Big 12 Football

Heisman winner Travis Hunter has his fiancée to thank for introducing him to Lil Wayne.

The 21-year-old admitted during his 2024 Heisman Trophy acceptance speech on Saturday that he was unfamiliar with Lil Wayne's music before meeting his fiancée, Leanna Lenee.

"Wayne, you don't know how you came into our life. My fiancée loves you," Hunter said as the rapper sat alongside Colorado coach Deion Sanders and teammate Shedeur Sanders. "I didn't know none of your songs until she let me know because I don't listen to music. She let me know, she told me, 'You gotta listen to this. If you're going to listen to (music), listen to Wayne.'"

As he pumped himself up for games where he averaged 96 yards per game offensively and dominated on defense, Hunter admitted he was plugged into Wayne's music.

"From that day on, that is all I listen to," Hunter said. "Pregame music, those are the songs I'm listening to. When I get in that TRX and I blast that music, I'm listening to Wayne."

The Colorado Buffaloes star was born in 2003, making him just five-years old when Wayne's best-selling album "Tha Carter III" was released. It would be three more years until Hunter's acclaimed favorite song, 6 Foot 7 Foot was released on "Tha Carter IV."

"It's crazy. 6 Foot, 7 Foot, 8 Foot... That's my song," Hunter added. "I respect you for coming out here and supporting me man."

Wayne, a five-time Grammy Award winner, was recently passed over for the 2025 NFL Super Bowl halftime performance in favor of Kendrick Lamar, much to Hunter's dismay, as he shared on his podcast, The Travis Hunter Show.

"Kendrick Lamar being the halftime Super Bowl 59 halftime performance, it's gonna be in New Orleans, which is kind of crazy cause I was thinking it was gonna be Lil Wayne all the way, and I'm about to be out there running on the field 'six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch. Tryna go out there and be lit with Lil Wayne."

Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter received a historic College Football 25 ratings boost following his Heisman Trophy win on Saturday night.

Hunter's overall rating increased to 99 following the award ceremony, according to EA Sports.

Previously ranked at a 97 OVR, Hunter was celebrated as the best player in college football after excelling at both wide receiver and cornerback in his junior season.

Hunter grew up playing EA Sports college football games, where his strategy was "filling his roster with players with 99 grades," ESPN's Mark Schlabach recently reported.

He has now achieved the 99 OVR for himself after making 92 catches for 1,152 yards and recording 15 total touchdowns through 12 games.

Hunter also recorded 31 tackles and 11 passes defensed while snagging four interceptions on the other side of the ball. He led the FBS in total snaps after logging 688 on defense and 672 on offense.

Just 24 total players earned a 99 overall rating in NCAA Football games between 2003 and 2014, according to Fox College Football.

The last player to earn a 99 OVR in NCAA Football was South Carolina defensive end and future No. 1 pick Jadeveon Clowney in 2014, per Fox Sports' RJ Young.

Hunter will look to follow in Clowney's footsteps by entering the 2025 NFL Draft as a prospective top selection. Before then, however, Hunter has said he plans to compete in one final game for the Buffaloes when Colorado takes on BYU in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28.

Heisman Trophy finalist and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty currently holds a 97 OVR. The other two finalists for the award, Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, each boast a 93 OVR.

Travis Hunter was named the recipient of the 2024 Heisman Trophy on Saturday night.

Colorado's two-way standout edged out Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who finished No. 2 in voting. Hunter received 552 first-place votes, while Jeanty earned 309 first-place votes (h/t Ralph D. Russo of The Athletic).

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel received 24 votes for first place to finish at No. 3, while Miami's Cam Ward rounded out the four finalists with six votes of his own.

Hunter, who starred at cornerback and wide receiver for the Buffaloes throughout his 2024 campaign, became the first two-way player to win the Heisman since Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back Charles Woodson in 1997.

The 21-year-old already garnered recognition for his efforts prior to his win on Saturday. He earned hardware including the Biletnikoff Award for the title of the best receiver in college football and the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive player in the country.

