Log in
My Account
Subscribe 99¢ for 3 months
Newsletter

Today's Digital Newspaper

The Gazette

Weather Block Here

Login
My Account
Subscribe
Newsletter

Archive Information

Carrier Portal

Search

Buy Our Photos

Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders sweep Big 12 Player of the Year awards

By Tyler King December 5, 2024 | updated 8 months ago

Colorado Colorado St Football

Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter, left, confers with quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Colorado State, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

David Zalubowski

What a welcome back to the Big 12 for Colorado.

After the Buffaloes finished the regular season 9-3, missing out on the conference title game in part due to tiebreakers, Deion Sanders’ team was all over the league’s player of the year awards and teams.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, while cornerback Travis Hunter was named Defensive Player of the Year.

CU-OSU FTB

Colorado junior cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter celebrates a touchdown with his teammates during the second half of a game against Oklahoma State at Folsom Field on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 (Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)

Stephen Swofford/ Denver Gazette

CU-OSU FTB

Colorado junior cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter celebrates a touchdown with his teammates during the second half of a game against Oklahoma State at Folsom Field on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 (Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)






It’s only the second time a Buffs player has won each award. Running back Chris Brown won Offensive Player of the Year in 2002 and linebacker Jordon Dizon was named Defensive player of the Year in 2007.

Sanders and Hunter were on the first-team All-Big 12, with Hunter showing up at both cornerback and wide receiver. Hunter, a two-way star, also was honorable mention for Offensive player of the Year. 

Coach Prime missed out on Big 12 Coach of the Year, however, as that honor went to Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham. Arizona State will meet Iowa State in the Big 12 title game.

Defensive end B.J. Green II was named the Big 12’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year and was first-team defense.

CSU-CU FTB 7

Colorado senior defensive end B.J. Green II (35) prays beneath the goal post before the start of the Rocky Mountain Showdown against Colorado State on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins.

Stephen Swofford, the Denver Gazette

CSU-CU FTB 7

Colorado senior defensive end B.J. Green II (35) prays beneath the goal post before the start of the Rocky Mountain Showdown against Colorado State on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins.



Stephen Swofford, the Denver Gazette


Linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green was second-team all-conference. 

A horde of CU players also earned honorable-mention honors for awards and teams: Preston Hodge (DB), Travis Hunter (OPOY), Alejandro Mata (K), Taje McCoy (DFOY), DJ McKinney (DB), Chidozie Nwankwo (DLOY, DL), Jordan Seaton (OFOY, OL), Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, Colorado (DB), Mark Vassett (P), LaJohntay Wester (ONOY, WR).

Here’s a full list of the Big 12 postseason awards, as well as the first and second all-conference teams:

Awards

Offensive Player of the Year: QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Defensive Player of the Year: CB Travis Hunter, Colorado

Offensive Newcomer of the Year: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

Defensive Newcomer of the Year: DE B.J. Green II, Colorado

Offensive Freshman of the Year: QB Sam Leavitt, Arizona State

Defensive Freshman of the Year: LB Josiah Trotter, West Virginia

Special teams players of the year: K Will Ferrin BYU; PR/KR Jaylin Noel, Iowa State

Offensive Lineman of the Year: OT Wyatt Milum, West Virginia

Defensive Lineman of the Year: DE Brendan Mott, Kansas State

Coach of the Year: Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State

Scholar-athletes of the year: RB Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech; QB Jalon Daniels, Kansas

