Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders put on a show as the Colorado Buffaloes wrapped up their regular season against Oklahoma State.
In a 52-0 blowout win, Hunter’s Heisman Trophy credentials were on full display as he scored three touchdowns and also intercepted Oklahoma quarterback Maealiuaki Smith.
The result moves the Buffaloes to 9-3, and they will play in the postseason, possibly in the Alamo Bowl or Holiday Bowl next month − or enough results go their way on Saturday – maybe even the College Football Playoff.
On Senior Day in Boulder, it was Hunter, the junior two-way superstar – at home at wide receiver and cornerback – who stole the headlines once again.
His third TD catch was the pick of the bunch, holding off his defender to bring in a 23-yard pass while tumbling backwards towards the ground.
Playing up to his reputation, Hunter hit the Heisman pose as he celebrated, and sent social media into a frenzy once again.
“JUST HAND HIM THE HEISMAN,” one excited fan wrote.
“Even with pass interference as well! He’s the Heisman without a doubt!” another added.
“Heisman Trophy winner. There ya have it,” a third concluded.
Hunter finished the day with 10 catches for 116 yards, and played an impressive 114 snaps.
Postgame, even coach Deion Sanders suggested that he should be the Heisman winner.
“You’ve never seen it before, he’s the best player in college football,” Sanders said of Hunter.
“Travis Hunter proved today, and he’s proved every day, that he’s the best player in college football.
“He’s that guy. His draft status is going to tell everyone who he is. He’s probably going to be the first or second pick out of the whole draft.”
Quarterback Sanders, like Hunter in contention to be the first overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, set Colorado’s single-season passing record against Oklahoma, surpassing Koy Detmer’s 28-year-old mark.
The senior came in needing just 40 yards to pass the record of 3,527.
He got there early on, by hitting LaJohntay Wester for a 10-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
In the blowout victory, Sanders finished by completing 34 of 41 passes for a massive 438 yards, and added five more touchdowns to his season total of 30.
While Friday might have marked a final appearance at Folsom Field for Hunter and Sanders, Coach Sanders suggested Colorado’s top NFL draft prospects are expected to play in their bowl game.
The decisions bucks a trend of highly ranked players opting out to prepare for the draft.
“It’s not the last time you’re going to see them in a Buffs uniform,” Coach Prime said ahead of their regular-season finale.
“These two and all the rest of the seniors have done a wonderful job of getting us to where we are, instilling so much expectation in our fan base and expectation in ourselves.
“So, we’re going to fight and try to go out there and kick some butt and end this thing on the right note. And we are going to go to a bowl game in this thing on the right note because our fans deserve the absolute best.”
The Heisman Trophy ballots will be distributed long before those bowl games, and it’s fair to say Hunter made his closing pitch with another monster day.
As did his rival, Ashton Jeanty.
The Boise State Broncos running back rushed for 226 yards and a touchdown against the Oregon State Beavers in a 34-18 win.
His latest performance moved him into fifth place among FBS all-time single-season rushing leaders.
With both stars impressing once again, the race for the Heisman Trophy is going to down to the wire.
