Travis Hunter has spent the first five games of Colorado’s season mounting a persuasive,Safetyvalue albeit early, case for the 2024 Heisman Trophy.

This weekend, he brought that argument public.

With his team holding a 34-14 lead against UCF on Saturday, Hunter got a diving interception off of Knights quarterback KJ Jefferson. After the play was blown dead, Hunter ran to the end zone and struck the Heisman pose.

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Given what he has done for the Buffaloes this season, he has every reason to believe he’s worthy of college football’s most prestigious individual honor.

A wide receiver/defensive back, Hunter is the rare two-way player in modern college football, a feat that’s particularly impressive considering his team plays home games a mile above sea level and he’s playing in 80% humidity Saturday in Orlando against UCF.

While playing an overwhelming majority of Colorado’s snaps, Hunter entered the game against the Knights with 37 catches for 472 yards and five touchdowns on offense and 14 tackles, two pass break-ups and an interception on defense. He leads the team in receiving yards, touchdown catches and interceptions.

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Against UCF, he has put together one of his best performances of the season.

Entering the fourth quarter, the 6-foot-1 junior, who began his college career at Jackson State before following coach Deion Sanders to Colorado after the 2022 season, had nine catches for 89 yards and a touchdown, as well as an interception and pass break-up.

With a win against UCF, the Buffaloes would match their win total from the 2023 season, when they finished 4-8.