Travis Hunter turned every play into a spectacle — dominating on both offense and defense — and ultimately earned the Heisman Trophy.
The standout two-way player now has a significant advantage over his celebrity coach at Colorado.
Hunter claimed college football’s top honor on Saturday night, capping off a season where his remarkable skills and tireless effort set him apart from the competition.
“Never thought I would be in this position,” an emotional Hunter said while thanking his fiancée, family, and both former and current coaches. “It’s crazy. Belief takes you a long way.”
In the days leading up to the ceremony, Hunter posed for countless photos with the iconic Heisman statue. However, he made a point not to touch the trophy until it was officially his. When it finally was, he grabbed it with both hands and shouted, “Let’s go!” in celebration.
Next, Hunter headed to a local venue he had booked to celebrate with his teammates.
“I don’t usually stay out late, but I’m making an exception tonight,” Hunter said with a grin.
As a dynamic wide receiver and shutdown cornerback, Hunter excelled on both sides of the ball for Coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes. He now joins running back Rashaan Salaam, who won the Heisman in 1994, as the only two Heisman Trophy winners in the history of the University of Colorado.
Hunter won the Heisman Trophy with a commanding victory, securing 552 first-place votes and a total of 2,231 points. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty finished as the runner-up, earning 309 first-place votes and 2,017 points, marking the closest margin since 2009.
Hunter earned 80.14% of the available points, the 11th-highest in Heisman history. He also became just the second full-time defensive player to win the prestigious award, joining Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson, who claimed the Heisman in 1997. While Woodson also played wide receiver, he didn’t contribute as much on offense as Hunter.
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel finished third, and Miami quarterback Cam Ward came in fourth for the 90th Heisman Trophy voting. The award ceremony took place at Jazz at Lincoln Center in Manhattan, with Coach Deion Sanders in attendance.
This marked just the fifth time this century that a quarterback did not win the Heisman. The last time no signal-caller finished in the top two was in 2015, when running backs Derrick Henry of Alabama and Christian McCaffrey claimed the top spots.
In addition to the Heisman, Hunter earned The Associated Press Player of the Year award among several other individual honors this week. His play was a key factor in Colorado’s remarkable turnaround, as the team improved from a 4-8 record in 2023 (when Hunter missed 3.5 games due to injury) to a 9-3 record this year in Coach Deion Sanders’ second season. The 20th-ranked Buffaloes earned their first bowl game appearance in four years and will face No. 17 BYU (10-2) in the Alamo Bowl on December 28.
Hunter has committed to playing in the bowl game rather than sitting out to prepare for the NFL draft, as many top prospects do to avoid injury. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior from Suwanee, Georgia, plans to skip his senior season and is projected to be a top-five pick in the draft — potentially even the No. 1 overall selection.
“He wants to excel at everything,” Sanders said. “He’s committed to excellence in all aspects of his life — even fishing.”
Demonstrating his incredible speed and playmaking ability, Hunter rarely left the field this season, making him a true throwback to past eras and the first full-time two-way player in decades.
Offensively, he recorded 92 catches for 1,152 yards, 14 touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown. On defense, he made four interceptions, 32 tackles, broke up 11 passes, and forced a crucial fumble that helped secure an overtime win against Baylor.
As the Buffaloes kept winning and contending for a Big 12 title, Hunter transformed from a long-shot underdog in Heisman predictions last summer to a strong favorite by this week.
Throughout it all, he celebrated with teammates, striking the Heisman pose after big plays, as it became clear that Hunter was the frontrunner for the prestigious award.
“I definitely can kick (too),” he said. “I just need to practice. I can’t stop moving when I’m not on the field.”
Hunter played nearly 700 snaps each on offense and defense this season, making him the only player in a Power Four conference with over 30 snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado’s research.
While such a demanding workload might seem overwhelming for most players, both mentally and physically, Hunter takes it in stride.
“I think I’ve set the foundation for others to play both ways,” he said Friday. “It all starts with the right mindset. If you believe you can do it, you can. And I also focus a lot on treatment and recovery to keep my body in top shape.”
Rated as the top recruit in the country for the 2022 class, Hunter surprised many when he chose to commit to Coach Deion Sanders at Jackson State, an HBCU in the lower-level FCS, with the opportunity to play both offense and defense.
“A lot of people told me I couldn’t do it,” Hunter said, dressed in white shoes and a light blue suit—his favorite color. “I always say I’m going to prove them wrong and prove myself right.”
After one season, Hunter followed Coach Deion Sanders to Colorado, earning consensus All-America honors as an all-purpose player in 2022, despite missing three games due to a lacerated liver from a late hit.
After recovering, Hunter finished strong in 2023 and truly soared in 2024. Catching passes from Shedeur Sanders, Coach Sanders’ son, Hunter became Colorado’s first Heisman Trophy finalist in 30 years.
The 21-year-old, who plans to marry in May, is the sixth transfer to win the Heisman in the last eight years and the first player to earn the award after starting his career in the FCS.
“Look where I’m at. It paid off,” Hunter said.
“I wanted to be different,” he continued. “Being different makes me feel more comfortable than following the norm.”
Deion Sanders, known as Prime Time during his playing career, was a two-time All-America defensive back at Florida State and finished eighth in Heisman voting in 1988. An electrifying kick returner who also played professional baseball, Sanders had a Hall of Fame NFL career but rarely played on offense, aside from a 36-catch season with the 1996 Dallas Cowboys.
Hunter’s achievement is unique, as he now holds Heisman bragging rights over Coach Prime forever.