Colorado’s Travis Hunter won the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, celebrating a standout season as a two-way player excelling both as a wide receiver and a cornerback.
Hunter’s exceptional performance throughout the season under coach Deion Sanders secured him college football’s most prestigious individual award.
He joins Rashaan Salaam, who won in 1994, as the only players from Colorado to achieve this honor, as reported by the New York Post.
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Hunter garnered 552 first-place votes and 2,231 points, comfortably outpacing Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who received 309 first-place votes and 2,017 points.
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel finished third, and Miami quarterback Cam Ward placed fourth in the voting for the 90th Heisman Trophy, awarded annually since 1935 to the nation’s most outstanding player.
The ceremony took place at Jazz at Lincoln Center in Manhattan, with coach Sanders in attendance. This year marked only the fifth time in the 21st century that a quarterback did not win the award.
It was the first time since 2015 that no quarterbacks finished in the top two, when running backs Derrick Henry of Alabama and Christian McCaffrey of Stanford took the top spots.
Hunter, the dynamic two-way star for Colorado, also won The Associated Press Player of the Year award.
Hunter played a pivotal role in turning around the Buffaloes’ fortunes, leading them from a 4-8 record in 2023 to a 9-3 finish this season under coach Sanders.
This resurgence earned Colorado its first bowl bid in four years, where they will face No. 17 BYU in the Alamo Bowl on December 28.
Hunter showcased his exceptional speed and playmaking ability this season, making him a rare every-down player reminiscent of past generations. On offense, he recorded 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns, along with a rushing touchdown.
Defensively, he made significant contributions with four interceptions, 32 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and a crucial forced fumble that secured an overtime victory against Baylor.
Initially a long-shot underdog, Hunter’s consistent excellence on both offense and defense turned him into a heavy betting favorite.
Celebrating big plays with the Heisman pose, Hunter’s impact was undeniable.
He logged 688 defensive snaps and 672 offensive snaps, making him the only Power Four conference player to play 30-plus snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado research.
“I think I laid the ground for more people to come in and go two ways,” he said Friday. “It starts with your mindset. If you believe you can do it, then you’ll be able to do it. And also, I do a lot of treatment. I keep up with my body. I get a lot of recovery.”
Rated as the top recruit in the 2022 class, Hunter surprised many by committing to play for Sanders at Jackson State, an HBCU competing in the lower-level FCS, with the promise of playing both offense and defense.
After one season, he followed Sanders to Colorado, earning consensus All-America honors as an all-purpose player last year despite missing three games due to a lacerated liver from a late hit.
Fully recovered, Hunter excelled in 2023, catching passes from Shedeur Sanders, the coach’s son, and becoming Colorado’s first Heisman Trophy finalist in 30 years.