First-team All-Big 12

Offense

QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

RB Cam Skattebo, Arizona State

RB RJ Harvey, Central Florida

FB Jared Casey, Kansas

WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona

WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

WR Travis Hunter, Colorado

TE Joe Royer, Cincinnati

TE Brant Kuithe, Utah

OL Leif Fautanu, Arizona State

OL Caleb Etienne, BYU

OL Luke Kandra, Cincinnati

OL Spencer Fano, Utah

OL Wyatt Milum, West Virginia

PK Will Ferrin, BYU

KR/PR Josh Cameron, Baylor

KR/PR Jaylin Noel, Iowa State

Defense

DL Tyler Batty, BYU

DL, Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati

DL B.J. Green II, Colorado

DL Brendan Mott, Kansas State

DL TJ Jackson II, West Virginia

LB Matt Jones, Baylor

LB Keaton Thomas, Baylor

LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

DB Xavion Alford, Arizona State

DB Travis Hunter, Colorado

DB A.J. Haulcy, Houston

DB Cobee Bryant, Kansas

DB Mello Dotson, Kansas

P Palmer Williams, Baylor

Second team

Offense

QB Sam Leavitt, Arizona State

RB DJ Giddens, Kansas State

RB Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech

FB Stevo Klotz, Iowa State

WR Jayden Higgins, Iowa State

WR Jack Bech, TCU

WR Josh Kelly, Texas Tech

TE Chamon Metayer, Arizona State

TE Michael Trigg, Baylor

TE Garrett Oakley, Kansas State

TE Jaylin Conyers, Texas Tech

OL Logan Brown, Kansas

OL Michael Ford Jr., Kansas

OL Bryce Foster, Kansas

OL Easton Kilty, Kansas State

OL Sam Hecht, Kansas State

PK Gino Garcia, Texas Tech

KR/PR Keelan Marion, BYU

Sign Up For Free: Mile High 5

Your daily report on everything sports in Colorado – covering the Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and columns from Woody Paige and Paul Klee.

View all of our newsletters.

Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

View all of our newsletters.

function subscribeSuccess() {
var nsltrform = document.querySelector(“#nsltr”);
var nsltrSuccess = document.querySelector(“#successnsltr”);

nsltrform.classList.add(“hideblock”);
nsltrSuccess.classList.remove(“hideblock”);
}

function validateEmail(email) {
return String(email)
.toLowerCase()
.match(
/^(([^()[]\.,;:s@”]+(.[^()[]\.,;:s@”]+)*)|(“.+”))@(([[0-9]{1,3}.[0-9]{1,3}.[0-9]{1,3}.[0-9]{1,3}])|(([a-zA-Z-0-9]+.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,}))$/
);
}

function validateEmailAddress() {
const result = document.querySelector(“#result”);
const email = document.querySelector(“#email”).value;

result.innerText = “”;

if(validateEmail(email)) {
newsletterSubscribe(email);
} else {
result.innerText = ‘The email entered: ‘ + email + ‘ is not valid :(‘;
result.style.color = “red”;
}
return false;
}

function newsletterSubscribe(email) {
fetch(“https://services.gazette.com/mg2-newsletters.php?action=subscribe&site=denvergazette.com&emailPreferenceId=59&email=” + email, {
method: “POST”
}).then(res => {
console.log(“SUCCESSFUL POST”);
subscribeSuccess();
});

}

#nsltr {
min-width: 100%;
margin: 10px 0;
padding: 10px 20px;
background-color: #2076b3;

background-image: url(https://static.gazette.com/emails/circ/Audience%20Images/pp5%20signup%203.png);
background-size: cover;

}

#nsltr-header {
color: #fff4f4;
}
#nsltr-body {
text-align: center;
color: #ffffff;
}
#nsltr-button {
margin-top: 5px;
}
#successnsltr {
min-width: 100%;
margin: 10px 0;
padding: 10px 20px;
background-color: green;
text-align: center;
color: white;
}

#successnsltr a {
color: white;
}

.hideblock {
display:none;
}

h6 a {
color: black;
text-decoration: none;
padding: 5px;
background-color: #bbccdd;
font-weight: 600;
}

@media only screen and (min-width: 768px) {
#nsltr {
background-image: url(https://static.gazette.com/emails/circ/Audience%20Images/pp5%20signup%203.png);
background-size: cover;
}
}

