Travis Hunter may receive his first trophy of the season – his coach’s 1988 Jim Thorpe Award. Deion Sanders doesn’t want it anymore.

Not after Colorado excelled in both directions and the Heisman hopeful was overlooked as a finalist for the nation’s top defensive back award. Sanders, who earned the award with Florida State, was outraged Tuesday.

“How? “How is Travis Hunter snubbed by the Jim Thorpe Award?” said Sanders, whose 23rd-ranked Buffaloes (8-3, 6-2 Big 12, No. 16 CFP) close out the regular season on Friday against Oklahoma State in need of a win and a lot of help to reach the conference title game. “You can have my award. You can have her back. In fact, I’ll give him mine. I don’t use them, I just sit up there collecting dust.”

The list of Thorpe finalists released Tuesday included Texas’ Jahdae Barron, Ohio State’s Caleb Downs and Georgia’s Malaki Starks – but no Hunter.

Hunter has three interceptions and nine pass breakups, although he is rarely targeted due to his lockdown coverage skills. He also secured an overtime win against Baylor when he forced a fumble that ended the game.

“If that isn’t the most idiotic thing in college football, he’s not a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award,” Sanders said. “How in the world is Travis Hunter not a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award? They just pretty much messed up the integrity of the award and he can get mine. Whoever votes down there, whoever brings them home, thank you,” because I don’t even want mine right now.

It is one of the few awards for which Hunter was not named a finalist in a season in which he dominated on both offense and defense. He is in the running for the Maxwell (Most Outstanding Player), Biletnikoff (Best Receiver), Bednarik (Best Defensive Player), Paul Hornung (Most Versatile Player) and Walter Camp (Player of the Year) awards.

Then of course there’s the Heisman, where he’s the favorite since he rarely leaves the field. A frequent target of Shedeur Sanders, he caught 82 passes for 1,036 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The scary blow to Shedeur Sanders

Shedeur Sanders avoided injury with a fearsome hit from Kansas defensive back Dean Miller, which took out both of the quarterback’s legs after throwing a pass in last Saturday’s 37-21 loss.

Deion Sanders said both Jayhawks coach Lance Leipold and Miller have reached out to him. The plan is for Miller to talk to his son.

“He will apologize and Shedeur will accept it. I know this because Shedeur is not upset about it,” Deion Sanders said. “So let’s not make a big deal out of something that happened in the heat of the moment. I know what it looked like. I know what it looked like, but the guy is trying to make a play. He plays ball, but they will communicate with each other, so there are no hard feelings.

Bowl game for Shedeur Sanders and Hunter?

Friday’s game against Oklahoma State could be the last for Hunter and Shedeur Sanders in a Colorado uniform, as they are likely the top picks in the NFL Draft. Deion Sanders downplayed the narrative Tuesday, saying his talented tandem might play in a bowl game even if the bowl-qualified Buffaloes don’t make the Big 12 title game.

“It won’t be the last time you see her in a Buff uniform,” Deion 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. We’re going to go to a bowl game – and end this thing on the right note.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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