Both Travis Hunter and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty have so far assembled two stellar seasons, but Hunter believes he has made the most convincing testament as to why he should be holding the Heisman Trophy in December.

Hunter recently sat down with Robert Griffin III for his podcast “Outta Pocket” and explained why he has a competitive edge over Jeanty this season. In the history of college football, no player has played both ways to the extent that Hunter has this season. Playing on over 120 snaps every game this season (except Kansas State due to injury), Hunter is the most critical player on the field for CU at wide receiver and at cornerback.

“Nobody did anything that I’ve done and put up the numbers that I have put up on both sides of the ball," Hunter said.

What Hunter is able to accomplish on Saturdays is a true spectacle that simply cannot be compared to Jeanty’s season so far — at least in the eyes of Hunter.

“It’s not like we haven’t seen a running back that’s good,” Hunter said. “We haven't seen a player that plays both ways.”

Hunter’s Heisman argument certainly holds true as no other 2024 Heisman candidates are executing what the junior is achieving this season, nor in decades of college football. Going into Week 8, Hunter leads the Big 12 with 49 catches and the Buffs’ receiver room with 587 yards and six touchdowns. On defense, he has posted 18 tackles, two interceptions, three pass breakups and one tackle for loss. He also became the first Buffs' player to record five straight 100-yard games after the win against Baylor in a stretch that goes back to last season.

“[Jeanty] has 95 carries for 1000 yards,” Hunter said. “If I had 95 catches how many yards do you think I’d have?”

With the numbers Hunter is putting together on both sides, he has resembled the Heisman-winning seasons of two-way stars Champ Bailey and Charles Woodson. Bailey assembled what is considered one of the greatest two-way seasons in college football history as he recorded 52 tackles, three interceptions and seven pass breakups, while also totaling 47 catches for 744 yards and five touchdowns on offense in 1998.

Woodson, who is considered to be the greatest two-way player in college football history, produced an unforgettable season at Michigan in 1997. He posted 11 catches for 231 yards and two passing touchdowns with one rushing score. Woodson was the first and only primarily defensive player to win the Heisman.

Fast forward to this year, Hunter remains a frontrunner in the Heisman conversation stemming from his rare feats that haven’t been witnessed in quite some time. Pinpointing a player's comparison to Hunter is difficult due to the rarity of what he brings to the field.

“I keep hearing there’s others that’ve done it, no there has not,” Urban Meyer said on The Triple Option podcast. “...Our own Charles Woodson won the Heisman, but he didn’t do it at this level.”

Hunter’s Heisman odds have fluctuated in the past three weeks going from +700 in Week 6 to +300 in Week 7 to +650 in Week 8 (per BetMGM). This years’ Heisman frontrunners, which includes Jeanty, Hunter, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe and Miami signal caller Cam Ward, are a qualified group that bring plenty of talent to the table. However, as Hunter’s odds change, the Heisman is awarded to the most talented member of the group, and Hunter is the only one displaying skills that are unlike anything in recent history.

“For [Hunter] to not be the Heisman favorite shows the absolute stupidity and irrelevance of the Heisman,” Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz recently said.