Featured Local Savings

Defense

DL C.J. Fite, Arizona State

DL Lee Hunter, UCF

DL Keith Cooper Jr., Houston

DL Dean Miller, Kansas

DL Van Fillinger, Utah

LB Keyshaun Elliott, Arizona State

LB Nikhai Hill-Green, Colorado

LB Austin Romaine, Kansas State

DB Tacario Davis, Arizona

DB Jakob Robinson, BYU

DB Jontez Williams, Iowa State

DB Malik Verdon, Iowa State

DB Bud Clark, TCU

P Jack Bouwmeester, Utah

All-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year winners

2024: QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

2023: RB Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State

2022: QB Max Duggan, TCU

2021: RB Breece Hall, Iowa State

2020: RB Breece Hall, Iowa State

2019: RB Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State

2018: QB Kyler Murray, Oklahoma

2017: QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma

2016: WR Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma

2015: QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma

2014: QB Trevone Boykin, TCU

2013: QB Bryce Petty, Baylor

2012: QB Collin Klein, Kansas State

2011: QB Robert Griffin III, Baylor

2010: WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

2009: QB Colt McCoy, Texas

2008: QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

2007: QB Chase Daniel, Missouri

2006: QB Zac Taylor, Nebraska

2005: QB Vince Young, Texas

2004: QB Jason White, Oklahoma

2003: QB Jason White, Oklahoma

2002: RB Chris Brown, Colorado

2001: QB Eric Crouch, Nebraska

2000: QB Josh Heupel, Oklahoma

1999: QB Major Applewhite, Texas; QB Eric Crouch, Nebraska

1998: RB Ricky Williams, Texas

1997: RB Ricky Williams, Texas

1996: RB Troy Davis, Iowa State

All-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year winners

2024: CB Travis Hunter, Colorado

2023: DL T’vondre Sweat, Texas

2022: DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State

2021: LB/S Jalen Pitre, Baylor

2020: LB Mike Rose, Iowa State

2019: DT James Lynch, Iowa State

2018: LB David Long, West Virginia

2017: DE Ogbnnia Okoronkwo, Oklahoma

2016: DE Jordan Willis, Kansas State

2015: DE Emmanuel Ogbah, Oklahoma State; DL Andrew Billings, Baylor

2014: LB Paul Dawson, TCU

2013: CB Jason Verrett, TCU; DE Jackson Jeffcoat, Texas

2012: LB Arthur Brown, Kansas State

2011: LB A.J. Klein, Iowa State; DL Frank Alexander, Oklahoma

2010: CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska

2009: DL Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska

2008: DL Brian Orakpo, Texas

2007: LB Jordon Dizon, Colorado

2006: LB Rufus Alexander, Oklahoma; DB Aaron Ross, Texas 

2005: LB Nick Reid, Kansas

2004: LB Derrick Johnson, Texas

2003: LB Teddy Lehman, Oklahoma

2002: CB Terence Newman, Kansas State

2001: CB Roy Williams, Oklahoma

2000: DL Casey Hampton, Texas

1999: LB Mark Simoneau, Kansas State

1998: LB Dat Nguen, Texas A&M

1997: DL Grant Wistrom, Nebraska

1996: DL Grant Wistrom, Nebarska

98622e78-b337-11ef-ab6f-5bede47c01a5

View Original Article | Split View
Tyler King

Reporter

PREV

PREVIOUS

mQZszWokbtmW

https://denvergazette.com/sports/broncos-vance-joseph-browns-sanford-identity/article_d081f462-b2ad-11ef-bf08-d789fd95d91e.html 98622e78-b337-11ef-ab6f-5bede47c01a5 View Original Article | Split View

NEXT

NEXT UP

Broncos nominate LB Alex Singleton for prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award

Linebacker Alex Singleton, who has been a longtime advocate of Special Olympics, was announced Thursday as the Broncos’ nominee for the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of Year award. The award recognizes players for their on and off the field accomplishments and is considered the NFL’s most prestigious honor. Singleton, in his third Denver season, […]