Colorado Buffaloes star Travis Hunter has cemented his place as the favorite for the Heisman Trophy ahead of Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty and Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward.
Despite his performances, on Nov. 26, the Jim Thorpe Award Committee revealed its three finalists, and the NFL-bound Hunter was not one of them. The three finalists were Malaki Starks (Georgia Bulldogs), Jahdae Barron (Texas Longhorns), and Caleb Downs (Ohio State Buckeyes).
NFL-Bound Travis Hunter Gets Widespread Backing After Award Snub
On X, former NFL star Robert Griffin III called out both the committee and fans for their voting pattern that left out Hunter from the list of finalists.
“Voters need to STOP PUNISHING Travis Hunter just because they don’t like Deion Sanders. Travis Hunter is not a product of hype. He should have been a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. @TravisHunterJr vs Jim Thorpe Award Finalists. 1st in Passes Defended, 2nd in Ints, 4th in Tackles. Target 34 times in 11 games. Giving up 12.18 yards a game. Stop punishing this young man,” Griffin wrote.
Voters need to STOP PUNISHING Travis Hunter just because they don’t like Deion Sanders. Travis Hunter is not a product of hype. He should have been a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.@TravisHunterJr vs Jim Thorpe Award Finalists
1st in Passes Defended
2nd in Ints
4th in… pic.twitter.com/41ztDfSP66— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) November 27, 2024
Hunter getting snubbed for the Jim Thorpe Award has generated extensive discourse among fans, former players, and coaches. The two-way star was nominated for the Walter Camp Award, the Hornung Award, the Biletnikoff Award, and the Bednarik Award.
During his weekly news conference, Colorado coach Deion Sanders was livid that Hunter had been snubbed for the Jim Thorpe. Sanders even threatened to return his own Jim Thorpe that he won as a player for the Florida State Seminoles in 1988 while at the same time offering to give it away to the Buffs’ star.
“How is Travis Hunter snubbed by the Thorpe Award?” Sanders said. “You can have my award. You can have it back. Matter of fact, I’m going to give him mine. I ain’t using it. It’s just sitting up there collecting dust. So Travis can have my Thorpe Award, because if this ain’t the most idiotic thing in college football, that he’s not a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
“And he is, I would say arguably, but I don’t think it’s really an argument about this young man being the best defensive back in college football. He rarely gets thrown at, they just messed up all the integrity of the award and he can have mine. Whoever’s voting down there, whoever’s bringing it home, thank you. Because I don’t even want mine now. God bless you.”
Hunter has generated plenty of headlines and discourse this season due to his sensational form on both sides of the ball, which has made him the odds-on favorite for the Heisman Trophy. The conversations will likely rumble on for ages should he win the Heisman and not even a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.