Travis Hunter leads the last Heisman case in the Colorado route

BOULDER, Colo. — Travis Hunter started his victory lap on the Colorado sideline, signing autographs and taking pictures as fans chanted, “Heisman!”

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

The Buffaloes’ two-way sensation finished 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 beat Oklahoma State 52-0 to end the regular season season of 9. -3. Unless Colorado gets some help Saturday and advances to the Big 12 championship game — the Buffaloes would need more results to go their way — Hunter won’t play again until the Heisman voting is complete.

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

Hunter entered Friday as the overwhelming favorite (-800) to win the Heisman and saw his odds climb as high as -25,000 during the game (they’re currently at -15,000), according to ESPN BET, when he broke Colorado’s single season. touchdown receptions record, which now stands at 14, and tied the single-game team mark. He intercepted a Maealiuaki Smith pass on the first series of the game and nearly had another interception late in 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 also became the first player in the last 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. And he’s also vying to become the first to play a full-time defensive position and win it since Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997. Hunter, who chose not to speak to reporters Friday, is also a finalist for the Maxwell Award, given to college football’s top player, and the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the defensive player of the year.

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

“Who else has? Ever?”

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

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

Hunter is also a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the nation’s top receiver, after dramatically improving his numbers 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 argument at this point,” said Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who is also likely to factor into the Heisman vote. “It’s crazy, the consistency he has, that’s what the award is all about.”

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

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

Hunter’s early interception sparked 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. “Isn’t there anybody who can handle him on both sides of the ball.”

Shedeur Sanders said he planned to attend the Dec. 14 Heisman Trophy presentation 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 pictures with his three sons — Shedeur, Colorado senior safety Shilo Sanders and Deion Jr., who produces social media content for the CU 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 off, like, ‘Dang, that’s it, that’s it,'” Deion Sanders said. “Do you know how long this journey has been with me and my children? There have been many ups and downs and lows, many adverse situations, many high points.

“It’s unbelievable to think that this is the conclusion of the case, just here. It’s tough.”