Deion Sanders might’ve been worried about the fate of his kids in the 2025 draft. But when it came to Travis Hunter, there was absolutely no question. The dual-playing phenom ruled college football during his time, and will probably be the successor of his coach’s legacy. “[Ain’t] nobody like Travis,” he said before the star WR and CB went as the No. 2 pick in the draft. Before he debuted in college football, he was the biggest mystery, as was Coach Prime’s future at Colorado. But one game cemented his legacy in college football for good.
Had Travis Hunter remained at Jackson State, we would have seen a different fate for the program. He had offers from Alabama, Georgia–programs fit for the No. 1 player of the class of 2022. But he picked Deion Sanders over anything else. From Jackson State, he went to Colorado. And at Boulder, it was he who got people to look at Colorado football. But it was one game and one sensational play that set Travis Hunter’s name in stone, forever. Joel Klatt, a former star for Colorado, recalled that one game-changing moment.
“You’ve got to understand the hype going into that game surrounding Deion Sanders and Travis Hunter. We’d heard all these things about whether he can or can’t play both ways,” he said, setting the stage for that legendary moment. “This guy went out there and was incredible. And from that day forward, I knew immediately that this guy was a star, that he was one of, if not best player in college football.” We’ll end the drumroll here. The game, which saw Travis Hunter scripting his name into glory, was his Colorado debut against the TCU Horned Frogs.
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And, you must have guessed by now, it was that wild interception he caught off TCU QB Chandler Morris that announced his arrival in college football. “One of the best interceptions that I’ve ever seen in the low red zone, when he comes off of his man and dives in front of the flat defender and ends up intercepting that pass. Unbelievable,” Klatt recalled. Had Hunter not made that crazy dive, Morris would’ve registered a TD. That’s how clutch-worthy this play was. Morris made a good throw, but Hunter got the better of him. That’s what made him the phenomenon he was in college football. And Coach Prime knew right then and there that Hunter was going to be a Heisman winner.
Deion Sanders announced Travis Hunter’s arc in that TCU game itself
“He played 152 total snaps in 130-degree heat. He’s got 11 catches for 119. He’s got an interception. He’s chasing people down. I’d never seen anything like it,” Klatt added, summing up the picture of Hunter’s grand arrival in college football. From there, Hunter charted his way to become the No.2 pick in the draft. After Cam Ward, he was easily the most lucrative name on the board. Nobody thought that the Jacksonville Jaguars would trade up to that spot and get him before anyone else could. But in the TCU game itself, Deion Sanders knew the greatness that was coming his prodigy’s way.
“He’s got the Heisman chilling at the crib right now,” Coach Prime said after the game. And in December 2024, Travis Hunter lifted the glorious trophy. It was an emotional moment for the WR, who spent a moment in deep gratitude for his coach. Deion Sanders was right there with him, who gave him a long hug while Hunter shed some tears. They knew how special this moment was for Hunter. After all, the two share a bond deep enough for it to be likened to that of a father and son.
Travis Hunter will be an irreplaceable player in Colorado football. Coach Prime did him right by retiring his jersey at Boulder, because there won’t be another player with his talents for the foreseeable future. At the NFL, too, he hopes to be just as great, bewitching fans with his talents. Moments like that wild TCU game graced the remainder of his collegiate career. “They can expect me to set the tone,” Hunter told fans who are awaiting his debut. The NFL just got more exciting with someone like Hunter in play, who is sure to pull off more jaw-dropping moments.
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