The Paul Hornung Award

Award Presented by Texas Roadhouse to Nation’s Most Versatile Player

Louisville, Ky. – Oct. 17, 2023 – Two players from the Pac-12 and one from the Big 12 earned the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll following outstanding performances in Week Seven of the college football season. Travis Hunter (Colorado) and Sione Vaki (Utah) stood out on offense and defense while Brennan Presley (Oklahoma State) excelled on offense and special teams.

For his performance in Utah’s win over Cal, Vaki will be honored by the National College Football Awards Association as the Paul Hornung Award National Player-of-the-Week.

Colorado sophomore DB/WR Travis Hunter returned to action and logged 154 total snaps on offense, defense and special teams and scored twice in the Buffaloes’ overtime loss to Stanford. Hunter made five solo tackles and one PBU from his cornerback slot and on offense, caught 13 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns. He played 64 snaps at wide receiver, accounted for eight first downs receiving and hauled in touchdown passes of 24 and 16 yards. He played 83 snaps on defense and seven on special teams.

Oklahoma State senior WR/return specialist Brennan Presley touched the ball four different ways and scored twice, including the winning touchdown, in the Cowboys’ 39-32 come-from-behind home win over no. 23 Kansas. Presley had eight catches for 79 yards and a score and ran six yards for the winning score with 2:33 left in the game. He accounted for six first downs receiving, returned a kickoff 22 yards and fair caught a punt near midfield that led to an OSU scoring drive.

Utah sophomore DB/RB Sione Vaki played 56 snaps on defense and 16 snaps on offense and scored twice as the no. 14 Utes’ held off Cal 34-14 at home. The starting safety, Vaki made four tackles on defense and was pressed into duty on offense due to injuries to Utah running backs. He carried the ball 15 times for 158 yards, scored on a one-yard run in the second quarter and a 72-yard sprint to the endzone late in the fourth quarter that put the game out of reach. He accounted for six first downs rushing and caught one pass.

The Louisville Sports Commission successfully launched the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor its namesake and native son, and to promote outstanding performances by versatile college football players who often go unnoticed. Each week during the regular season, a panel of college football experts selects players for the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll based on performance. A national selection committee comprised of 17 sports journalists and former NFL stars votes for the Hornung Award finalists and the winner, with fan voting powered by Texas Roadhouse comprising the 18th vote. Regional accounting firm Dean Dorton independently tabulates all votes.

2023 Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll

• Week 1: Zachariah Branch, USC; Erik Brooks, Fresno State; Malik Fleming, Houston; Travis Hunter, Colorado; Jayden McGowan, Vanderbilt; Jalen McMillian, Washington
• Week 2: Phillip Brooks, Kansas State; Travis Hunter, Colorado; Braden Smith, Cincinnati; Lincoln Victor, Washington State
• Week 3: Jacob De Jesus, UNLV; Tory Horton, Colorado State; Parker Kingston, BYU; DJ Lundy, FSU; Michael Wiley, Arizona
• Week 4: Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State; Jawhar Jordan, Louisville; Will Shipley, ACC; Cameron Skattebo, Arizona State
• Week 5: Ismail Mahdi, Texas State; Cameron Skattebo, Arizona State; Jacquez Stuart, Toledo; Blake Watson, Memphis
• Week 6: Silas Bolden, Oregon State; Ron Cook, Jr., Buffalo; Jalil Farooq, Oklahoma; Keegan Jones, UCLA