I’m positive Colorado isn’t going to be good enough for him to win it but Buffaloes do-it-all junior Travis Hunter should at least be a finalist for the Heisman.
Hunter once again on Saturday night had his fingerprints all over Colorado’s 28-9 win over in-state rival Colorado State. Hunter at wide receiver had 13 catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Hunter playing defensive back finished with five tackles and a PBU.
Hunter is a machine. He played 123 snaps on Saturday night. That’s a season low. The Buffaloes roster is very top heavy, and its reliance on Hunter is a glaring example of that. Hunter through three games this season has already matched his receiving touchdown total from 2023. He continues to be a lockdown defender. If Colorado even sniffs a bowl game, it’ll be on Hunter’s back.
History isn’t on Hunter’s side, though, as far as the Heisman is concerned.
No Heisman winner has played for a team with four or more losses since Oklahoma running back Steve Owens won the award in 1969, when the Sooners finished 6-4. Notre Dame running back Paul Hornung is the only player to win the award from a losing team. Hornung’s Irish went 2-8 when he won the trophy in 1956.
The Big 12 is wide open this season, like most years. The Buffaloes should at least get to six wins and a bowl this season. Matchups with current league leaders Kansas State, Utah and Oklahoma State will show if Colorado is primed for a great season. If the Buffaloes can somehow get to 8-4, Hunter should for sure have a spot in New York. A 9-3 finish could make a lot of voters take notice of Hunter’s exploits.
Since the Heisman Trophy was first awarded in 1935, it has gone to 11 players from teams with at least three losses. Since 1986, though, only four Heisman winners have played on teams with three or more losses. They’re all fairly recent: Texas running back Ricky Williams in 1998, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III in 2011, Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson and LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels last year.
Hunter could be the second defensive back to win the award, following Michigan’s Charles Woodson, who won the Heisman in 1997. Three wide receivers have won the award: Notre Dame’s Tim Brown (1987), Michigan’s Desmond Howard (1991) and Alabama’s DeVonta Smith (2020). The award seems to have become a trophy for the best quarterback, as 20 of the last 24 Heisman winners are quarterbacks.
Hunter has a chance to make some history. And I think he’s up to it.
The “If I voted: Top 25
1. Texas
2. Ohio State
3. Miami
4. Tennessee
5. Georgia
6. USC
7. Alabama
8. Ole Miss
9. Missouri
10. Kansas State
11. Penn State
12. Oregon
13. Louisville
14. Oklahoma
15. Utah
16. Oklahoma State
17. Clemson
18. Iowa State
19. LSU
20. Nebraska
21. Northern Illinois
22. Notre Dame
23. Illinois
24. UNLV
25. Texas A & M
Week 3 Heisman ballot
1. Jalen Milroe, Alabama QB
2. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss QB
3. Ashton Jeanty, Boise State RB
4. Travis Hunter, Colorado DB/WR
5. Cam Ward, Miami QB
Best of the Week 4 slate
1. Tennessee at Oklahoma
2. Utah at Oklahoma State
3. USC at Michigan
4. Illinois at Nebraska (Friday)
5. Michigan State at Boston College
6. Baylor at Colorado
7. NC State at Clemson
8. Kansas at West Virginia
9. Arizona State at Texas Tech
