On a historic Saturday night in New York City, Colorado’s Travis Hunter etched his name into college football lore as the 90th Heisman Trophy winner. The two-way star dazzled on both sides of the ball throughout the season, a feat so rare it puts him in the same breath as Charles Woodson, the last defensive player to win the Heisman in 1997. But let’s be honest, Knights fans—it stings a little, doesn’t it? Even though our beloved UCF Knights fell victim to his superhuman performance this year, we can’t help but admire his game (begrudgingly, of course).
Hunter, now a household name, brought new meaning to the phrase “versatile athlete.” Playing a jaw-dropping 1,360 snaps split between offense and defense, he posted numbers that make video games seem realistic. On defense, he collected four interceptions, 11 pass breakups, and allowed only one touchdown all season. Offensively, he was just as dominant, snagging 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns, leading the Big 12 in both categories. Hunter didn’t just shine—he outshined everyone else.
Sure, he’s now officially that guy, but here in Orlando, we’ll always remember him as the guy who broke our hearts when Colorado beat our UCF Knights. “Two-way player” doesn’t begin to describe it—more like “two-way nightmare” for our defense. If we didn’t know better, we’d say he has clones, one catching passes and the other locking down receivers.
Hunter’s accolades didn’t stop at the Heisman. He also secured the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Bednarik Award for the best defensive player, and the Biletnikoff Award for top wide receiver—because why not collect all the trophies? He became the only player in the 135-year history of the Camp All-America team to earn first-team honors on both offense and defense. His résumé this season is longer than a Florida summer.
Let’s not forget where it all started. Hunter’s decision to join Deion Sanders at Jackson State turned the recruiting world upside down. Spurning powerhouse Florida State, he chose an HBCU, proving he’s not just a generational talent on the field but a history-maker off it. When Coach Prime moved to Colorado, Hunter followed, and the rest is college football history.
But as much as we can’t stand rewatching the highlights of him torching our secondary (and our hopes), we have to tip our hats to Hunter. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime talent, and it’s hard not to root for him—even when he’s not playing against us. Just don’t expect us to cheer too loudly.
Hunter will close out his collegiate career in the Alamo Bowl against BYU, before likely becoming a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Until then, we’ll be here, nursing our wounds and secretly bragging, “Yeah, he beat us, but we held him to only two touchdowns.”
Congrats, Travis—now, can you let us win next time? Go Knights, Charge On!
THE CONVERSATION.