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BOULDER, Colo. — Travis Hunter started his victory lap on the Colorado sideline, signing autographs and taking pictures as fans chanted, “Heisman!”

He posed with his fiancée, Leanna Lenee, who wore a jacket with “HE12MAN” — a nod to Hunter, his jersey number and college football’s top individual honor — on the back. As Hunter completed his celebratory circuit behind the north end zone at Folsom Field, a fan told him he was the greatest ever to wear a Colorado jersey.

The Buffaloes’ two-way sensation capped his career at Folsom Field on Friday with an emphatic closing argument for why he should win the Heisman Trophy, hauling in three touchdown passes and an interception as Colorado walloped Oklahoma State 52-0 to finish the regular season at 9-3. Unless Colorado gets some help Saturday and advances to the Big 12 championship game — the Buffaloes would need several outcomes to go their way — Hunter will not play again before the Heisman voting concludes.

“Travis clinched the Heisman with his performance,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said.

Hunter entered Friday as the overwhelming favorite (-800) to win the Heisman and saw his odds soar to -25000 during the game per ESPN BET, as he broke Colorado’s single-season touchdowns receptions record, which now stands at 14, and tied the single-game team mark. He intercepted a Maealiuaki Smith pass on the game’s first series and nearly had another interception at the end of the first half, finishing with two pass breakups.

The junior, who starts at both cornerback and wide receiver, recorded an interception and an offensive touchdown in a game for the fourth time this season. According to ESPN Research, he also became the first player in the past 25 seasons with two games of multiple scrimmage touchdowns and an interception.

Hunter is vying to become Colorado’s second Heisman winner, following running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994. And he’s also vying to become the first to play a defensive position full time and win it since Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997. Hunter, who elected not to speak with reporters Friday, also is a finalist for the Maxwell Award, given to college football’s top player, and the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the defensive player of the year.

“Travis Hunter proved today and he has proved every week that he is the best player in college football,” Sanders said. “You’ve got to give me another definition of the award. The award is to go to who? The best quarterback? He’s up for best offensive player, best defensive player, a plethora of things.

“Who else has done that? Ever?”

Earlier in the week, Sanders criticized voting for the Thorpe Award for not including Hunter as a finalist. Sanders, who won the Thorpe in 1988 at Florida State, said criticism of Hunter’s modest tackles total (30) is “stupid,” noting that cornerbacks who make many tackles are thrown at for a reason.

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, who called Hunter “a special player,” admitted that his team challenged the Colorado star far too much Friday.

Hunter also is a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the nation’s top receiver, after dramatically improving his numbers from his first two college seasons. He recorded his seventh 100-yard receiving performance Friday, and had at least 10 catches for the third time, bringing his season total to 82.

“There’s no argument at this point,” said Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who likely will factor into the Heisman voting, as well. “That’s crazy, the consistency that he has, that’s what the award is about.”

Both Deion Sanders and Shedeur Sanders said they don’t like to knock other awards candidates, and Shedeur Sanders recognized the play of Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, likely Hunter’s top challenger for the Heisman. But they think Hunter’s two-way brilliance — he hardly ever comes off of the field on offense or defense when game outcomes haven’t been decided — stands alone.

“Travis proved that week after week, throughout injuries and throughout everything,” Shedeur Sanders said. “He’s the life of our team.”

Hunter’s early interception set off what became a Heisman infomercial. He strolled into the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown late in the first quarter.

His final play came early in the fourth quarter, as he leaped for a 23-yard touchdown pass from Sanders while being draped by Oklahoma State’s Kale Smith.

“Travis is him, man, Travis is that dude,” Deion Sanders said. “Ain’t nobody can deal with him on either side of the ball.”

Shedeur Sanders said he plans to attend the Heisman Trophy presentation Dec. 14 in New York, even if he isn’t a finalist. Sanders on Friday became the first Colorado player to win the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which goes to the nation’s top quarterback. He finished with 438 passing yards with five touchdowns and an interception against Oklahoma State.

After the game, Deion Sanders took pictures with his three sons — Shedeur, Colorado senior safety Shilo Sanders, and Deion Jr., who produces social content for the CU program. Deion Sanders reiterated that Hunter, Shedeur and the rest of the team will play in the team’s upcoming bowl game, but Friday marked the end to their time together at Folsom Field.

