Kyle Whittingham dubs Colorado the ‘best team we’ve played this year’ as Travis Hunter bolsters Heisman case

Colorado fans hung a “HE12MAN” banner from the upper deck of Folsom Field as two-way sensation Travis Hunter and the Buffaloes prepared to play Utah.

During the game, Hunter struck the signature Heisman pose.

In less than a month, at December’s Heisman Trophy ceremony, Hunter may go home with the award, which would be the first for Colorado since Rashaan Salaam won it in 1994.

Hunter bolstered his Heisman case in Colorado’s 49-24 win over Utah, which inched the Buffaloes closer to the Big 12 title game.

After improving to 8-2 overall (6-1 Big 12), if Colorado wins at Kansas and vs. Oklahoma State, it’ll punch its ticket to the Big 12 championship game.

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Hunter has been a key reason for the Buffaloes’ turnaround and has cemented himself as one of the best players in the sport.

“Coach (Deion) Sanders’ done a great job of getting that thing put together. I don’t think there’s any doubt that’s the best team we’ve played this year, certainly the best group of receivers, best quarterback,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.

”Quarterback’s (Shedeur Sanders) terrific. Receivers as a group — they got a superstar in there obviously — but as a group, they’re really good and so credit them for the win.”

In the victory over Utah, Hunter played both receiver and cornerback, notching five receptions for 55 yards and a 5-yard touchdown run on offense and an interception, three tackles and a pass breakup on defense.

Hunter turned in the best play of the game, which came near the end of the second quarter.

Up 14-6 and facing a fourth-and-eight, Shedeur Sanders lobbed a ball into a crowd of four defenders, including two defenders who were right on Hunter.

Somehow, someway, Hunter came down with the ball, leaping above the Ute defenders, making an incredible catch and holding onto the ball amid a hard fall to the turf.

At the end of the first quarter, Hunter was in the right place at the right time to make a crazy interception when Utah receiver Munir McClan couldn’t bring in Isaac Wilson’s pass and the ball bounced into the air and into Hunter’s hands.

Hunter struck the Heisman pose after the pick, which drew an unsportsmanlike penalty.

Hunter finished off his fantastic night with a 5-yard touchdown run after Colorado strip-sacked Wilson. Shedeur Sanders took the snap, handing the ball to running back Charlie Offerdahl, who reversed it to Hunter.

The play was designed as a “Philly Special,” with Hunter supposed to throw the ball to Sanders for a touchdown. Utah had the play well-covered, however, and Hunter had to freestyle.

First, Hunter retreated around 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage, reversed course and took advantage of a key block, charging towards the end zone.

He evaded a Ute tackler near the goal line for the score, putting a bow on Colorado’s win and adding another moment to his highlight reel.

Postgame, Deion Sanders was asked if he had a message to undecided Heisman voters.

“Travis is who he is,” Sanders said. “It is supposed to go to the best college football player. I think that’s been a wrap since what, Week 2? So we ain’t petitioning for nobody. We ain’t doing that.

“We got a wonderful display of cameras here and I think we on national television every week. If they can’t see it, there’s a problem.”