Why Colorado two-way superstar Travis Hunter deserved to win the Heisman Trophy

Travis Hunter is a unicorn.

I have no other words to describe him at this point. The two-way superstar from Colorado has electrified the sport in a way we’ve never seen before. He tallied 1,152 receiving yards and 14 touchdown receptions as a receiver. And as a cornerback, he intercepted four passes and had seven pass breakups, 32 tackles and one forced fumble. He was one of the nation’s best receivers while also playing as one of the nation’s best defensive backs — an astonishing feat considering how exhausting it is to average 120 snaps per game. Not to mention the week-in, week-out preparation, film study and mental toughness required to play two positions full-time.

Michigan D.B Charles Woodson the 1997 Heisman winner may be the best comparison for Hunter in recent college football history, and even that comparison doesn’t feel quite right. It’s not just Hunter’s athleticism and versatility that makes him stand out; it’s also his impact on games and on his entire program. There’s no way Colorado wins nine games this year without Hunter’s production on both sides of the ball. And the Buffs’ turnaround from a four-win team Deion Sanders‘ first season to 9-3 and on the eve of a Big 12 Championship Game appearance in Year 2 was one of the defining storylines of this college football season. I proudly voted for Hunter No. 1 on my Heisman ballot.

Did Hunter lock up Heisman after Week 14 win?

The Big Ten College Countdown crew takes a closer look at the Heisman Trophy race in Week 14 and debates whether Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter or Miami QB Cam Ward is more deserving of the award.

None of this should take away from what Boise State gives back Ashton Jeanty accomplished. He was also by appointment. Jeanty was and is looking for records of Barry Sanders that most of us never thought would be touched. He has racked up an astonishing 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns on 344 carries this season. Sanders rushed for 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns on the exact same number of carries. It’s really not far off, and in most other years, Jeanty’s season would certainly win him the Heisman. But Hunter did something we’ve never seen before in college football, and Jeanty was hurt a bit by the fact that most of his production came against Mountain West competition instead of Power 4 opponents. Still, I debated the No. 1 spot on my ballot for quite some time after Boise State won the Mountain West title. But in the end I gave up the sharpness to the Swiss Army knife. Jeanty was number 2 on my ballot.

I placed Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel third on my ballot because he was exceptional in the Ducks’ biggest games. Against Ohio State, Penn State and Boise State, Gabriel threw for 822 yards and eight touchdowns (with no interceptions). I just felt like Gabriel deserved to be in New York City, even though I knew he wouldn’t win the award. He’s the best national champion quarterback, and I wanted to emphasize that.