BOULDER – The Heisman brunch with Travis Hunter was an all-you-can-eat buffet of scrumptious plays that reminded us why no sane voter could give the trophy to anybody else.

“We don’t need to give no message to Heisman voters that are undecided. If they can’t see, they can’t see,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said.

On a Saturday when kickoff was nearly two hours before noon in the Rocky Mountains, the Buffaloes’ 49-24 stampede of Utah was merely a sideshow to the main event.

Where do we send the consolation prizes to Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty?

Sorry, but we’ve got to hand the Heisman to Hunter.

The winner hasn’t been this obvious since O.J. Simpson ran away with the voting, way back in 1968.

“We don’t go into the game being like ‘We need to get Travis the Heisman.’ Some teams do,” said Buffs quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who would be a strong candidate himself, if he didn’t happily work in the shadow of Hunter.

Until Hunter hit the CU campus, no college player at the top level of the sport had produced 40 catches and three interceptions as a two-way player since Champ Bailey put his Hall of Fame potential on full display for Georgia in 1998.

Late in the first quarter, after grabbing an interception that required Matrix-like reflexes, Hunter proved he can do anything Bailey did, only significantly better.

What’s more, Hunter has done it two years in a row. He finished the 2023 season with 57 catches and three interceptions. Through 10 games this year, Hunter already has 69 receptions and three picks.

Against the Utes, Hunter added to his no-effing-way repertoire of superhero moments, when he nabbed a reception after climbing a stairway to heaven over two earth-bound defenders.

He struck the Heisman pose, which got penalized 15 yards, The official reason given was unsportsmanlike conduct. But know what I suspect was the real reason? Hunter is such a far superior athlete to everyone else on the field it should be illegal.

And did I mention that among his 132 snaps Hunter also ran for a five-yard touchdown on a reverse, when he scrambled so long, he earned credit for his daily 10,000 healthy steps on a single play?

Please don’t remind his quarterback about Hunter’s razzle-dazzle rushing touchdown that put the Buffs’ final points on the board late in the fourth quarter.

“When Travis scored? It was really supposed to be my touchdown. If I’m gonna be honest, he took my shine on that one,” Sanders joked.

The play, which began with Sanders handing the ball to running back Charlie Offerdahl so he could pitch it to Hunter, was designed for the two-way star to pad his Heisman resume by throwing a TD pass to his quarterback.

Very cool. Very ingenious. But there was one very big glitch.

“It’s definitely gonna be on the bloopers, because I fell backwards,” said Sanders, who stumbled awkwardly on his route to the end zone.

No problem. Hunter held onto the ball and teased 11 Utah defenders like kittens swiping at catnip until he was safely found paydirt in the end zone with Colorado’s seventh touchdown on this chilly November day.

As players traded hugs and handshakes after the game, Coach Prime told Fox sideline reporter Jenny Taft that beyond the talent everyone in the stadium can see, Hunter is “a straight-A student … He ain’t smoking, he ain’t getting high, he ain’t doing nothing stupid like that … He’s a great human being.”

True dat.

On his way to the CU locker room, Hunter paused on the field to autograph a No. 12 jersey and give his wristbands to a young Buffs fan in a wheelchair.

Coach Prime fancies himself as college football’s villain in the black hat. For a man that constantly insists nobody else defines him, Sanders seems to have an encyclopedic knowledge of every barb critics have lobbed at him.

“Don’t allow their hatred for me to interfere with our kids’ success,” griped Sanders, who couldn’t stop from revealing his persecution complex to a roomful of reporters singing the praises of Hunter and the Buffs, whose 8-2 record gives them a clear path to the conference championship game.

“Y’all got to stop that. Give the kids what they deserve. man. I had my turn. I played 14 years (between the NFL and major league baseball). You had 14 years to hate me. Now let’s go.”

Don’t sweat it, Prime.

It’s true, nobody is going to vote you Mr. Congeniality for being humble.

But anybody with eyes would be crazy to deny Hunter the Heisman.