Hunter caught 92 passes for 1,152 yards as a wideout, while his 14 receiving touchdowns were the second-most in the nation. He played a crucial role on a Buffaloes offense that helped the team finish with a 9-3 record, an impressive mark after Colorado reached nine total wins over the previous three years combined.

He also flourished on the boundary by recording 32 tackles, 11 passes defensed, four interceptions and a forced fumble.

While Jeanty ultimately fell short of Heisman honors, he still deserves recognition for his 2024 campaign. The 21-year-old has operated as the driving force behind a Boise State team that is currently preparing for the College Football Playoff, dominating on the ground throughout the year.

Jeanty rushed for an impressive 2,497 yards while averaging 7.3 yards per carry, scoring 30 total touchdowns. He racked up six separate 200-yard rushing games in 2024.

His 309 second-place votes were the most by a Heisman runner-up since former Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o narrowly fell to former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel in 2012.

Gabriel remained efficient on an Oregon team that owns a perfect 13-0 record heading into the CFP, throwing for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns compared to six interceptions.

While Miami faltered down the stretch of the season and missed out on a playoff spot, Ward still exceeded expectations during his first year with the Hurricanes. He completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 4,123 yards and 36 touchdowns while getting picked off seven times.

All four players presented intriguing cases to win the Heisman, but Hunter ultimately earned the trophy.

Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter has won the 2024 Heisman Trophy.

The 21-year-old beat Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Miami quarterback Cam Ward to win the annual award for the best player in college football.

He becomes the first two-way player to win the award since Charles Woodson in 1997 and is the second Colorado player to win the Heisman, joining former Buffaloes running back Rashaan Salaam, who won the award in 1994.

Fans took to social media to praise Hunter's victory.

Hunter narrowly edged out Jeanty, winning 2,231 points to Jeanty's 2,017. The Colorado star's win marks the smallest margin of victory since 2009, per ESPN.

He finished his second season with the Buffaloes with 92 catches for 1,152 yards with 15 total touchdowns while adding 32 total tackles, 11 pass deflections and four interceptions on defense.

His efforts helped the Buffaloes improve to 9-3 on the season and the team qualified for a bowl game for the first time since 2020.

Hunter will soon begin his NFL journey but will first finish his collegiate career with Colorado's Alamo Bowl matchup against BYU on Dec. 28.

Colorado Buffaloes dual-threat Travis Hunter compared himself to a very notable NBA player ahead of the Heisman Trophy announcement.

The 21-year-old wide receiver and cornerback initially chose NBA veteran Kevin Durant but later rethought his answer, settling on the uncanny 23-year-old Anthony Edwards.

"NBA comp? I like (Kevin Durant)," Hunter told reporters. "Oh wait hold on... Anthony Edwards. That's who I'm going with – A.E."

The two powerhouses are electrifying on both ends of the court, providing stellar defense to complement their groundbreaking offensive skills.

Edwards recently told ESPN that he himself would potentially crossover into the NFL in a few years if things work out.

"Football players can't go play basketball. No way. I told my buddies, I said, 'If I win a ring in the next 3-4 years, I'm going to play football,'" Edwards said.

On top of his Edwards comparison, Hunter responded when asked if there is any sport he thinks he could not play, despite being "dynamic on both sides of the court."

"I can play all of them," Hunter responded.

Hunter posted 1,152 yards on 92 receptions with 14 touchdowns on the offensive end and 31 tackles, 11 passes defended, and four interceptions on the defensive side this season for the Buffaloes.

One former Heisman Trophy winner had high praise for two Heisman hopefuls ahead of the ceremony for the coveted award on Saturday.

Tim Tebow, who took home the Heisman Trophy in 2007 while playing for Florida, hyped up Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter on SportsCenter, pointing to his elite ability on both sides of the ball.

Well, it's pretty insane. I mean, yes, we could start out by saying he's played more than 400 snaps more than anybody else, but then Pro Football Focus has him as one of the top five receivers in the nation, and one of the top five DBs in the nation. That's insane. You look at all of the awards he has from the offensive side and the defensive side. It's not like he's just a great receiver, and he also plays defense. No, no, he's elite at both. I think that's what the differentiator is with this young man. Yes, it's the touchdowns, the interceptions, but also he did all of that with all of the eyes of the country on him and his team because of the hype and the praise that they've gotten. And so, he did it on one of the biggest stages with all eyes on him, and he rises to the occasion. He wants that pressure. He wants the eyes on him, and I think that's what even takes him to another level.

