Deion Sanders doesn’t want his Jim Thorpe award anymore.
Colorado’s head coach, upset that his star player, Travis Hunter, was not named a finalist for the award given to the nation’s top defensive player each season, and will award it to Hunter.
“How is Travis Hunter offended by the Jim Thorpe award?” Sanders said. “You could have my prize, you could give it back. I’ll actually give him mine. I’m not using it. It’s just sitting there collecting dust.”
“So Travis could have my Thorpe Award because if this isn’t the dumbest thing in college football that he’s not a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, and he is, I would say, probably, but I don’t think it is.” the argument that this young man is the best quarterback in college football.”
Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Georgia State safety Malaki Starks were named the three finalists for the award on Tuesday. The winner will be announced on December 12.
Hunter, who plays both sides of the ball and is also a wide receiver, has 31 total tackles and three interceptions this season. By comparison, Barron has 41 total tackles and four interceptions with the Longhorns. Downs has 50 total tackles at Ohio State and Starks has 55 tackles and one interception with the Bulldogs.
Hunter was named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the nation’s top wide receiver. The other two finalists were Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan and San Jose State’s Nick Nash. 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 1988 Jim Thorpe Award at Florida State.
“I don’t know how on earth Travis Hunter didn’t become a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award,” he said. “They just pretty much screwed up the whole integrity of the award and he could have had mine, whoever votes down there, who ever brings him home. Thank you, because now I don’t even want mine.”
Colorado has an 8-3 record heading into Friday’s regular season finale against Oklahoma State. The Buffaloes fell to Kansas last week, likely ending their chances of reaching the Big 12 title game. They would need a win and at least two more losses elsewhere in the conference this week to get there.
Both Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders are widely expected to be top picks in next spring’s NFL draft. Even though Colorado likely won’t make the College Football Playoff, Sanders insisted that both stars will participate in any bowl game they make it to. It will be the program’s first bowl game since 2020. The Buffaloes have not won a bowl game since 2004.
“No, it’s not the last time you’ll see them in a Buffs uniform,” Sanders said. “Those two and all the other seniors have done a great job of getting us to where we are and bringing so much expectation to our fan base and expectation within ourselves.
“So, we’re going to fight and try to go out and kick ass and end this thing on a high note. And we’re going to bowl and end this thing on a high note because our fans deserve it.” the absolute best.”