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Travis Hunter tracker: Colorado star re-energizes Heisman campaign with electrifying night

27 October 2024Last Update :
Travis Hunter tracker: Colorado star re-energizes Heisman campaign with electrifying night

The Heisman campaign of two-way star Travis Hunter had lost a little steam of late. Hunter exited Colorado’s Oct. 12 loss to Kansas State early with a shoulder injury, then sat out the second half of a win last week at Arizona to rest that same issue. Back on a full pitch count Saturday night against Cincinnati, though, Hunter quickly reminded everyone why he’s such a special player during a 34-23 Colorado win.

A look at his performance:

Stat line vs. Cincinnati

Nine catches for 153 yards and two TDs; two tackles, four pass breakups

Hunter did most of his damage before halftime, as Colorado spent extended chunks of the second half chewing the clock to preserve a multi-score lead.

With this performance, however, Hunter now has 757 yards receiving on the season — 36 more than he had last season. Colorado still has four games left on its regular-season schedule.

Snap count

130 total snaps (68 offense, 62 defense)

Despite appearing at various points Saturday night to be playing at less than 100 percent, Hunter still was on the field for all but three of Colorado’s combined offensive and defensive snaps — he asked out for one play after being dragged down awkwardly (and drawing a pass interference flag) on a 34-yard reception in the fourth quarter, then sat for Colorado’s two kneeldowns to end the game.

Before his injury against Kansas State, Hunter had been averaging 124 snaps per game, so this outing put him back in line with that number.

Signature moment

Take your pick. Hunter posted seven catches for 113 yards and two TDs before halftime, and both scores were exhilarating.

The first will be all over the highlights because of Hunter’s backflip, Spider-Man celebration:

What you can’t see in the above clip is how Hunter found himself so wide open. Lined up wide to QB Shedeur Sanders’ left on second-and-goal from the Cincinnati 3, Hunter broke off a nasty release, hesitating with a shoulder fake at the goal line and then snapping off his route to the back of the end zone. It all happened in a blink and gave Sanders an easy target.

Later, Sanders and Hunter connected for a 34-yard touchdown in the waning seconds of the first half. Again lined up wide, Hunter found space behind the second level of Cincinnati’s zone coverage, and Sanders delivered a deep ball to him despite absorbing a QB hit right up the middle.

Cincinnati had no answers for Sanders, either. He finished 25-of-30 passing for 323 yards and two TDs, and he added a rushing touchdown.

What it means

Hunter soared to No. 1 overall in Nick Baumgardner’s 2025 NFL Mock Draft for The Athletic earlier this month. As The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote after Hunter’s early exit from the Kansas State game, though: “The number of snaps (Hunter) plays per game has left scouts crossing their fingers that the additional exposure won’t lead to injuries. That issue caught up with Hunter last season, and it hit again (versus Kansas State). He is a whisker over 6 feet tall but weighs only 180 pounds with a very lean-muscled frame, and he isn’t shy about playing physical and throwing his body around. His game and heavy workload invite wear and tear.”

Barring any serious, long-term injury, Hunter’s otherworldly talent will offset a lot of those durability questions — especially if NFL teams are eyeing him just to play wide receiver or cornerback, not to double up as he has for Colorado.

Still, for Hunter’s Heisman push, his draft stock and Colorado’s hopes as a whole, it was important that he get back on the field and look like his usual self. He did so Saturday night.

(Photo: Dustin Bradford / Getty Images)

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