Travis Hunter’s 10 Most Memorable Performances of His College Football Career

Travis Hunter’s college career has come to an end.

Colorado’s two-way star couldn’t muster a win in his final college game, and the Buffaloes lost to BYU in the Alamo Bowl. But the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner again made some big plays, recording four receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

While Hunter’s college career ended on a sour note, it was just the latest chapter in one of the most remarkable and unprecedented seasons in the history of modern college football. Before Saturday’s loss, Hunter played 1,360 snaps from scrimmage this season while being on the field for the vast majority of Colorado’s snaps.

Hunter was not only on the field frequently, but he was also productive. Offensively, he recorded 94 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns in addition to a rushing score. Defensively, he had 31 total tackles, four interceptions, 11 passes defensed and a forced fumble entering Saturday’s game. He also allowed 22 receptions on just 38 targets for 205 yards and a touchdown before the Alamo Bowl, according to Pro Football Focus.

While the NFL awaits Hunter, let’s take a look at his most memorable college performances in chronological order.

Hunter had a relatively quiet season at Jackson State in 2022, suffering an injury in the first game that caused him to miss five games. When the burgeoning star returned at the end of the year, he slowly became accustomed to playing on both sides.

It all came together for Hunter in the Celebration Bowl at the end of the season. He had his most productive game of the year on his biggest stage, scoring a pair of crucial touchdowns in the win. First, he got an 18-yard touchdown pass from Shedeur Sanders that gave Colorado the lead in the fourth quarter. He then made a contested 19-yard catch in the end zone that tied the score as time expired in regulation, sending the game into overtime.

NC Central ended up winning in overtime, but Hunter left his mark on Jackson State with his performance in the Celebration Bowl. He had four receptions for 47 yards and two touchdowns, along with five total tackles and one pass deflection.

Hunter instantly became a legend in his first game in Colorado, playing on 87% of the team’s snaps from scrimmage in their upset runner-up finish in the previous season’s national championship. Offensively, Hunter had an active day against the Horned Frogs defense, with 11 receptions for 119 yards. But his most impressive play of the game came on the defensive end.

When TCU took the ball to the Colorado 4-yard line on a third-quarter drive, Hunter jumped a route and made a diving interception. He also recorded a top speed of 21.4 mph on a chase tackle later in the third quarter that kept the Buffaloes’ lead intact.

Hunter started his second season in Colorado strong. Sanders found it during the Week 1 matchup, leading to Hunter finishing with seven catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns. The final two touchdowns came in the second half, giving Colorado the points that ultimately determined the game in a 31-26 victory. Defensively, Hunter only allowed two receptions on two targets for 14 yards, according to Pro Football Focus, while playing the vast majority of the night.

A year after being eliminated from the state rivalry game due to an unnecessary roughness penalty that led to a liver injury, Hunter got his revenge against Colorado State. The future Biletnikoff Award winner tied his career high in receptions (13) and had 100 receiving yards plus two receiving touchdowns. Hunter actually gave up a season-high eight targets in that game (per PFF), but he only allowed 54 yards and had a big interception in the red zone, which was sandwiched between his two touchdown catches in the second half. of Victoria, Colorado.

Hunter’s most heroic play of his Colorado career came on the final play of their overtime win against Baylor. When Baylor running back Dominic Richardson was about to run into the end zone to tie the game, Hunter was waiting for him at the goal line. Hunter showed perfect form on his tackle attempt, allowing his shoulder to release the ball and securing the victory for Colorado. Hunter did not have a touchdown in that game, but recorded seven receptions for 130 yards. He also wasn’t targeted once in pass coverage, according to PFF.

Following his epic performance against Baylor, Hunter took his Heisman bid to the next level in Colorado’s victory over UCF. The two-way standout found the end zone early, hauling in a 23-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter. While Hunter had nine receptions for 89 yards, his play at corner was arguably more impressive. He came up with another Superman-style diving interception in the third quarter, celebrating the play by striking the Heisman pose for the first time. He also allowed just two receptions on five targets for 25 yards in that game.

While Hunter was recovering from a shoulder injury that limited him in the previous two games, he showed that he was fine and healthy against Cincinnati in late October. He had nine receptions for a career-high 153 yards along with two touchdowns. On his second touchdown, Hunter got in the right spot to track down a Sanders lob before dropping into the end zone for a score before halftime. Hunter later made a highlight-reel 34-yard catch despite being interfered with, setting up Colorado for the game-sealing score. Additionally, Hunter allowed just two receptions on six targets for 9 yards against the Bearcats, finishing with two tackles and four passes defensed.

Hunter seemed to elevate his game once again after Colorado’s second bye week, recording seven touchdowns in the team’s final four regular season games. After a 99-yard outing against Texas Tech the previous week, Hunter had several Heisman moments in Colorado’s win over Utah. He got an interception in the first quarter and struck a Heisman pose. Later in the first half, Hunter made one of the catches of the season when he snatched the ball over two Utah defenders on fourth down before taking a hard fall for a 28-yard gain.

Hunter capped his day by turning a broken running play into a 5-yard touchdown run, making Utah defenders look foolish as they chased him all over the backfield. While Hunter finished the game with just five receptions for 55 yards, the win over Utah appeared to give him the lead in the Heisman race entering the final two weeks of the regular season.

Colorado’s playoff hopes diminished in its 37-21 loss to Kansas in the penultimate week of the regular season, but Hunter’s Heisman hopes did not. Offensively, he surpassed the 100-yard mark again and had his fourth multi-touchdown performance of the season, finishing with eight receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns. On his first touchdown, Hunter took a screen pass and ran over the top of the Kansas defense for a 51-yard touchdown. In the second half, Hunter took a slightly deflected pass from Sanders and turned it into a touchdown for Colorado when he split a pair of Kansas defenders.

Although Hunter had another good game against Kansas, he still had work to do to clinch the Heisman Trophy. And with the loss to Kansas, the end of the regular season was Hunter’s last chance to fight back.

Hunter delivered, dominating on both sides of the ball in his final game in Boulder. On the first possession of the game, Hunter came up with an interception that set up Colorado to take an early lead. Later in the first quarter, Hunter took an 11-yard tipped pass into the end zone and started dancing like his coach, Deion Sanders.

In the third quarter, Hunter found the end zone again when he danced his way along the goal line for his second touchdown. His final touchdown could have sealed the deal for his Heisman victory, making a 23-yard grab while getting tackled in the end zone.

That touchdown was followed by another Heisman pose by Hunter, capping one of the most memorable individual seasons in recent college football history.

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