Deion Sanders angry that Colorado star Travis Hunter isn't a finalist for top DB honor: 'I'll give him mine'

Deion Sanders no longer wants his Jim Thorpe Award.

Colorado’s head coach is angry that his star player Travis Hunter wasn’t named a finalist for the award given each season to the best defensive back in the country and will instead give it to Hunter.

“How does Travis Hunter get rejected from the Jim Thorpe Award?” Sanders said. “You could have my award, you could have it back. In fact, I’ll give him mine. I don’t use them. It just sits up there collecting dust.”

“So Travis could get my Thorpe Award because if that wasn’t the most idiotic thing in college football, then he wouldn’t be a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, and I guess I would say that, but I don’t think that’s really the case .” An argument about this young man being the best defensive back in college football.

Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Georgia safety Malaki Starks were named three finalists for the award on Tuesday. The winner will be announced on December 12th.

Hunter, who plays on both sides of the ball and is also a wide receiver, has 31 total tackles and three interceptions this season. In comparison, Barron has 41 total tackles and four interceptions with the Longhorns. Downs has 50 total tackles with Ohio State and Starks has 55 tackles and one interception with the Bulldogs.

Hunter was named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top wide receiver. Tetairoa McMillan of Arizona and Nick Nash of San Jose State were the other two finalists. Hunter has 1,036 yards and 11 touchdowns on 82 catches so far this season.

Sanders, in his second season leading the Buffaloes, won the Jim Thorpe Award at Florida State in 1988.

“I don’t know how in the world Travis Hunter can’t be a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award,” he said. “They just pretty much messed up the integrity of the award and he could have mine, whoever votes down there, whoever brings it home. Thanks because I don’t even want mine right now.”

Colorado holds an 8-3 record heading into Friday’s regular-season finale against Oklahoma State. The Buffaloes lost to Kansas last week, likely ending their chance of reaching the Big 12 title game. They would need a win this week and at least two more losses elsewhere in the conference to advance.

Both Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders are widely expected to be top picks in the NFL Draft next spring. While Colorado likely won’t make the college football playoffs, Sanders insisted both stars would play in any bowl game they make it to. It will be the program’s first bowl game since 2020. The Buffaloes haven’t won a bowl game since 2004.

“No, it’s not the last time you’ll see her in a Buffs uniform,” Sanders said. “These two and all of the other seniors have done a great job of getting us to where we are and have created so much anticipation in our fan base and ourselves.”

“So we’re going to fight and try to go out there, kick some butt and end this thing on the right note. And we’re going to go to a bowl game and end this thing on the right note because our fans deserve the absolute best.”

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