Deion Sanders shocked the Heisman vote between Hunter and Jeanty was close

Coach Prime believes his star player should've had a runaway victory this year

Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

Deion Sanders was visibly stunned by how close this year’s Heisman Trophy voting ended up between Colorado Buffaloes’ two-way star Travis Hunter and Boise State’s standout running back Ashton Jeanty.

On his weekly coaches’ show with Mark Johnson, Sanders expressed disbelief over the tight race, stating, “First of all, it was too close. C'mon, man. We've seen all the other stuff before. What everybody else did that was there—we've seen that before. We ain't never seen this before (Travis Hunter). So, how could it even be close?"

Despite Jeanty appearing on 16 more ballots, Hunter's dominance in first-place votes (61%) ultimately secured his victory. The race was so tight that the gap between second and third place was reportedly one of the largest in Heisman history.

Travis Hunter's Heisman win: Behind-the-scenes from historic weekend

Hunter's historic junior season at Colorado cemented his place among college football legends. He became the eighth Big 12 player to win the Heisman and the first in program history to achieve such a feat. His ability to excel as both a wide receiver and cornerback made him a unicorn in the sport. Playing over 600 snaps on both sides of the ball, Hunter shattered records and earned accolades at every turn.

Offensively, Hunter led the Big 12 in receptions (92) and touchdown catches (14), setting a Colorado program record for receiving touchdowns. His 1,152 receiving yards placed him among the nation’s top five, and he eclipsed 100 yards receiving in seven games, another school record. Defensively, he was a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks, recording four interceptions and 11 pass breakups while earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Heisman Trophy Comparison: Travis Hunter vs. Ashton Jeanty

Meanwhile, Jeanty’s remarkable season featured 2,497 rushing yards, just 132 shy of Barry Sanders’ single-season record set in 1988. Although Jeanty played in 14 games compared to Sanders’ 11, his achievements remained exceptional, averaging 192.1 yards per game and leading Boise State to the College Football Playoff.

Sanders acknowledged Jeanty’s greatness but firmly believed Hunter’s unprecedented two-way dominance deserved more recognition. Colorado’s five-win improvement and Alamo Bowl berth were significant, but it was Hunter’s record-breaking, game-changing performances that ultimately etched his name into Heisman lore.