Colorado head coach Deion Sanders may not be a fan of rankings, but his Buffaloes have played their way into the national polls.

And now the Buffs have a chance to play for something bigger.

On Tuesday, the College Football Playoff selection committee revealed its first top 25 rankings of the season, with CU (6-2, 4-1 Big 12) coming in at No. 20.

The CFP rankings will determine the teams that will compete in the 12-team playoff, starting in December. The five highest-ranking conference champions will earn automatic spots in the CFP. The next seven highest-ranking teams will take the other spots.

Oregon is at No. 1, followed by No. 2 Ohio State. Georgia, Miami and Texas round out the top five.

The selection committee will reveal a new top 25 every Tuesday through Dec. 3. The final rankings will be revealed on Dec. 8.

At No. 20, the Buffs have some work to do, but they can certainly climb with a great November and a trip to the Big 12 title game, to be played Dec. 7 in Arlington, Texas.

CU begins its four-game regular season homestretch Saturday at Texas Tech (2 p.m., Fox). The Buffs are ranked No. 21 by the Associated Press and No. 24 in the Coaches’ poll.

“We don’t care about no rankings,” Sanders said during his weekly press conference Tuesday, before the CFP rankings were revealed. “Rankings is like a tease, man. Rankings can fool you. It can get you in a situation where you start thinking that you are that, and we don’t buy into that. We know who we are.”

Coach Prime’s point, of course, is that the Buffs can’t get caught up in rankings but rather stay focused on what’s in front of them. The rankings do matter, however, for the Buffs to achieve their ultimate goals.

Colorado is one of four Big 12 teams in the first CFP rankings, along with No. 9 BYU, No. 17 Iowa State and No. 19 Kansas State.

CU is ranked in the CFP top 25 for the first time since landing at No. 25 on Dec. 15, 2020. This is CU’s highest CFP ranking since coming in at No. 10 in the final rankings in 2016.

Adventurous bye week

Last Saturday, CU star cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter made national TV appearances on the ESPN and Fox pregame shows at State College, Pa., promoting his Heisman Trophy campaign.

“Now he’s, like, touted the … number one person in (the Heisman race),” Coach Prime said.

“All he has to do now is just be consistent and be Travis. That’s it. I thought it was great. I love the way he expressed himself, the way he articulated himself and his presence on television was phenomenal. He’s a lovable, likable young man, and I’m proud of him.”

An avid fisherman, Hunter also spent some time during the bye week at Coach Prime’s property in Texas. He not only fished, but enjoyed a lot that Coach Prime’s property has to offer.

“It had to be one o’clock in the morning and he’s riding four wheelers around the property,” Coach Prime said.

“I’m just hearing this, thinking to myself, ‘You better not fall off this darn thing. The whole country is going to be at my throat if you fall off this.’ … I see deer flashing from one side of the property, and he chasing the deer. I’m not lying. Then next thing I know, we got a shooting range … and he’s ‘pop, pop, pop!’ I’m hearing all that.”

The next morning, Coach Prime woke up to see Hunter on TV in State College.

“I didn’t even know he was going to make rounds that early,” he said. “He had to only sleep on the plane. I’m standing there thinking only Travis has that type of energy.

“He had a good time. He told me he had a wonderful time. And I’m proud of him, man.”

Notable

Defensive lineman Shane Cokes was injured in the Buffs’ last game, a 34-23 win against Cincinnati on Oct. 26, and it’s unclear if he’ll be able to play Saturday. “He’s doing OK,” Coach Prime said. “It’s still up in there whether he’s going to contribute or not.” … Defensive end Dayon Hayes, who recently had surgery for an unspecified injury, is “not playing” this week, and Coach Prime confirmed that defensive lineman Taurean Carter is out for the season. Carter has missed the past six games, and Hayes has missed the past four.