BOULDER, Colo. — Travis Hunter took his victory lap along the Colorado sideline, signing autographs and posing for photos as fans chanted, “Heisman!”
He stood alongside his fiancée, Leanna Lenee, who wore a jacket reading “HE12MAN”—a nod to Hunter's jersey number and the prestigious award. As he completed his celebratory circuit at Folsom Field's north end zone, a fan called him the greatest player ever to wear a Colorado jersey.
The two-way star delivered a compelling final home performance for the Heisman Trophy, scoring three touchdowns and intercepting a pass in Colorado's dominant 52-0 win over Oklahoma State. The Buffaloes finished the regular season 9-3, and unless they get help to reach the Big 12 championship, this was Hunter's final appearance before Heisman voting concludes.
“Travis clinched the Heisman with that performance,” said Colorado coach Deion Sanders. Hunter became the first FBS player since at least 1996 to record three touchdowns and an interception in a single game.
Entering Friday, Hunter was already the Heisman favorite, and his odds skyrocketed further. He set a Colorado record for single-season touchdown receptions (14) and tied the single-game mark. He intercepted a pass on Oklahoma State's opening drive and broke up two more.
Hunter, who starts at both cornerback and wide receiver, has now recorded a game with an interception and offensive touchdown four times this season. According to ESPN Research, he’s the only player in the past 25 years with two games featuring multiple touchdowns and an interception.
He aims to be Colorado's second Heisman winner (following Rashaan Salaam in 1994) and the first primarily defensive player to win since Charles Woodson in 1997. Hunter is also a finalist for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards.
“Travis has proven every week that he's the best player in college football,” Sanders emphasized. “Who else has done this? Ever?”
Earlier, Sanders criticized the Thorpe Award for excluding Hunter as a finalist, arguing that his impact goes beyond traditional defensive stats. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy acknowledged his team underestimated Hunter, calling him “a special player.”
Hunter is also a Biletnikoff Award finalist for the nation’s top receiver. His seventh 100-yard receiving game Friday capped a season with 92 receptions.
“There’s no debate anymore,” said quarterback Shedeur Sanders. “The consistency he shows—that’s what the Heisman is about.”
Deion and Shedeur Sanders praised Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, another Heisman contender, but emphasized Hunter’s two-way brilliance as unique.
Hunter's night began with an early interception and ended with a leaping 23-yard touchdown grab.
“Travis is that guy,” Deion Sanders declared. “Nobody can handle him on either side of the ball.”
The game marked the final home appearance for Hunter, Shedeur, and their teammates. Reflecting on the moment, Deion Sanders said, “This journey with my kids has had a lot of ups and downs. It’s tough to see it conclude here.”