Dominiq Ponder, Colorado quarterback, dead at 23

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Dominiq Ponder has died at 23. He spent two seasons in Boulder. (Photo via CU Athletics)

Dominiq Ponder, a quarterback for the Colorado Buffaloes, has died.

Coach Deion Sanders confirmed the death on Sunday afternoon. Ponder was 23 years old.

"God, please comfort the Ponder family, friends and loved ones," he said via X. "Dom was one of my favorites! He was loved, respected and a born leader. Let’s pray for all that knew him and had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord, you’re receiving a good one. Comfort us, Lord, comfort us."

His teammate, quarterback Colton Allen, posted the news of his death on Sunday afternoon on social media.

“Dom, you were a blessing to so many people. You had a presence about you that just made everything better,” Allen said in the post. “You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I’m grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, every conversation we got to share. I’ll carry those with me for the rest of my life.”

Tributes poured in from teammates and fans following the news.

“At a complete loss for words rn. Life isn’t fair and this doesn’t feel real,” former Colorado quarterback Ryan Staub said on social media. “You were always a pleasure to be around. We motivated each other and kept each other in check. Love you forever and gone way too soon. Fly high, Dom.”

DNVR reported Sunday that the cause of death was a single-car accident. Colorado State Patrol told USA TODAY Sports that a 23-year-old male died under those circumstances in Boulder County around 3 a.m. on Sunday but did not confirm the person's identity.

"The driver lost control of his 2023 Tesla while headed west on Baseline Road near Newland Court," USA TODAY attributed to patrol sergeant Ivan Alvarado. "The car went across the eastbound lanes, went through a guardrail, hit an electrical pole and rolled at least once. The driver was pronounced dead on the scene."

Sko Buffs Sports has not independently verified these reports. The Boulder Police Department had no information about the incident on Sunday evening.

Ponder was a redshirt junior entering his third season with the Buffs. He started his college career at Myrtle Beach Collegiate Academy before enrolling at Bethune-Cookman, where he redshirted his freshman year before transferring to Colorado in 2024.

He appeared in two games over two seasons, both in 2025. He made his collegiate debut on Nov. 1 against Arizona, playing the final three snaps. Ponder contributed to special teams a week later against West Virginia.

A native of Opa Locka, Florida, Ponder attended two nearby high schools. He started at Naples High School before transferring to Miami Carol City, where 247Sports rated him a three-star prospect.

This is a developing story and will be updated.