Heisman winner Hunter has eyes on Alamo Bowl

CUFOOTBALL

Recent Heisman Trophy winner eager to finish out college career on the field

Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, of Colorado, speaks at a news conference after the award ceremony on Saturday in New York. COREY SIPKIN — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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By Brian Howell

BuffZone.com

NEW YORK >> In the two-plus weeks since Colorado’s regular season finale against Oklahoma State, Travis Hunter has been a busy man.

The Buffaloes’ star cornerback/receiver has been collecting enough trophies to cause a makeover of Legacy Hall, culminating in claiming the 90th Heisman Trophy on Saturday night in New York City.

Hunter hasn’t forgotten the Buffaloes have another game, though.

On Dec. 28, the 20th-ranked Buffs (9-3, 7-2 Big 12, No. 23 CFP) will face No. 17 BYU (10-2, 7-2) in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.

Don’t worry about Hunter being ready.

“Who me? When I was flying here, what do you think I was doing? Watching film,” Hunter said on Friday during a media session at the Marriott Marquis. “I was watching film of BYU. I’ve been watching them all season. We thought that was gonna be a team we’d have to play, so I still have a little knowledge from before then, but I definitely watched it (Thursday) when I was coming here.”

A year ago, Heisman winner Jayden Daniels of LSU elected to skip the Tigers’ bowl game to avoid the risk of injury ahead of the NFL Draft.

Although Hunter, a junior, will declare for the NFL Draft and is projected as a top-five pick, he is planning to play in the Alamo Bowl, and he’s looking forward to it, he said.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who is also projected as a top-five pick, will play, too.

“It’s gonna make my teammates go out there and play harder,” Hunter said on Saturday night after winning the Heisman. “Hopefully they get the eyes on them. All the eyes are probably on me right now, but hopefully they get the eyes on them. They helped me get this trophy, so why not go out there and help them?”

Hunter isn’t quite ready to hang it up as a Buff.

“It’s my last game playing with Shedeur, Coach Prime, Shilo (Sanders),” he said. “And most of the people that came from Jackson State — Cam (Silmon-Craig), coach (Kevin) Mathis, coach (Andre) Hart, all those guys. It’s going to be a very special game, very special moment for us.”

Hunter also doesn’t sound like a player who will head to San Antonio just happy to be there. He wants to win.

“We still got one more game to stay in-tuned to, stay focused for,” he said. “We gotta keep going. Our last game together as the 2024 Colorado Buffaloes, so we’ve got to continue to work.”