Two-way star Travis Hunter of the Colorado Buffaloes is probably the best player in college football. At least, according to Heisman Trophy winner (and Heisman voter) Johnny Manziel.
The former Texas A&M star made his weekly appearance on "Johnny's Intangibles" on Action Network's BBOC YouTube Channel on Monday and discussed, among other things, Hunter's chances of winning the Heisman Trophy in what is proving to be an incredibly crowded race.
"I think he's probably the best player in the country right now with what he's doing week in and week out," Manziel told host Collin Wilson.
Hunter's Heisman candidacy has been a topic of debate all year long for a couple of reasons. For one, he's the first legitimate two-way player to contend for the award since Michigan's Charles Woodson, who won in 1997. For another, he's doing so on a Colorado Buffaloes team that, despite their 3-1 start, many project will struggle to even qualify for a bowl game.
Generally, a prerequisite for winning the Heisman Trophy is playing for a contender or, at most, a team with just a couple of losses. In fact, in the history of the Heisman Trophy, which dates back to 1935, only one player has ever won the award while playing on a team that lost more than four games: Paul Hornung, way back in 1956, for a Notre Dame team that finished 2-8.
What's more, since the turn of the century, only two Heisman Trophy winners played on teams that lost more than three games: Tim Tebow in 2007 for a 9-4 Florida team, and Lamar Jackson in 2016 for the 9-4 Louisville Cardinals.
To at least one Heisman voter in Manziel, the record isn't a strong consideration.
"As a Heisman voter, you are looking for those guys who are the most outstanding players, and it doesn't really matter where they are or what their team is doing," said Manziel, whose Aggies went 11-2 the year he won the award. "Obviously, he's going to have enough buzz, and I think if his numbers are there and he continues to make the impact that he's making, I would expect to see him in New York in December."
Hunter's prolific season for the Buffaloes included another highlight-filled day last Saturday. On the offensive side of the ball, Hunter reeled in seven catches for 130 yards. But on the defensive side of the ball, he made the play of the day, forcing a fumble at the 1-yard line in overtime to seal Colorado's 38-31 win.
The question will be whether or not his performances can put him over the top in the minds of voters amid a glut of quarterbacks. His current Heisman Trophy odds at FanDuel are +1700, which are the lowest of any non-quarterback, but still behind seven other players.
Heisman Trophy Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Cam Ward (Miami) | +350 |
| Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss) | +500 |
| Jalen Milroe (Alabama) | +750 |
| Nico Iamaleava (Tennessee) | +1000 |
| Dillon Gabriel (Oregon) | +1200 |
| Quinn Ewers (Texas) | +1400 |
| Carson Beck (Georgia) | +1500 |
| Travis Hunter (Colorado) | +1700 |
Odds as of Sept. 23 and via FanDuel. For up-to-the-minute college football odds at a variety of sportsbooks, click here.
On the season, Hunter has 37 catches for 472 yards and five touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball, while on defense, he's made 14 tackles and has two pass breakups, one interception, and one forced fumble.
Colorado hits the road this week against UCF on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX. The Buffaloes are currently 14-point underdogs.
The Heisman Trophy finalists are announced on Dec. 9, and the winner will be announced during a live ceremony on Dec. 14 in New York City.
Johnny Manziel appears weekly on Action Network's BBOC YouTube channel, with Johnny's Intangibles releasing every Monday and Johnny's Scramble Drill releasing every Friday. He also appears on BBOC Live, which airs every Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. ET on the BBOC YouTube channel and the Action App.
