Week 6 Heisman Watch: Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are both in the running

It’s only the first week of October, but it’s already becoming clear that this will be one of the most interesting Heisman Trophy races in recent years. In Travis Hunter you have a two-way player who averages 132 snaps per game and has an incredible impact on games as both a wide receiver and cornerback. There’s a running back who turned down money and opportunities to play at power conference programs to help Boise State get to the College Football Playoff for the first time. And then there are a lot of elite quarterbacks who regularly make breathtaking plays.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is my current all-time leader, having nearly 500 yards of offense and four touchdowns in the Crimson Tide’s win over Georgia. It’s the country’s best win of the season and it wouldn’t have been possible without a near-perfect first half from Milroe and Milroe’s pass to Ryan Williams to retake the lead in the final minutes. First-year Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has clearly unlocked something new in this offense in Milroe, and we’re no longer just seeing a great athlete who can throw a nice, deep ball. We see a great quarterback with serious pro potential.

Some of my media colleagues would argue with me that I put Milroe in the lead this week. I’ve seen a lot of Week 6 Heisman rankings highlighting Hunter, and it’s easy to see why. He’s one of the best receivers in the country and one of the best cornerbacks in the country, and he does both while basically never leaving the field. That’s a ridiculous workload! I didn’t think Colorado would ask this workload of him over the course of the season, but it’s October and he’s still an integral part of both the offense and defense. Not only do I love the idea of ​​a defensive player being in the mix to win the Heisman, I also love the idea of ​​a two-way star doing something unprecedented and at least earning a trip to New York City.

Could he bring a teammate? At least one coach thinks so. After I praised Hunter after his game-winning forced fumble against Baylor, a head coach wrote to me that he was truly blown away by Buffs quarterback Shedeur Sanders – and that there are very few, if any, quarterbacks could do what he did to him and win the game. What he does with a shake offensive line and how many hits he takes – it’s remarkable. The more Colorado wins, the more Heisman voters will be watching Sanders and Hunter. (Damn, they should watch them no matter how many wins the Buffs have, because they’re appointment TV.) And that’s huge as the Heisman race heats up.

But don’t forget about Miami quarterback Cam Ward. I know he wasn’t impressive at times against Virginia Tech, but that’s how he plays. Sometimes he makes mistakes and sometimes he dazzles. He’s been that quarterback since his time at Washington State, and the Canes’ goal is to have significantly more ups than downs. And if he can do that – and Miami continues to compete for the CFP title – he will definitely stay in this race and climb up the rankings.