Travis Hunter announces final Heisman fall in decline in Colorado

BOULDER, Colo. — Travis Hunter started his victory lap on the Colorado sideline, 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 — written on the back. As Hunter made his ceremonial walk behind the north end zone at Folsom Field, a fan told him he was the greatest to ever wear a Colorado jersey.

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

“Travis won the Heisman with his performance,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said.

Hunter entered Friday’s game as the overwhelming favorite (-800) to win the Heisman, and his odds rose to -25,000 during the game, according to ESPN BET, as he broke Colorado’s single-season touchdown record, which now stands at 14, and tied single-game team mark. He intercepted a pass from Maealiuaki Smith on the first series of the game and was nearly intercepted again at the end of the first half, ending in two pass breakups.

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

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 opted out of speaking to reporters on 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. Who should the award go to? The best quarterback? He is nominated for best offensive player, best defensive player and much more.

“Who else did this?

Earlier this week, Sanders criticized the Thorpe Award for not including Hunter as a finalist. Sanders, who won the Thorpe at Florida State in 1988, said criticism of Hunter’s modest tackles total (30) was “stupid” and pointed out that cornerbacks who make a lot of tackles are targeted for a reason.

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

Hunter is also a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top receiver, after dramatically improving his numbers in 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, raising his season total to 82.

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

Both Deion Sanders and Shedeur Sanders said they don’t like beating other award candidates, and Shedeur Sanders acknowledged the performance of Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, likely Hunter’s biggest challenger for the Heisman. But they believe Hunter’s two-way brilliance – he rarely leaves the field on offense or defense when the outcome of the game has not yet been decided – is unique.

“Travis has proven that week in and week out, with all the injuries and everything,” Shedeur Sanders said. “He is the life of our team.”

Hunter’s early interception sparked a Heisman commercial. Late in the first quarter, he strolled into the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown.

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

“Travis is him, man, Travis is that guy,” Deion Sanders said. “Nobody can handle him on both sides of the ball.”

Shedeur Sanders said he plans to attend the Heisman Trophy ceremony on Dec. 14 in New York even if 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 best quarterback. He finished the game with 438 passing yards, five touchdowns and one 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 content for the CU program. Deion Sanders reiterated that Hunter, Shedeur and the rest of the team will play in the team’s upcoming bowl game, but on Friday their time together at Folsom Field ended.

“I didn’t really think about it until I watched the last few seconds go by, like, ‘Damn, this is it, this is it,'” Deion Sanders said. “Do you know how long this journey took with me and my children? There were a lot of ups and downs and ups and downs, a lot of adverse situations, a lot of highlights.”

“It is unbelievable to think that this matter is already closed here. This is hard.”