“I didn’t really think about it until watching the last seconds tick off, like, ‘Dang, this is it, this is it,'” Deion Sanders said. “Do you know how long this journey has been with me and my kids? There’s been a lot of ups and downs and ins and outs, a lot of adverse situations, a lot of highlights.

“It’s unbelievable to think that it’s the conclusion of the matter, just here. That’s tough.”

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Ex-NHL star Kesler faces sexual conduct charges

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Ex-NHL star Kesler faces sexual conduct charges

Former NHL center Ryan Kesler has been charged with criminal sexual conduct in Michigan, according to court records obtained by multiple outlets.

Kesler pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct Monday in Bloomfield Hills District Court, according to court records.

Kesler posted $50,000 bond and was ordered not to leave the state of Michigan without court permission. His next scheduled court appearance is set for Nov. 6.

Kesler has denied the charges, which were filed last Thursday and stem from an alleged incident on Jan. 1 in Orchard Lake, Michigan, according to court records.

“Ryan emphatically denies the allegations and is completely innocent of the charges,” his attorney Robert Morad told The Athletic on Monday. “As the legal process begins, we ask for respect for his privacy and for the integrity of the judicial system. We are confident, when all the facts and circumstances are presented, that he will be fully exonerated.”

According to the criminal complaint, which was obtained by The Athletic, both counts allege Kesler engaged in sexual contact with a 16-year-old child “through force or coercion and/or (had) reason to know the victim was physically helpless.”

Kesler, 41, has been suspended from his role as a youth hockey coach by the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA). Tom Berry, the president of MAHA, told The Athletic that Kesler also has been suspended from all USA Hockey activities. Kesler was in his third season coaching the Detroit-area Little Caesars AAA Hockey Club 15O Bantam Midget team.

Kesler played parts of 15 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks, appearing in 1,001 regular-season games from 2003 to 2019.

A two-time All-Star, Kesler had 258 goals and 315 assists in his career and won the Selke Award, given to the NHL’s best two-way forward, after the 2010-11 season. The Michigan native also was a member of the United States Olympic teams in 2010 and 2014.

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Sources: Stars D Harley secures 8-year extension

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Sources: Stars D Harley secures 8-year extension

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley has agreed to sign an eight-year extension with the club, a contract that features an average-annual value just below $10.6 million, sources told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan on Tuesday night.

The deal comes with a full no-movement clause past Year Nos. 1-3, and secures a key cog in the Dallas blue line as the Stars seek their first trip to the Stanley Final since 2020.

Harley, 24, a native of Syracuse, N.Y., had one goal and eight points this season, leading into Dallas’ home game against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night. He skated in 79 and 78 games, respectively, for the Stars the past two seasons, and posted a career-high 50 points last year.

Harley, who was raised in Canada, received the call to join Team Canada earlier this year midway through the 4 Nations Face-Off. He was an injury replacement for Cale Makar, and was with the club when it won the championship game in Boston. In the final, a 3-2 win over Team USA, Harley finished with an assist in 31 shifts that covered 21:56 of ice time.

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Fan at Pens game injured in fall from upper level

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Fan at Pens game injured in fall from upper level

PITTSBURGH — A fan at Monday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues was taken to a hospital after falling from the upper concourse at PPG Paints Arena.

The incident happened early in the first period after Anthony Mantha‘s goal gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead.

Emergency personnel treated the fan, a man who was not identified, before taking him to Mercy Hospital, located a few blocks from the arena.

Play was not halted while the man was being treated. Pittsburgh police told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the man was in critical condition.

“Our concerns remain with the individual and his family at this time,” the Penguins said in a statement.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who became the ninth player in NHL history to score 1,700 points, said the team found out about the fall after the game.

“It doesn’t feel right to be talking about points when you hear something like that,” Crosby said. “Obviously, our thoughts and prayers are with that person and their family and hopefully they’re OK.”

Penguins coach Dan Muse echoed Crosby’s sentiments.

“We all come here for a sport and a game, and when you hear something like that, it kind of puts everything else aside,” Muse said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”

The fall was the third such incident at a Pittsburgh sporting event this year.

In May, Kavan Markwood fell over the railing atop the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall and onto the field at PNC Park late in a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs. Markwood spent several days in the hospital but recovered. An acquaintance of Markwood was later charged with providing alcohol to Markwood, who was 20 at the time of the incident.

On Saturday night, a worker at Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, suffered injuries to his legs when he fell approximately 50 feet while doing work near the stadium’s scoreboard.

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