Hunter Named to Maxwell Award Watch List

BOULDER – Travis Hunter continues to collect accolades and put up stat lines that have never been done in college football after winning the Maxwell Football Club National Player of the Week Tuesday afternoon. He was also added to the Maxwell Award Watch List.

After another record-breaking performance Saturday against Cincinnati, Hunter put up a career-high for receiving yards with 153 yards on nine receptions and two touchdowns, his third game this season with multiple touchdowns. Defensively he played all 65 snaps and registered a career-high four pass breakups while only allowing two receptions for nine total yards.

After such a spectacular performance Hunter was named the Maxwell Football Club National Player of the Week. Hunter is only the second non-quarterback to win the award this season. The other was Penn State tight end Tyler Warren in week seven.

Among the other accolades collected, Hunter was added to his eighth award watchlist this season with the Maxwell Award, joining quarterback Shedeur Sanders. He is believed to be the only player to be named to an Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year award watchlist. He was also believed to be the first player to be named to the Biletnikoff and Thorpe award watch lists in the same season.

Earlier today Hunter was one of 15 defensive backs named a Thorpe Award Semifinalist. After totaling 21 tackles, a Big 12 leading seven pass breakups, two interceptions, one tackle for loss, and a game-winning forced fumble against Baylor in overtime. The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Committee will reconvene on the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving to select three award finalists. The award finalists will be announced as part of a special presentation by ESPN on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is awarded to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability, and character. The award was established in 1986 and is named after history's greatest all-around athlete, Jim Thorpe. Thorpe excelled as a running back, passer, and kicker on the offensive side of the ball, but also stood out as a defensive back. In addition to his legendary performance on the football field, Thorpe played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon. The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is universally accepted as one of the nation's top collegiate sports honors.

Adding to an ever-growing trophy case after his performance is his second Big 12 Player of the Week, this time on offense. He becomes the only player in Big 12 history to win both an offensive and defensive player of the week. Hunter won his Defensive Player of the Week in September after the win against Colorado State. He is also believed to be the first player ever to win both an offensive and defensive player of the week from the power conferences.

Hunter also won his fifth Paul Hornung Award Player of the Week and his sixth time making the awards weekly honor roll.

In local awards, Hunter earned the National Football Foundation Colorado Chapter Player of the Week and Colorado Student-Athlete of the Week.

Earlier this season Hunter was named a quarter-finalist for the 2024 Lott Impact Award. The Lott IMPACT® Trophy, now in its 18th year, goes to the student-athlete who best exhibits the characteristics of Ronnie Lott by making an IMPACT® on and off the field. IMPACT® is an acronym for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, and Tenacity.

Semi-finalists will be chosen in late November and four finalists in December. The four finalists will be invited to attend the annual Lott IMPACT® Trophy award show, on December 9, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In other awards news, quarterback Shedeur Sanders was named to the Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2024. Sanders is one of 35 quarterbacks named and will be in the running for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award.

The first round of the Davey O'Brien Fan Vote will take place on our @DaveyOBrien Instagram, Twitter (X), and Facebook accounts beginning shortly after Tuesday's QB Class announcement and running through midnight (ET) on Friday, Nov. 8. The top vote-getters on each of the three social media platforms will receive bonus committee votes which will be added to the ballots cast by our National Selection Committee. Bonus votes will be tallied and issued during semifinalist, finalist, and winner voting rounds.

2024 Davey O'Brien Award Timeline
Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2024 Announced (Tuesday, Oct. 29)
Semifinalist Round Fan Vote Open (Tuesday, Oct. 29-Friday, Nov. 8)
Semifinalists Announced (Tuesday, Nov. 12)
Finalist Round Fan Vote Open (Tuesday, Nov. 12-Friday, Nov. 22)
Finalists Announced (Tuesday, Nov. 26)
Winner Round Fan Vote Open (Tuesday, Nov. 26-Friday, Dec. 6)
Winner Announced on Home Depot College Football Awards (Thursday, Dec. 12)
48th Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner (Monday, Feb. 17)

In addition, Sanders was named to Davey O'Brien Award's Great 8 for his week nine as well as an honorable mention for the Manning Award player of the week with his performance against Cincinnati where he hit 25-of-30 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and added a third touchdown rushing, marking the third game this season and sixth game in his career in which he's passed for multiple touchdowns and added a rushing score, both CU records. He set a CU record with 15 straight completions, a CU record to start a game, and one-off his school record of 16 straight overall.

Earning his first award was Isaiah Augustave winning the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week with 22 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown, scoring a touchdown in his third straight game. It's a CU season high for carries and yards. It's his second-highest rushing total of his career, having a 100-yard game while at Arkansas.

Colorado University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Isaiah Augustave

Travis Hunter

Shedeur Sanders

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