Travis Hunter: The Two-Way Star Redefining College Football
BOULDER, Colo. — Travis Hunter isn’t just a football player; he’s a phenomenon. The Colorado Buffaloes star is a rare breed, a throwback to the days when players dominated on both sides of the ball. One moment, he’s an elite receiver torching defenses; the next, he’s a lockdown cornerback shutting down the opposition. And the craziest part? He rarely leaves the field.
Hunter’s ability to make game-changing plays is matched only by his flair for the dramatic. Whether it’s a touchdown or an interception, he celebrates with imaginative dance moves that often include the iconic Heisman Trophy pose. And speaking of the Heisman, Hunter is the odds-on favorite to win it this weekend, a feat that would make him only the second Colorado player to do so, following Rashaan Salaam’s 1994 triumph.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg for Hunter’s accolades. The Associated Press named him the college football player of the year, with Hunter receiving 26 of 43 votes from a panel of AP Top 25 voters. Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty finished second with 16 votes, while Arizona State’s Cameron Skattebo received one vote. Hunter’s response? Pure humility. “Couldn’t do what I do without my team,” he said in an email while en route to Las Vegas for an awards ceremony. “So I view being up for these awards as team awards.”
A Player for the Ages
Hunter’s skill set is so unique that comparisons to legends like Charles Woodson, Champ Bailey, and even his own coach, Deion Sanders, are inevitable. Sanders, a two-way star in the NFL, was the only coach willing to let Hunter play significant snaps on both sides of the ball. That trust is what led Hunter to follow Sanders from Jackson State to Colorado.
“Coach Prime was the only coach who would consider allowing me to do what I’m doing,” Hunter said. “He did it and knows what it takes—how much you have to be ready on both sides of the ball.”
And ready he was. Hunter played a staggering 688 defensive snaps and 672 offensive snaps this season, making him the only Power Four conference player to log 30-plus snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado research. His stats are jaw-dropping: 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver, along with four interceptions, 11 pass breakups, and a forced fumble on defense. That forced fumble, by the way, secured an overtime win over Baylor.
Fueling the Fire
What drives Hunter? Doubt. “I’m motivated when people tell me I can’t do something,” he said. “That I can’t dominate on both sides of the ball. I want to be an example for others that anything is possible. Keep pursuing your dreams.”
Hunter’s high school coach, Lenny Gregory, saw that determination early on. As a freshman at Collins Hill High School in Georgia, Hunter excelled in a grueling conditioning test, running six 200-yard dashes with ease. “I remember just talking to colleges the spring of his ninth-grade year and telling coaches that this kid’s going to be the No. 1 player in the country,” Gregory recalled. “They’d look at him and laugh at me, ‘What are you talking about? This scrawny kid? He’s not big enough.’ I was like, ‘Just watch. Just watch.’”
A Season to Remember
Hunter’s impact on the 20th-ranked Buffaloes was undeniable. He helped lead the team to a 9-3 record and a berth in the Alamo Bowl against No. 17 BYU (10-2) on Dec. 28. Along the way, he racked up some eye-popping numbers:
- 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns
- Four interceptions and 11 pass breakups
- 53 first downs created as a receiver, while allowing just six as a defender
- Targeted 119 times by Shedeur Sanders and Co., but only 39 times by opposing quarterbacks
In what was likely his final game in Boulder, Hunter delivered a three-touchdown, one-interception performance in a rout of Oklahoma State. “I’m used to seeing him do all this spectacular stuff,” Shedeur Sanders said. “I’m used to all this stuff—you all are just now seeing it on a national stage.”
Chasing History
Hunter’s trophy case is already overflowing. He’s won the Paul Hornung Award for the second straight year as the game’s most versatile player and is a finalist for the Walter Camp, Maxwell, Biletnikoff, and Bednarik awards. The only snub? The Jim Thorpe Award for the nation’s top defensive back, which drew the ire of Deion Sanders. The coach, who won the award in 1988, even vowed to give his own trophy to Hunter.
As Hunter prepares for the Alamo Bowl and a likely top-five selection in next spring’s NFL draft, his legacy is already cemented. He’s not just a player; he’s a movement, a reminder that the impossible is only a challenge waiting to be conquered.
Originally Written by: Pat Graham
