Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter made history on Thursday as he collected numerous prestigious awards for his rare performances as a two-way star during the 2024 college football season. Hunter was named the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year and won the Walter Camp Award, given to the nation’s best player that season.

In addition to these honors, Hunter was recognized for his play at each of his positions. He won the Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver and the Chuck Bednarik Award as the best defensive player in college football. For Hunter, winning the Bednarik Award was particularly fitting. Chuck Bednarik, the award’s namesake, was one of the last NFL players to play on both sides of the ball from 1949 to 1962, which brought Hunter back as he plays both offense and defense.

Hunter became the first player in Colorado program history to win the Biletnikoff Award and the first player in college football history to win both the Biletnikoff Award and the Bednarik Award.

Hunter coach Deion Sanders congratulated Hunter on his performance Thursday, but hopes Hunter will take home an even more prestigious award – the Heisman Trophy.

“We have to get another award, right? Saturday, right,” Sanders said on ESPN. “Something will happen if we don’t get this award.”

Hunter credited Sanders as a fatherly figure in his life and for much of his success on the field, which included allowing Hunter to play on both sides of the ball. Before his final game with Sanders as his coach, Hunter shared Pivot Podcast that he recently said to Sanders, “Coach, you have changed my life forever.”

Hunter is considered one of the top candidates to win the Heisman Trophy alongside Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. In 2024, Hunter caught 92 passes for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns and recorded at least 100 receiving yards in seven of his 12 games. Defensively, he added 11 pass breakups and four interceptions.

Jeanty provides strong competition for Hunter. Jeanty passed for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns while leading Boise State to the College Football Playoff. He won the Maxwell Award as the most outstanding player in college football, and the Maxwell Award winner often won the Heisman Trophy as well.

The Heisman Trophy winner will be announced on Saturday. Hunter, Jeanty and quarterbacks Cam Ward and Dillon Gabriel are finalists for the award.