Travis Hunter eyeing Heisman as Buffs make trip to Arrowhead
Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter runs a route during the third quarter against Nebraska Saturday September 9, 2023 at Folsom Field. (Lynn Harrington/stayaliveinpower5)
BOULDER, Colo. — There’s no denying that the Buffaloes have the biggest star in College Football, and he’s emerging as the Heisman favorite as they approach their final two games of the regular season.
Over the years the game has had tremendous athletes who played on both sides of the ball like UCLA’s Myles Jack, Georgia’s Champ Bailey and Michigan’s Charles Woodson, but Colorado’s Travis Hunter has taken it to another level.
After all, he plays over 100 snaps a game, and is the only player in the country with multiple touchdown catches and interceptions. The spotlight is always on him every time he steps onto the field, and Hunter is a human highlight reel whenever he touches the ball.
Colorado (8-2) currently sits atop the Big 12 standings with BYU, but both teams will be making pivotal road trips in week 13. The Buffaloes are traveling to Arrowhead Stadium to play a team that has nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Kansas (4-6) is red hot right now after taking down Iowa State and BYU over the past two weeks, and still fighting for bowl eligibility.
It’s the perfect opportunity for Hunter to showcase his talents again to a national audience, and he embraces the fact that all eyes will be on him Saturday afternoon. Practice has been intense throughout the week, and the Buffaloes have done their homework in the film room, so Travis is confident with how they measure up against the opposition.
“Our preparation is way better, we understand that anybody can win, anybody can go out there and beat us,” Hunter said. “So we gotta be ready, focused, do our job and play Colorado football.”
The stakes are very high, because the Buffaloes control their own destiny to a berth in the Big 12 Championship Game, and the Playoffs. Hunter understands that November is the month that makes champions, and he intends on helping Colorado finish strong down the stretch.
Everyone wonders if playing multiple snaps at wideout and cornerback will take a toll on Hunter. However, he takes great care of his body with dieting, hydration, nutrition, treatments, stretching and rest. Hunter trusts Coach Prime and his staff, and believes they’ll never give him nothing that he can’t handle.
“The coaches don’t ask me if I need a rest because I know what’s going on with my body, so if I decided to take myself out, they would understand,” he said. “There hasn’t been a game this year, or last year where I felt like I was too tired, or needed to take a break after taking too many snaps, and needed to cool out.”
Hunter is going to need his endurance and durability against the Jayhawks, and they present challenges for him on both sides of the ball. When Hunter lines up at wide receiver, he’s going to deal with All-Big 12 cornerbacks Cobee Bryant and Ra’Mello Dotson. The Jayhawk duo are both ball hawks, and have combined for a jaw-dropping, nine interceptions this season.
When Hunter lines up at cornerback, he’ll have to keep an eye on explosive wideouts Luke Grimm and Quintin Skinner. The senior tandem have combined for 66 receptions, 1,062 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches in 2024. If Hunter can find a way to contain Skinner and Grimm, and make consistent catches on Dotson and Bryant, he’ll likely have a tremendous outing.
The Jayhawks are a very dangerous team to Hunter, and they have to feel some type of way with the Buffaloes hogging all of the headlines approaching this matchup. Most importantly, Hunter doesn’t want his run for the Heisman, or intentions to leave school early to enter the 2025 NFL Draft, be a team distraction.
Although Hunter is already projected as the No. 1 overall Draft prospect, there’s no animosity in Colorado’s locker room. His teammates are all rallying behind him, including quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who’s name is also in the Heisman discussion.
Hunter is enjoying the fact that Colorado has two players that can potentially turn out to be a Heisman finalists. Regardless of what happens, Hunter knows they have each other’s support.
“Even if one of us win, it’s the same team, same school, we have the same goals, so if he (Sanders) wins it, I’m going to be super happy, just like he would,” the 21-year old said. “I helped him get to that goal, so we’re not gong to leave anybody out, we’re just super proud to have two people from the our school be in the race.”
The Jayhawks would love nothing more than to upset the No. 16 Buffaloes, and throw a wrench in the Big 12 race. Which is why it’s going to be important for Coach Prime to have his team ready for whatever comes their way. Hunter is expecting the kitchen sink, but remains confident Colorado will be up for the challenge, and that his coaches will put the players in the best places to be successful.
“They stay on us, we watch film all of the time, they help us out a lot with technique, and we make it seem so easy once we hit the field, because of the game plan they put in front of us.”
