Senior quarterback Shedeur Sanders celebrates with fans after winning the game against the University of Utah at Folsom Field on Saturday Nov. 16, 2024. (Rachel Glazer/CU Independent)
The Big 12 Conference released its end-of-season football awards and All-Conference teams this past week, as voted on by the conference’s head coaches. The 9-3 University of Colorado Buffaloes saw numerous players honored for their performances, including the winners of the Big 12’s two most prestigious awards: Offensive Player of the Year Shedeur Sanders and Defensive Player of the Year Travis Hunter. Additionally, defensive end BJ Green II was named Defensive Newcomer of the Year.
Beyond having three players selected for major Big 12 season awards, Colorado also had four players named to the All-Big 12 First Team, one player named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and 10 players named All-Big 12 Honorable Mentions.
Shedeur Sanders – Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, All-Big 12 First Team (Quarterback)
Sanders, the senior quarterback, is set to cover himself in accolades before the year’s end. Not only has he been named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, but he is also a finalist for the three major national quarterback awards.
The quarterback has already been named the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner, given to the nation’s best upperclassman quarterback. He is also a finalist for the Davey O’Brien Award for the nation’s best quarterback and for the Manning Award, which differs from the Davey O’Brien and Johnny Unitas awards by considering bowl game performances.
“I just can’t even explain what I’m feeling right now because everything’s coming true. Everything’s real,” Sanders said after accepting the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in Baltimore this past week.
Sanders put together the best season of his college career in 2024, amassing more than 3,900 passing yards and 39 total touchdowns with a 74.2% passing accuracy. He played his best football down the stretch of the season during Big 12 play, recording at least three touchdowns in all nine of Colorado’s conference games.
Travis Hunter – Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, All-Big 12 First Team (Wide Receiver and Cornerback)
Fun fact: Colorado earned four All-Big 12 First Team honors in 2024, and Travis Hunter contributed half of them. As both an All-Conference wide receiver and cornerback, Hunter has made his case for the unique individual season in college football history. Hunter was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in the same conference where he led in receiving touchdowns, receptions and was second in receiving yards, which will go down in history as an absolute anomaly for any level of football college and above.
Hunter also received national recognition as a finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s best wide receiver. Surprisingly, Hunter was not a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s best defensive back, despite his stellar play on defense.
Coach Deion Sanders addressed Hunter’s omission from the Thorpe finalists in a late November press confrence.
“How is Travis Hunter snubbed by the Jim Thorpe Award? You can have my award, you can have it back. As a matter of fact, I’m gonna give him mine,” Sanders said.
The coach won the Jim Thorpe Award in 1988 when he played cornerback at Florida State University.
Hunter was named a finalist for the Maxwell Award for the nation’s best all-around player, the Bednarik Award for the nation’s best defensive player, the Hornung Award for the nation’s most versatile player and the Walter Camp Award for the nation’s most outstanding player. He is also the favorite for the Heisman Trophy, which would make him Colorado’s second Heisman winner in program history after Rashaan Salaam won the award in 1994.
Hunter has posted 92 receptions, 1,152 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns this season on offense. On defense, he has four interceptions, one forced fumble and a conference-leading 11 pass breakups.
BJ Green II – Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year, All-Big 12 First Team (Defensive Lineman)
BJ Green, the defensive end transfer from Arizona State, was a pleasant surprise for the Buffaloes this season. At the critical edge rusher position, Green helped spawn a successful Buffaloes pass rush in 2024, something the team lacked in 2023. He was named Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and earned All-Big 12 honors as a defensive lineman, continuing Coach Sanders’ success in the transfer portal since his arrival in Boulder.
Green finished the season with 7.5 sacks, a career high and tied for second in the Big 12, along with 30 total tackles and two forced fumbles.
Other Mentions
In addition to the three major award winners, Colorado had several players earn All-Big 12 recognition. Linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green was the team’s sole All-Big 12 Second Team member after contributing 82 total tackles and two interceptions.
Colorado had 10 players named All-Big 12 Honorable Mentions, the most in the conference. The honorees were: Travis Hunter (Offensive Player of the Year), Taje McCoy (Defensive Freshman of the Year) and Preston Hodge (cornerback), Alejandro Mata (kicker), DJ McKinney (cornerback), Chidozie Nwankwo (defensive lineman), Jordan Seaton (offensive tackle), Cam’ron Silmon-Craig (safety), Mark Vassett (punter), and LaJohntay Wester (wide receiver) all for the All-conference team.
The 2024 Colorado Buffaloes will play one last time on Dec. 28 against Brigham Young University at the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.
Contact CU Independent sports editor Charlie Hewitt at Charlie.Hewitt@Colorado.edu