He also spoke highly of Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, noting his "stupid" yards after contact numbers.

I think about physicality. I think about his mentality. I think about that he wants to deliver punishment every time the ball is put in his hands. He's one of my favorite players because that's the way he shows up. He walked in the room and said to me last night, 'Hey, I told you in August because I went and spoke to their team in August and he said, 'I told you in August, I was going to see you here in New York and here I am.' And I was like, 'Dang, I love this kid even more.' Like he's got such an inner confidence, right? And he delivers that. This is a young man that has more yards after contact than anybody else does in the nation. That's stupid. Like, I think you guys like maybe 123 broken tackles. Like he's averaging almost 10 broken tackles a game. Like his physicality, the way he runs, it looks a little bit different than Derek Henry, but it's kind of with that same demeanor in in mindset that they run with that they're the attacker. They want to deliver the punishment. That's why I love watching this young man. He also looks good in orange and blue.

Hunter and Jeanty were named Heisman Trophy finalists along with Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Hunter has put together the best season of his career, recording 1,152 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns on offense while racking up 31 tackles, 11 passes defended, four interceptions and a forced fumble. The junior has played 1,380 snaps this season—670 on offense, 686 on defense and 24 on special teams.

Jeanty has notched 2,497 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns on 344 carries this year, setting a College Football Playoff-era record for yards after contact with 1,889. He has the fourth-most rushing yards in a college football season and is tied for the sixth-most rushing touchdowns with the chance to add to his numbers in the College Football Playoff.

Travis Hunter seemingly has something big planned for Saturday's Heisman Trophy ceremony.

When asked on SportsCenter who the biggest celebrity he's heard from amid his Heisman recognition was, the Colorado two-way star teased that a celebrity will make an appearance in New York.

"You'll see tonight," he said (7:25 mark). "He is actually popping up, so you'll see him."

Hunter has become one of college football's biggest stars over the past few seasons and in turn has received praise from some of the biggest names in sports, including Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

It's unclear who Hunter was alluding to, but it will apparently be a big name.

Hunter was named one of four Heisman finalists after a tremendous season on both sides of the ball in what would likely be his final collegiate season. He racked up 1,152 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns on offense while recording 31 tackles, 11 passes defended, four interceptions and a forced fumble on defense.

Perhaps his most impressive stat, Hunter played 1,380 snaps in 12 games this year—670 on offense, 686 on defense and 24 on special teams.

Thanks to Hunter's big year, Colorado finished 9-3 in the regular season, the Buffs' best year since 2016.

Hunter will find out whether his production earned him the coveted Heisman Trophy over Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, Miami's Cam Ward and Oregon's Dillon Gabriel at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Hours before Travis Hunter finds out if he has won the 2024 Heisman Trophy, the Colorado superstar praised head coach Deion Sanders for the work he has done with him over the course of his college career.

Appearing on the Saturday morning episode of SportsCenter, Hunter explained being coached by Sanders has made him "want to be better" than Coach Prime:

"I just want to be better than him. So, me getting hurt last year was a little setback for my stat sheet and how my career went last year. So, I definitely wanted to be better than him and do things that he hasn't done but do it better. So, just looking ahead and saying, 'I can do that and can go out there and dominate.' That just makes me want to do it even more when I'm healthy. So, when I was healthy this season, I did all I can show and hopefully there's more in store, which is more in store, but I'm going to keep dominating as much as I can to be better than my coach."

Hunter added that Sanders has given him the keys to be as successful as he has been, but it's up to him to reach his full potential.

"He handed me the crown, but I still don't have a gold jacket, so I still have more to do, still have more to prove," said Hunter.

Hunter has spent his entire college career being coached by Sanders. He was the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting class when he committed to Jackson State.

The move was a huge surprise at the time, not just because Hunter had been committed to Florida State for more than a year before flipping.

