Travis Hunter made an early-season statement in Orlando.
After picking off Central Florida quarterback KJ Jefferson in the third quarter, Hunter flashed the Heisman pose in celebration. It was his first interception of the game, but certainly not his first big play. At the time of the interception, Hunter was also sitting on 81 receiving yards with a touchdown.
WHAT AN INTERCEPTION BY TRAVIS HUNTER
He makes the play and hits the Heisman pose @CUBuffsFootball pic.twitter.com/cF3MLeOpuM
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 28, 2024
Hunter’s case for the Heisman is unlike any we’ve seen in years. When DeVonta Smith won the award in 2020, he became the first wide receiver to win the award since 1991.
But Hunter doesn’t just play both sides of the football for Colorado, he features on both sides of the ball. He entered Week 5 playing more than 100 snaps a game as a receiver and a defensive back.
Entering Saturday’s game against UCF, Hunter had been on the field for 92% of his team’s snaps. He leads his team in receiving and went into the weekend as the Big 12’s leader in receiving touchdowns. He was also the third-highest-graded cover corner in the Big 12, per PFF. Through the first 4 games, Hunter had been targeted 14 times on defense and had yet to give up a touchdown or anything longer than 19 yards.
The biggest question with Hunter is whether team success (or a lack thereof) will keep him from making a trip to New York City. But if Colorado closes out Central Florida, the Buffs will be 4-1 on the season. At FanDuel, Hunter was priced at +650 to win the award at the time of publication.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
