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As the 2024 college football season wraps up, finalists for the year-end awards are beginning to officially get released. As one of the most dynamic and popular players of the year, Colorado star Travis Hunter is up for several awards but was not named a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation's best defensive back.
At the beginning of his weekly press conference on Tuesday, head coach Deion Sanders took offense to his star player not being named a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. Sanders, who won the award in 1988, said he would give Hunter his trophy to make up for “the most idiotic” decision of the year.
“How is Travis Hunter snubbed by the Jim Thorpe Award?” Sanders said. “You can have my award, I'm gonna give it back. Matter of fact, I'm going to give [Hunter] mine… If this ain't the most idiotic thing that he's not a finalist… I don't think it's really an argument about this young man being the best defensive back in college football.”
Instead of Hunter, the award will either go to Ohio State's Caleb Downs, Georgia's Malaki Starks or Texas' Jahdae Barron. Hunter was one of the 42 players named to the award's preseason watch list along with Downs and Starks. Had he received the award, he would have been the third player from Colorado to do so, following Deon Figures in 1992 and Chris Hudson in 1994.
Which awards is Colorado's Travis Hunter eligible to win in 2024?
He may not bring home the Jim Thorpe Award, but Hunter is certainly set to take home some hardware at the end of the year. The two-way star was named a finalist for the Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Paul Hornung Award and Biletnikoff Award. After 13 weeks, Hunter is also favored to win the most prestigious award of the year: the Heisman Trophy.
Along with the Heisman Trophy, the Walter Camp and Maxwell Awards are given to the nation's best overall player. The Bednarik Award is given to the best defensive player in the country, while the Biletnikoff Award is handed to the top wide receiver of the year. While he has stiff competition for most of his potential awards, Hunter all but has the Paul Hornung Award — given to the most versatile player — wrapped up for a second consecutive year.
Hunter is also notably not a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award, which is also given to the top defensive player. That dismissal apparently did not mean as much to Sanders, who only brought up the Jim Thorpe Award in his lengthy rant.
