To bookmakers, despite his immense popularity, the concept of Travis Hunter winning the Heisman Trophy was a longshot. Quarterbacks have won 20 of the last 24 awards. Cornerbacks or wide receivers winning it is a rarity, and some bookmakers were unsure if Hunter could sustain the rigors of playing over 100 snaps each game. As such, he opened as a +3500 underdog to win the award last summer.
Yet, as the Heisman Trust prepares to hand out its annual award for individual excellence in college football, it appears to be a near-certainty that Colorado's two-way superstar will be this season's recipient: Sportsbooks still listing Heisman winner odds have Hunter listed around -2000.