When many think of Travis Hunter, they picture the electrifying two-way star of the Colorado Buffaloes, dazzling in black and gold, near the edges of the Rocky Mountains. But there was a time when Hunter was nearly a Florida State Seminole, ready to don garnet and gold in the Florida panhandle.
Reflecting on that pivotal decision, Hunter recently shared his thoughts on The Pivot Podcast.
“I think I asked [Coach Sanders] this question two months ago,” Hunter said. “I said, ‘What would we be if I didn’t decide to go there?’ And I still don’t know the answer because when I first talked to him it was like I don’t care who he is, I don’t want to go there. But, as I talked to him more, it was like this might be the place. He’s more than just a coach, he’s a father. I’d be at his house up at 1:00 and I’d leave in like the next three hours and I’d still be up, running around. I don’t know where I would be. I’ve tried to figure that out. I try not to think too much on it because we’ve got one more game. It’s going to be our last together. It gets you kind of emotional because it changed my life forever. I texted him that one game a couple of games ago, like, ‘Coach, you changed my life forever.’ Just being able to see where I’m at now, I don’t know where I would have been at if I went to Florida State.”
Travis Hunter said Florida State wouldn’t let him be a two-way player 👇
“I don’t know where I would have been at if I went to Florida State.”
Via @thepivot
pic.twitter.com/w6M1hZOUPL— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) December 11, 2024
Hunter’s words highlight the deep connection he shares with Deion Sanders, an FSU alum, and the immense impact the coach has had on his life and career. However, his comments also prompt a “what-if” scenario for Florida State. If Hunter had stuck with the Seminoles back in 2022, his career—and perhaps the program’s trajectory—might have been very different.
Florida State has had a rollercoaster three years, going 10-3 in 2022, 13-1 with an ACC title in 2023, and a shocking 2-10 this season. In contrast, Hunter followed Sanders to Colorado, where the Buffaloes steadily improved, finishing 4-8 in 2023 and 9-3 this year with a chance at 10-3 after their bowl game.
Had Hunter stuck with his Florida State commitment, it’s unlikely he would have been allowed to play on both offense and defense. Under Sanders, Hunter flourished as a two-way sensation. In his two season’s at Boulder, he caught 149 passes for 1,873 yards and 20 touchdowns while adding 62 tackles, seven interceptions, one forced fumble and 16 passes defensed. This season, he became a Heisman Trophy finalist and one of college football’s most captivating players.
As talented as Hunter was this season, it’s doubtful even his presence could have significantly altered Florida State’s fortunes this year.