Appearing on The Pivot Podcast this week (h/t Dan Treacy of the Sporting News), Hunter said Sanders' willingness to let him play both sides of the ball is what inspired him to flip from Florida State to Jackson State.

"I'm too bored on the sideline," Hunter joked. "I don't like sitting on the sideline."

When Sanders was hired by Colorado in December 2022, Hunter followed via the transfer portal. He became a sensation at the FBS level right away when he played 144 total snaps in the Buffaloes' 45-42 win over TCU in the 2023 season opener.

Hunter missed three games last season, but still finished with 721 receiving yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions to be named a consensus All-American.

This season has seen Hunter continue to level up. He finished the regular season ranked second in FBS in receiving touchdowns (14), fifth in receptions (92) and sixth in receiving yards (1,152), along with 11 pass breakups and four interceptions in 12 games.

Sanders played on both sides of the ball during his college and pro career, but nowhere near the same amount that Hunter has. He played a total of 1,422 snaps this season, averaging 118 per game.

Hunter, the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 NFL draft, can become the second Heisman winner from Colorado if he receives the award on Saturday night. Rashaan Salaam won the award in 1994.

Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter does not believe head coach Deion Sanders will leave the Buffaloes after losing top players, including his sons Shilo and Shedeur Sanders, to the 2025 NFL Draft.

"I got a lot of insight. He ain't going anywhere," Hunter told reporters ahead of the 2024 Heisman Trophy Ceremony in New York (7:00 mark of the video below.) "He's gonna be right where he's at, right now."

Sanders was hired in December 2022 to help the Buffaloes recover from a 1-11 campaign. Colorado went 9-3 and earned a bowl game appearance in his second year as head coach.

The Buffaloes finished the 2024 season short of the Big 12 title game and a potential playoff berth, but were successful in establishing both Shedeur Sanders and Hunter as potential first-round picks heading into the draft.

Shilo Sanders, who finished out his final season of college eligibility this season, is also expected to enter the draft.

The teams on track to have the best odds at the top pick heading into Week 15 are the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders, both of whom could have potential head coaching openings next season with Brian Daboll and Antonio Pierce in tenuous positions.

Pierce's position may be especially uncertain, with ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reporting that the addition of Tom Brady to the Raiders ownership group could increase the chances the franchise goes with a new head coach in 2025.

The Raiders are also in need of a franchise quarterback after struggling behind both Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell this season. Should the team end up with a top pick, they could decide to use it to select Sanders, who is ranked as the No. 2 quarterback available in the upcoming draft on Bleacher Report's NFL Draft Big Board.

That potential coaching turnover and the possibility that the Raiders could draft Sanders make the team a "potential fit" for Deion, Fowler has previously reported.

Deion, who inked a five-year, $29.5 million contract when he joined the Buffaloes in 2022, has so far been emphatic about his desire to remain in college football. He said as recently as mid-November that he was "happy where I am" in Colorado.

It makes sense that both he and Hunter are currently focused on the Buffaloes, who are preparing to end the 2024 season with the Alamo Bowl against BYU on Dec. 28. After that, rumors surrounding Deion's candidacy for an NFL head coaching position are likely to increase during the build-up to the draft in April despite both his and Hunter's assurances that he plans to return to Boulder.

Travis Hunter believes a Heisman Trophy would be the way to solidify his lasting impact on the collegiate landscape.

The Colorado Buffaloes two-way star is a finalist for the award after a stellar 2024 season. In the press conference for the event on Friday, Hunter reflected on the possibility of winning the award and how it would "set my legacy."

"It just goes to show that I did what I had to do," Hunter said (45-second mark in the video below). "I worked so hard for this moment so securing a Heisman would set my legacy in college football."

Hunter had 92 catches for 1,152 yards with 15 total touchdowns on offense and also added 32 total tackles, four interceptions, 11 pass deflections and a forced fumble on defense. He took home the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Chuck Bednarik Award as the best defensive player and the Fred Biletnikoff Award for the best wide receiver.

These awards and statistics make quite the case to win the Heisman, although Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty has a very strong case as well.

Regardless, Hunter enters the weekend as the favorite to win the award and he will eventually cap off his collegiate career in the Alamo Bowl when Colorado takes on BYU.