As the college football season enters November, the Heisman Trophy discussion will get louder and more intense.
There’s no question that Colorado’s remarkable two-way star, Travis Hunter, is in the conversation, if not at the top of the list.
But, what about his teammate, quarterback Shedeur Sanders?
Hunter and Sanders are arguably the two biggest stars in college football. Both are projected as potential top-five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Yet, only one of them is generating much Heisman buzz.
Latest Heisman odds at BetMGM list Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel (+240 odds) as a slight favorite over Hunter (+250). Miami quarterback Cam Ward (+300) and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty (+450) are close behind.
There’s a big gap after Jeanty, but Sanders jumped up to seventh (+5000) on Tuesday. He wasn’t in the top 10 on Monday.
Leading the No. 23 Buffs (6-2, 4-1 Big 12), who are on a bye this week, Sanders ranks third nationally in touchdown passes (21), fourth in completion percentage (73.3), seventh in passing yards per game (323.9) and 11th in passer rating (164.98).
He’s also thrown at least one touchdown pass in 44 consecutive games, with a shot to break the all-division college football record of 46, currently held by three different players.
And, unlike the other nine quarterbacks in the top 12 of BetMGM’s list, Sanders isn’t doing his work for a blueblood program that wins almost every year. He’s leading a CU program that was the worst in the country two years ago back to prominence.
So, why isn’t Sanders generating much Heisman attention?
“You know darn well why is that,” CU head coach Deion Sanders said. “I don’t care. I really don’t. It’s just strange. It’s just funny to me. I just think it’s just ignorant, but it’s funny. It’s funny to us because Shedeur could care less. Shedeur wants to be drafted in a wonderful city, he wants to win out, and that’s what he thinks about. He ain’t thinking about no darn Heisman.”
CU has been the most scrutinized program in the country since Coach Prime was hired in December of 2022, and Shedeur is arguably the most scrutinized player in the country. There’s a lot of love for the Buffs and the Sanders family, but a lot of criticism, as well. That could be why he’s not getting Heisman attention, as Coach Prime inferred.
However, history suggests that the two main issues holding Shedeur back are 1) Hunter; and 2) CU’s record and lack of big wins.
Between the two, there’s no question Hunter is CU’s top candidate for the Heisman Trophy. Even Shedeur and Coach Prime know that.
“Travis is the best college football player in the country,” Coach Prime said Saturday after CU’s 34-23 win against Cincinnati. “We all know that. Why are we even deliberating over that?”
Hunter is college football’s first full-time starter on offense and defense in decades, and he’s not just playing; he’s dominating. The Associated Press recently announced its midseason All-American team and Hunter is on the first team at receiver AND cornerback.
Hunter leads the Big 12 Conference in receptions (60), receiving touchdowns (eight) and pass breakups (seven) on defense. He also has 757 receiving yards (third) and he’s forced three turnovers on defense (two interceptions, one fumble).
“He is the best player college football, hands down, and I’m excited for him to win (the Heisman),” Shedeur said.
He also added, “You’ve got to think, they’re not going to give two players on the same team (consideration).”
That’s often true, and it addresses the other main obstacle for Shedeur.
The Heisman Trophy, first awarded in 1936, has been presented 88 times. Only 22 times have two players from the same team finished in the top five of voting (including three times when three players were in the top five), but 20 of those teams were either undefeated or had one loss.
Finalists were invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony for the first time in 1982. The number of invited finalists varies, but is typically three or four.
Only eight times in 42 years have teammates been invited, including two pairs of teammates in 2004. In seven of those occasions, those teammates came from an undefeated team ranked No. 1 (five times) or No. 2 (twice) in the country.
If Hunter and Shedeur both get invitations to New York for the Dec. 14 ceremony, it would be almost unprecedented, given that CU already has two losses.
The only team to send two finalists to New York without a perfect record was Oklahoma in 2016. The Sooners were 10-2 at the time of the ceremony, but finalists Baker Mayfield and Dede Westbrook did help them to a perfect run through the Big 12. That Oklahoma team was ranked No. 7 going into the Heisman ceremony, had three wins against ranked opponents and its only two losses came against top-15 foes.
CU could take a somewhat similar path as that 2016 Oklahoma squad. The Buffs have a chance to get to 11-2 and win the Big 12 title before this years’ ceremony. Their only potential top-25 win, however, would be in the title game and they have a loss to unranked Nebraska.
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Throughout history, however, November has made or broken a lot of Heisman hopes. For Hunter and Sanders to both get invited to New York, they have to lead CU to a magical November. It’s very possible, too, given the way the Buffs are playing.
Whether Shedeur gets an invite to New York or not, he’ll be rooting for Hunter.
“I just want Travis to win, of course, and now that would be almost like I won because I throw him the ball,” Shedeur said with a laugh. “Truly, that’ll just make my day right there.”
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