularly juicy battle between two former collegiate teammates and current top NFL stars in Week 1 of the season. That showdown comes in the form of the Cleveland Browns making a Week 1 trip to square off with the Jacksonville Jaguars , which sets up a prime opportunity for Cleveland quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Jacksonville cornerback Travis Hunter to face off for the first time since the two players made it to the NFL. This Week 1 gift from the NFL is just too good to be true š Will Shedeur Sanders start vs.
Travis Hunter and the Jaguars to open the season? š pic. twitter.
com/0PTvInHaky ā Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) May 15, 2026 Hunter and Sanders were teammates for three seasons at the NCAA level, first joining forces at the FCS program Jackson State to play for Sanders' father, Deion Sanders. After the Tigers finished 12-1 in their first season together (following an 11-2 effort during Shedeur's freshman season with the program), Deion Sanders was offered the head coaching role at the FBS program Colorado. For the Buffaloes, Hunter and Sanders helped turn the program around from a 1-11 record the year before their arrival to a 4-8 record in their first season and a 9-4 record in their second season, with Shedeur earning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors, Hunter being named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and winning the Heisman Trophy.
Last season, Hunter started seven games for the Jaguars before his season ended due to injury, while Sanders started the season as a backup before eventually making seven starts for the Browns. With Deshaun Watson returning from injury for the Browns, it's unknown whether Sanders will be the starter this season for the franchise. But if he lands the job, he'll likely be staring down his former teammate in the secondary in an intriguing match-up.