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 wasn’t able to come up with a win in his final college game, with the Buffaloes losing to BYU in the Alamo Bowl. But the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner delivered some big plays again, 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 of one of the most remarkable and unprecedented seasons in modern college football history. Prior to Saturday’s loss, Hunter played 1,360 snaps from scrimmage this season as he was on the field for the vast majority of Colorado’s plays.

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

As 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 opener that caused him to miss five games. As the burgeoning star returned later in the year, he slowly got acclimated to playing 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, making a pair of crucial touchdown grabs in the win. First, he brought in an 18-yard touchdown pass from Shedeur Sanders that gave Colorado the lead in the fourth quarter. Later, he made a 19-yard contested catch in the end zone that tied the score as time expired in regulation, sending the game to overtime.

N.C. Central wound up winning in overtime, but Hunter left his mark at Jackson State with his performance in the Celebration Bowl. He recorded four receptions for 47 yards and two touchdowns to go with five total tackles and a pass breakup. 

Hunter instantly became a legend in his first game at Colorado, playing in 87% of the team’s snaps from scrimmage in its upset over the previous season’s national championship runner-up. 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 side. 

As TCU got the ball to Colorado’s 4-yard line on a drive in the third quarter, Hunter jumped a route and came up with a diving interception. He also recorded a top speed of 21.4 mph on a chase-down tackle later in the third that kept the Buffaloes‘ lead intact.

Colorado’s Travis Hunter puts up HISTORIC numbers on BOTH sides of the ball in shocking upset against No. 17 TCU

Hunter began his second season at Colorado with a bang. Sanders found him throughout the Week 1 matchup, leading Hunter to finish with seven receptions for 132 yards and three touchdowns. The last two touchdowns came in the second half, giving Colorado the points that ultimately determined the game in a 31-26 win. Defensively, Hunter only allowed two receptions on two targets for 14 yards, per Pro Football Focus, as he played the vast majority of the evening. 

A year after getting knocked out of the in-state rivalry game due to an unnecessary roughness penalty that caused his liver injury, Hunter got his revenge against Colorado State. The future Biletnikoff Award winner matched his career high in receptions (13) and had 100 receiving yards plus two receiving touchdowns. Hunter actually surrendered his most targets of the season in that game with eight (per PFF), but he only allowed 54 yards and came up with a big interception in the red zone, which was sandwiched between his two touchdown receptions in the second half of Colorado’s win. 

Hunter’s most heroic play of his Colorado career came on the final play of its overtime win against Baylor. As Baylor running back Dominic Richardson was about to run into the end zone for the game-tying score, Hunter awaited him at the goal line. Hunter displayed perfect form on his tackle attempt, allowing his shoulder to pop the ball loose and secure the win for Colorado. Hunter didn’t have any touchdowns in that game, but he recorded seven receptions for 130 yards. He also wasn’t targeted once in pass coverage, per PFF.

Fans storm the field after Colorado’s Travis Hunter forces a Baylor fumble through the endzone and seals a 38-31 win in OT

Following his epic performance against Baylor, Hunter took his Heisman candidacy to the next level in Colorado’s win over UCF. The two-way standout found the end zone early, coming up with 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-esque diving interception in the third quarter, celebrating the play by hitting the Heisman pose for the first time. He also only allowed two receptions on five targets for 25 yards in that game. 

Colorado’s Travis Hunter hauls in an UNREAL interception, strikes Heisman pose

As Hunter healed up from a shoulder injury that limited him in the prior two games, he showed 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 grab, Hunter got himself in the right spot to track a lob from Sanders before falling into the end zone for a score before halftime. Later, Hunter made a highlight-reel 34-yard catch despite being interfered with, setting up Colorado to get 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 defended.

Hunter seemed to elevate his game yet 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 week prior, 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 a fourth down before taking a hard fall for a 28-yard gain.

Travis Hunter hits the Heisman after UNREAL interception vs. Utah

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

Colorado’s playoff hopes were diminished in its 37-21 loss to Kansas in the penultimate week of the regular season, but Hunter’s Heisman hopes weren’t. Offensively, he cracked 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 right past Kansas’ defense for a 51-yard touchdown. In the second half, Hunter took a pass slightly underthrown by Sanders and turned it into a touchdown for Colorado when he split a pair of Kansas defenders. 

Travis Hunter shows off ELITE speed in 51-yard TD to help Colorado trim deficit vs. Kansas

Even though Hunter had another strong game against Kansas, he still had some work to do in order to clinch the Heisman Trophy. And with the loss to Kansas, the regular-season finale was Hunter’s last chance to make his stand. 

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

Travis Hunter 2024 Colorado Buffaloes Full Season Highlights

In the third quarter, Hunter found the end zone again when he danced his way open along the goal line to come up with his second touchdown. His final touchdown might have sealed the deal for his Heisman win, coming up with a 23-yard grab as he was being pulled down in the end zone. 

That touchdown was succeeded by another Heisman pose from Hunter, putting a bow on one of the most memorable individual seasons in recent college football history. 

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