Travis Hunter establishes final Heisman case in Colorado routine

BOULDER, Colo. – Travis Hunter took his victory lap on the Colorado sidelines, signing autographs and taking photos as fans chanted “Heisman!”

He posed with his fiancée, Leanna Lenee, who wore a jacket with “HE12MAN” — a nod to Hunter, his jersey number and college football’s highest individual honor — on the back. As Hunter completed his celebratory circuit behind the north end zone at Folsom Field, a fan told him he was the best to ever wear a Colorado jersey.

The Buffaloes’ two-way sensation capped his career at home Friday with an emphatic closing argument for why he should win the Heisman Trophy, with three touchdown passes and an interception as Colorado defeated Oklahoma State 52-0 to end the regular season at 9. -3. Unless Colorado gets some help Saturday and advances to the Big 12 championship game — the Buffaloes would need several results to get their way — Hunter won’t play again until the Heisman voting ends.

“Travis won the Heisman with his performance,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said of Hunter, the first FBS player with three touchdowns and an interception in a game since at least 1996.

Hunter entered Friday as the overwhelming favorite (-800) to win the Heisman and saw his odds rise to -25,000 on ESPN BET during the game; they are currently at -15000. He broke Colorado’s record for touchdown receptions in a single season, which now stands at 14, and tied the team’s single-game record. He intercepted a pass from Maealiuaki Smith on the first series of the game and almost had another interception at the end of the first half, finishing with two pass breakups.

The junior, who starts at cornerback and wide receiver, recorded an interception and an offensive touchdown in a game for the fourth time this season. According to ESPN Research, he became the first player in the past 25 seasons to have two games with multiple scrimmage touchdowns and an interception.

Hunter is vying to become Colorado’s second Heisman winner, following running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994. He is also vying to become the first full-time defensive player to win the position since Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997. chose not to speak to reporters Friday, is also a finalist for the Maxwell Award, given to college football’s best player, and the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the defensive player of the year.

“Travis Hunter has proven today and every week that he is the best player in college football,” Sanders said. “You have to give me a different definition of the award. The award goes to who? The best quarterback? He’s in the running for the best offensive player, the best defensive player, a plethora of things.”

‘Who else has done that? Ever?’

Earlier this week, Sanders criticized the Thorpe Award voting for not including Hunter as a finalist. Sanders, who won the Thorpe at Florida State in 1988, said criticism of Hunter’s modest number of tackles (30) is “stupid,” noting that cornerbacks who make a lot of tackles get thrown at them for a reason.

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, who called Hunter “a special player,” admitted his team challenged the Colorado star far too much on Friday.

Hunter is also a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the nation’s top receiver, after dramatically improving his grades from his first two college seasons. He recorded his seventh 100-yard receiving performance on Friday and had at least 10 catches for the third time, bringing his season total to 92.

“There’s no discussion right now,” said Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who will also likely play a role in the Heisman vote. “That’s crazy, the consistency he has, that’s what the award is about.”

Deion Sanders and Shedeur Sanders said they don’t like beating other award winners, and Shedeur Sanders recognized the play of Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, likely Hunter’s biggest challenger for the Heisman. But they think Hunter’s two-way brilliance – he almost never comes off the field on offense or defense when the game’s outcome has not yet been decided – stands alone.

“Travis proved that week after week, through injuries and through everything,” Shedeur Sanders said. “He is the life of our team.”

Hunter’s early interception set off what became a Heisman infomercial. He strolled into the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown late in the first quarter.

His final play came early in the fourth quarter, when he jumped for a 23-yard touchdown pass from Sanders while being draped by Oklahoma State’s Kale Smith.

“Travis is him, man, Travis is that guy,” Deion Sanders said. “There’s no one who can handle him on both sides of the ball.”

Shedeur Sanders said he planned to attend the Heisman Trophy presentation on Dec. 14 in New York even though he is not a finalist. Sanders on Friday became the first Colorado player to win the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which goes to the nation’s top quarterback. He finished with 438 passing yards with five touchdowns and an interception against Oklahoma State.

After the game, Deion Sanders took photos with his three sons: Shedeur, Colorado senior safety Shilo Sanders and Deion Jr., who produces social media content for the Buffaloes program. Deion Sanders reiterated that Hunter, Shedeur and the rest of the team would play in the team’s upcoming bowl game, but Friday marked the end of their time together at Folsom Field.

“I didn’t really think about it until I saw the last seconds ticking away, like, ‘Dang, this is it, this is it,’” Deion Sanders said. “Do you know how long this journey will take for me and my children? There have been many ups and downs and ins and outs, many adverse situations, many highs.

‘It’s unbelievable to think that this is the conclusion of the case here. That’s difficult.’