Travis Hunter was brilliant on offense, and won a defensive award
Sep 16, 2024, 4:23 PM | Updated: Sep 17, 2024, 9:16 am
CU Buffs superstar Travis Hunter earned a cool award on Monday.
And it wasn’t for anything he did on offense against the CSU Rams in the Rocky Mountain Showdown.
Hunter, who turned in another brilliant game and looks every bit like a Heisman Trophy contender, was crowned the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts up in Fort Collins.
Elite Playmaker 🕺
Travis Hunter has been named the Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week@TravisHunterJr x #GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/N1UaIXHEQ8
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 16, 2024
Hunter had a fantastic interception of CSU QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi that he returned for 38 yards. He also had five tackles and a pass break up during his time on the field as a cornerback, helping the Buffs cruise to an easy 28-9 win.
And that’s not even mentioning what Hunter did on offense, as the Big 12 decided to give him this honor on the defensive side of the ball.
Hunter caught a ridiculous 13 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns to help Colorado win the last Rocky Mountain Showdown scheduled until 2029. He also played 123 snaps, simply a monster number for a young man who seems to never get tired.
In fact, when you combine some of Hunter’s stats, he did something that college football hasn’t seen in almost 30 years.
Travis Hunter was on a mission tonight:
– 100 receiving yards
– 2 touchdown catches
– 1 defensive interceptionHe's the first FBS player to do all that in a game since Kansas State's Kevin Lockett against Kansas in 1996. pic.twitter.com/YKBGjCdzoP
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 15, 2024
Folks are starting to run out of words to describe what a special player Hunter is. He could easily be a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and at this rate might go in the top-5 or even No. 1 overall.
This award for Hunter will be one of many he stacks up this season. And it could all culminate in the biggest individual prize in college football, the Heisman Trophy, in just a few months.