Colorado backup quarterback Dominiq Ponder has died at age 23 after getting in a car accident early Sunday, March 1, the university confirmed Sunday evening.
The Colorado State Patrol confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that a 23-year-old male died in a single-car accident in Boulder County at about 3 a.m. on March 1 but declined to confirm the person’s identity. Patrol Sergeant Ivan Alvarado said the driver lost control of his 2023 Tesla while negotiating a right-hand curve on Baseline Road near Newland Court. He said the westbound car went across the eastbound lanes, burst through a guardrail, hit an electrical pole and rolled at least once. The driver was pronounced dead on the scene, Alvarado said.
‘God please comfort the Ponder family, friends & Loved ones,’ Colorado coach Deion Sanders wrote on social media site X. ‘Dom was one of my favorites! He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let’s pray for all that knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord you’re receiving a good 1. Comfort us Lord Comfort us.’
Ponder served as a fourth-string quarterback at Colorado in 2025 and appeared in two games after redshirting at Bethune-Cookman in 2023. He came to Colorado in 2024 as a non-scholarship player and would have been a junior at Colorado in 2026.
Fellow backup quarterback Colton Allen posted about Ponder on Instagram March 1.
“Dom, you were a blessing to so many people,” Allen wrote. “You had a presence about you that just made everything better. 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. What happened feels so final. It feels heavy. It hurts.”
Ponder was one of coach Deion Sanders’ “Florida boys” in Boulder, having played high school football at Carol City High in Opa-locka, Florida, before eventually landing at Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach.
He finished his sophomore season at Colorado in 2025 with one pass attempted and two carries for minus-4 yards, all of which came on the final three snaps of a 52-17 loss against Arizona Nov. 1.
The sad news comes just a day before Colorado opens its spring practice season March 2. Colorado’s athletic department said it is making counseling resources available to student-athletes and staff to assist ‘during this time of unimaginable loss.’
‘The entire CU Athletics family is devastated at the tragic passing of Dominiq Ponder,” Colorado athletic director Fernando Lovo said in a statement. “He epitomized the values of passion, enthusiasm, leadership, toughness, and intelligence that were revered by his teammates and coaches alike. Our hearts go out to his family and all of his teammates during this difficult time.”
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com