Travis Hunter Named AP College Football Player of the Year
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Travis Hunter, the Colorado Buffaloes’ dynamic two-way standout, has been named the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year. Hunter earned 26 of 43 votes from AP Top 25 voters, edging out Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, who garnered 16 votes, and Arizona State’s Cameron Skattebo, who received one vote.
A rare talent in college football, Hunter excels both as a wide receiver and a cornerback, rarely leaving the field and making game-changing plays in both roles. Known for his electrifying performances, Hunter also keeps fans entertained with creative touchdown and interception celebrations, including a signature Heisman Trophy pose.
Reflecting on his success, Hunter credited his team, saying, “I couldn’t do what I do without my team. So I view being up for these awards as team awards.”
Hunter’s remarkable versatility reminds fans of legendary players like Charles Woodson at Michigan, Champ Bailey at Georgia, and his coach, Deion Sanders, who also thrived in both offensive and defensive roles during his NFL career. Hunter’s decision to join Coach Prime, first at Jackson State and now at Colorado, was driven by his desire to play both sides of the ball—an opportunity only Sanders offered.
“I’m motivated when people tell me I can’t do something,” Hunter shared. “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.”
This season, Hunter helped Colorado finish with a 9-3 record, securing a spot in the Alamo Bowl against BYU on December 28. Over the course of the season, he played 688 defensive snaps and 672 offensive snaps, making him the only player in the Power Five conferences with over 30 snaps on both sides of the ball.
Hunter’s achievements don’t end with the AP Player of the Year award. He also won his second consecutive Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in college football. He is also in the running for several prestigious awards, including the Walter Camp Player of the Year, Maxwell Award, Biletnikoff Award (best receiver), and Bednarik Award (top defensive player). Additionally, Hunter is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, which he could bring home this weekend, becoming only the second Colorado player to win the award after Rashaan Salaam’s victory in 1994.
Despite his stellar season, Hunter wasn’t a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top defensive back, a decision that upset Coach Sanders, who vowed to give his own 1988 Thorpe Award to Hunter.
Hunter’s high school coach, Lenny Gregory, recognized his exceptional talent as early as Hunter’s freshman year. Gregory recalls telling college recruiters that Hunter would one day be the top player in the country. “They’d laugh at me, saying ‘What are you talking about? This scrawny kid?’ I told them, ‘Just watch. Just watch.’”
This season, Hunter finished with 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver. On defense, he recorded four interceptions, broke up 11 passes, and forced one fumble that helped secure a dramatic overtime win over Baylor. Hunter was targeted 119 times by his own quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, but only 39 times by opposing quarterbacks, showcasing his dominance on both sides of the ball.
Hunter’s likely final game in Boulder, a commanding victory over Oklahoma State, included three touchdowns and one interception, a performance that left fans and teammates in awe.
“I’m used to seeing him do all this spectacular stuff,” said Shedeur Sanders. “You all are just now seeing it on a national stage.”
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