Colorado sports notes: Upset Deion Sanders plans to give Travis Hunter his Jim Thorpe trophy after Colorado star snubbed

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Travis Hunter may be receiving his first trophy of the season — his coach's 1988 Jim Thorpe Award. Deion Sanders doesn't want his anymore.

Not after Colorado's two-way standout and Heisman Trophy hopeful was overlooked as a finalist for the award given to the nation's top defensive back. Sanders, who earned the award with Florida State, was outraged Tuesday.

“How? How is Travis Hunter snubbed by the Jim Thorpe Award?” said Sanders, whose 23rd-ranked Buffaloes (8-3, 6-2 Big 12, No. 25 CFP ) close out the regular season Friday against Oklahoma State, needing a win and lots of help to make the conference title game. “You can have my award. You can have it back. Matter of fact, I’m gonna give him mine. I ain’t using it, just sitting up there collecting dust.”

The list of Thorpe finalists released Tuesday included Jahdae Barron of Texas, Ohio State's Caleb Downs and Georgia's Malaki Starks — but no Hunter.

Hunter has three interceptions and nine pass breakups despite rarely being targeted because of his lockdown cover skills. He also preserved an overtime win against Baylor when he forced a fumble that ended the game.

“If this ain’t the most idiotic thing in college football, that he’s not a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award," Sanders said. “How in the world is Travis Hunter not a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award? They just pretty much messed up all the integrity of the award, and he can have mine. Whoever’s voting down there, whoever is bringing it home — thank you, because I don’t even want mine now.”

It's one of the few awards Hunter hasn't been named a finalist for in a season where he's dominated on offense and defense. He's in the running for the Maxwell (most outstanding player), the Biletnikoff (best receiver), Bednarik (top defensive player), Paul Hornung (most versatile) and Walter Camp (player of the year) awards.

Then there's, of course, the Heisman, where he's the favorite, according to BetMGM, as he rarely leaves the field. He's a frequent target for Shedeur Sanders, catching 82 passes for 1,036 yards and 11 TDs.

The scary hit on Shedeur Sanders

 

Shedeur Sanders avoided injury on a scary hit by Kansas defensive end Dean Miller that took out the quarterback's legs after throwing a pass in last Saturday's 37-21 loss.

Deion Sanders said both Jayhawks coach Lance Leipold and Miller reached out to him. The plan is for Miller to talk to his son.

“He’s going to apologize, and Shedeur is going to accept it. I know that because Shedeur is not upset with that,” Deion Sanders explained. “So let’s not make a big deal out of something that transpired in the heat of the battle. I know how it looked. I know how it seemed, but the guy’s trying to make a play. He’s playing ball, but they will communicate with one another, so it’s no hard feelings.”

Bowl game for Shedeur Sanders and Hunter?

The game Friday against Oklahoma State could be the last one in a Colorado jersey for Hunter and Shedeur Sanders because they are likely top picks in the NFL draft. Deion Sanders downplayed the narrative Tuesday by saying that even if the bowl-eligible Buffaloes don't make the Big 12 title game, his talented tandem may play in a bowl game.

“It’s not the last time you’re going to see them in a Buff uniform,” Deion Sanders said. “These two and all the rest of the seniors have done a wonderful job of getting us to where we are, instilling so much expectation in our fan base and expectation in ourselves.

“So we’re going to fight and try to go out there and kick some butt and end this thing on the right note. We’re going to go to a bowl game — and end this thing on the right note.”

No. 2 UConn falls again in Maui, losing 73-72 to Colorado on Jakimovski's off-balance layup

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Andrej Jakimovski converted an off-balance layup with 8 seconds left, and Colorado handed No. 2 UConn its second loss in two days at the Maui Invitational, beating the two-time defending national champion 73-72 on Tuesday.

A day after a 99-97 overtime loss to Memphis that left Huskies coach Dan Hurley livid about the officiating, UConn (4-2) couldn't shake the unranked Buffaloes (5-1), who shot 62.5% in the second half.

With Colorado trailing 72-71 in the closing seconds, Jakimovski drove to his right and absorbed contact from UConn’s Liam McNeeley. He tossed the ball toward the glass and the shot was good as he fell to the floor. Hassan Diarra missed a 3-pointer just ahead of the buzzer for UConn.

Elijah Malone and Julian Hammond III scored 16 points each for Colorado, and Jakimovski had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The Huskies led 40-32 at halftime and by nine points early in the second half, but Colorado quickly closed that gap. McNeeley led UConn with 20 points.

Takeaways

UConn: Hurley's squad is facing its first adversity in quite a while. The Huskies arrived on Maui with a 17-game winning streak that dated to February.

Colorado: The Buffaloes were held to season lows in points (56) and field goal percentage (37%) in a 16-point loss to Michigan State on Monday but shot 51.1% overall and 56.3% (9 of 16) from 3-point range against the Huskies.

Key moment

Hurley called timeout to set up the Huskies' final possession, but the Buffs forced them to take a contested 3.

Key stat

Colorado had a 28-26 rebounding advantage after being out-rebounded 42-29 by Michigan State.

Up next

Colorado will play the Iowa State-Dayton winner in the fifth-place game on Wednesday. UConn will play the loser of that matchup in the seventh-place game.

Agbim's 18, Tainamo's game-winner lead Wyoming over Tulane, 64-63

CANCUN, Mexico (AP) — Obi Agbim scored 18 points to lead Wyoming and Touko Tainamo made a wide open 3-pointer from the corner with 9.6 seconds left as the Cowboys took down Tulane 64-63 on Tuesday night.

Agbim shot 5 of 14 from the field, including 2 for 7 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 8 from the line for the Cowboys (5-1). Tainamo scored 13 points and added five rebounds. Jordan Nesbitt went 4 of 11 from the field (0 for 3 from 3-point range) to finish with 10 points, while adding 13 rebounds.

Asher Woods finished with 15 points for the Green Wave (4-3). Kam Williams added 13 points, eight rebounds, four steals and two blocks for Tulane. Rowan Brumbaugh also recorded 13 points and four assists.

Agbim scored 12 points in the first half and Wyoming went into halftime trailing 40-34. Tainamo scored 11 second-half points.

Riley scores 18, Utah Tech beats Denver 68-54

SAINT GEORGE, Utah (AP) — Beon Riley's 18 points helped Utah Tech defeat Denver 68-54 on Tuesday night.

Riley also had 11 rebounds for the Trailblazers (2-6). Noa Gonsalves scored 15 points and added eight rebounds and three steals. Justin Bieker shot 4 of 6 from the field and 2 for 3 from the line to finish with 11 points.

The Pioneers (3-5) were led in scoring by Sebastian Akins and Josh Lee, who both finished with 11 points.