SAN ANTONIO – It appears lightning will strike for the second time inside the Alamodome when the 2024 Valero Alamo Bowl kicks off on Dec. 28.
Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter — and not ex-Incarnate Word and current Miami (FL) quarterback Cam Ward — was awarded the 2024 Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, making him the second Buff ever to earn the honor (Rashaan Salaam, running back, 1995).
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While some NFL Draft prospects have decided to sit out their team’s bowl games in recent years, this does not appear to be the case for Hunter.
Days before Saturday’s Heisman ceremony, Hunter affirmed his commitment to play in San Antonio. He would be the second player to win the Heisman Trophy and play in the Alamo Bowl all in the same season.
Hunter went another step further. In a YouTube video from his eponymous podcast posted on Sunday morning, Hunter discussed the Alamo Bowl with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
“You know how many players would sit out in a bowl game?” Sanders said to Hunter before listing some of their Colorado teammates he’d hate to skip the game on. “So, I’ll just be thankful I’m able to at least, one more time, just us all being in a Buffs uniform.”
“I’m thankful being able to play another game, boy,” Hunter said to Sanders. “I don’t think I could have went (sic) another month without playing football.”
The Buffs are set to meet the BYU Cougars on Dec. 28 at the Alamodome in one of the most high-profile, non-College Football Playoff bowl games of the season.
In light of Saturday’s Heisman win for Hunter, here is a look at some college football royalty who have taken the field at the Alamo Bowl.
Robert Griffin III, quarterback, Baylor (2011)
If Hunter is the second man to win the Heisman Trophy and suit up in the Alamo Bowl, then it’s important to remember the first man who did both in the same year.
The Robert Griffin III era was the start of the most prolific years in Baylor football history. Before the Bears won back-to-back Big 12 Conference titles for the first time in 2013 and 2014, Griffin won the 2011 Heisman Trophy.
More than two and a half weeks after winning the award, Griffin completed 24 of 33 passes for 295 yards, one touchdown through the air and another touchdown on the ground.
Baylor’s win at the Alamodome clinched the program’s first-ever 10-win season.
The 2011 Alamo Bowl remains the highest scoring in the bowl’s history. The Bears and Washington Huskies combined for an eye-popping 123 points in regulation.
Early arrivals
Not including Hunter and Griffin, there have been four other names in college football history who played in the Alamo Bowl and were also Heisman Trophy winners.
But why aren’t they joining the shortlist with Hunter and Griffin? The following four men won their Heisman Trophies in seasons after playing in the Alamo Bowl, not during the same season.
Charles Woodson, cornerback, Michigan (1995 Alamo Bowl participant; 1997 Heisman winner)
It is somewhat appropriate that Hunter and Woodson, who both know their way around slowing wide receivers down and earning college football’s most famous individual award, are both Alamo Bowl participants.
In 1995, Big Ten coaches chose Woodson as the conference’s Freshman of the Year, but his Alamo Bowl experience was an excruciating one. He broke his leg in the first quarter of the game.
Hopefully, better things and good health are ahead for Hunter on Dec. 28.
Eric Crouch, quarterback, Nebraska (2000 Alamo Bowl participant; 2001 Heisman winner)
The 1990s were good for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who won national championships in 1994, 1995 and 1997.
Nebraska’s place among the best in college football slowly started to change as the 2000s arrived. In some ways, Crouch is the last signal of the dynasty that has since gone dormant.
As for the 2000 Alamo Bowl, Crouch was just one option in a dangerous rush attack. He ran for 118 of Nebraska’s 476 rushing yards to go along with two rushing touchdowns against future Big Ten Conference opponent Northwestern.
At the time, Crouch’s 118 rushing yards were the most for a quarterback in Alamo Bowl history.
The Huskers made quick work of the Wildcats 66-17.
Marcus Mariota, quarterback, Oregon (2013 Alamo Bowl participant; 2014 Heisman winner)
Similar to Crouch, Mariota took the field in San Antonio one year before winning the Heisman Trophy.
However, at the 2013 Alamo Bowl, Mariota took something that belonged to Crouch.
The Oregon quarterback ran for 133 rushing yards, which eclipsed Crouch’s Alamo Bowl quarterback rushing record that dated back to 2000.
The bigger headline in Oregon’s 30-7 victory: the Ducks' win was the final game Mack Brown coached at Texas.
Caleb Williams, quarterback, Oklahoma (2021 Alamo Bowl participant; 2023 Heisman winner)
Williams’ journey from star-studded backup to Red River Rivalry hero and Alamo Bowl champion all happened during his 2021 freshman season at Oklahoma.
Williams and Hunter share another similarity: earning the Heisman Trophy at a different school than their original school.
The eventual No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft tossed three touchdown passes and helped the Sooners beat Oregon by 15 points.
Since the Ducks' 2013 Alamo Bowl win against Texas, Oregon lost their next two appearances in San Antonio: versus TCU (in 2015) and versus Oklahoma (2021).
You can watch the 2024 Valero Alamo Bowl between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Brigham Young University Cougars live at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28 only on KSAT 12. We will also get you ready for the game with our KSAT Gameday special live at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28 on KSAT 12.