Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter wins 2024 Heisman Trophy

Colorado defensive back and wide receiver Travis Hunter has won the 2024 Heisman Trophy, given annually to the most outstanding player in college football.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty finished second, as Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel finished third and fourth, respectively. It’s the first non-quarterback to win the award since Alabama wideout DeVonta Smith won in 2020.

Hunter and Jeanty emerged as the clear favorites and contenders for the award during the final stretch of the season. Hunter dazzled with his two-way play as Colorado rolled to 9-3 and Jeanty entered the rare-air of Barry Sanders comparisons and led Boise State to the College Football Playoff. Each won awards as the top players at a respective position they play for the 2024 season.

But in the end, it was Hunter who won out with a season unlike any in modern college football. He joins Michigan legend Charles Woodson as the only other full-time defender to win the award. But Hunter, unlike Woodson, played full-time on offense, too. There have been numerous two-way stars — like Woodson, Champ Bailey and Chris Gamble — but none achieved both ways quite like Hunter did in 2024 as a defensive back and wide receiver.

He caught 92 passes for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as one of the top receivers in all of college football. Then, defensively, he had 32 tackles, 11 deflections, four interceptions, and a forced fumble at corner.

It was a campaign that had Hunter’s teammates and head coach Deion Sanders stumping for him to win the award.

“I think Travis clinched the Heisman,” Sanders said after Colorado’s season finale win, before pausing and then starting up again. “Thank you God, for stopping me. Because I almost said something. I think Travis clinched the Heisman with his performance. I think he made a lot of people aware of how ignorant they was with the Thorpe. His performance today, what’d he have? Three touchdowns, 100 yards and an interception and two passes broken up. Should’ve had another pick. Hit him right in the darn chest. I’m not happy about that, but I’m happy with him. But it’s phenomenal.”

Jeanty proved to be a worthy foil, though, as the Broncos rolled to 11-1 and Jeanty came within shouting distance of Sanders’ 1988 rushing total, albeit in more games. He ran for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns on 344 carries, good for 192.1 per game and 7.3 a touch, as the nation’s leading rusher by over 800 yards. He’s just 131 yards shy of the single-season record held by Sanders.

Hunter is also the second winner from Colorado, joining the late Rashaan Salaam. He’s also the first winner to have played at the FCS level, as he began his career at Jackson State.

Ward, in leading the No. 1 scoring offense in college football at 44.2 ppg., had his career-best season in the FBS. He completed 67.4% of his passes for 4,123 yards, 36 touchdowns — which led the country — and seven interceptions. That helped the Hurricanes to their best season since 2003, going 10-2.

Gabriel put up a 73.2% completion rate, which was a career-high and the second-best in the sport this season, in passing for 3,558 yards, 28 touchdowns, and six interceptions. That has the Ducks still without a loss after winning the Big Ten Championship ahead of being the top seed in the College Football Playoff.