Deion Sanders no longer wants his Jim Thorpe award.
Colorado’s head coach, furious that his star player, Travis Hunter, was not named a finalist for the award given to the nation’s best defensive back each season, will give it to Hunter.
“How is Travis Hunter snubbed for the Jim Thorpe Award?” Sanders said. “You could have my prize, you could have it back. In fact, I’m going to give you mine. I’m not going to use it. It’s just sitting there collecting dust.”
“So Travis might have my Thorpe Award because if this isn’t the most idiotic thing in college football, it’s not a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, and it is, I would say possibly, but I don’t think it’s really an argument about this young man is the best defensive back in college football.
Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Georgia safety Malaki Starks were named the three finalists for the award on Tuesday. The winner will be announced on December 12.
Hunter, who plays on 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 top wide receiver in the country. Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan and San Jose State’s Nick Nash were the other two finalists. Hunter has 1,036 yards and 11 touchdowns on 82 receptions so far this season.
Sanders, who is in his second season leading the Buffaloes, won the Jim Thorpe Award at Florida State in 1988.
“I don’t know how Travis Hunter isn’t a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award,” he said. “They just ruined the whole integrity of the award and he could have mine, whoever votes there, whoever ever brings it home. Thank you, because I don’t even want mine now.”
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 qualify.
Both Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders are also expected to be top picks in the NFL Draft next spring. While Colorado is unlikely to make the College Football Playoff, Sanders insisted that both stars will participate in any bowl game they make it to. It will mark 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. “These two and the rest of the seniors have done a wonderful job getting us to where we are, instilling a lot of expectations in our fan base and expectations in ourselves.
“So, we’re going to fight and try to go out and kick some butt and end this on the right note. And we’re going to go to a bowl game and end this on the right note because our fans deserve the best.”