Some were surprised Boise State ran a Heisman campaign for running back Ashton Jeanty before the season. Jeanty was a good player, but his chances of winning the award seemed unrealistic. His preseason Heisman odds were +20000 and no player from a non-power conference school has captured the award since BYU quarterback Ty Detmer in 1990.
Of course, Jeanty then went on to have one of the most impressive seasons for a running back in the history of college football.
The Boise State star is on pace to break the all-time rushing yards mark set by the legendary Barry Sanders in 1988. After leading the Broncos to consecutive conference championships for the first time since 2006 with a 21-7 win over No. 20 UNLV, Jeanty is up to 2,497 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns, passing USC legend Marcus Allen for the fourth-most yards in a single season. He is guaranteed at least one more game, which should take place on New Year's in the College Football Playoff.
The production alone would give Jeanty a trip to New York for the Heisman ceremony, but his impact on the college football landscape this year has been even greater. Behind Jeanty, No. 10 Boise State is 12-1 and should earn a first-round bye in the expanded College Football Playoff. The Broncos were seen as preseason contenders for the spot, but almost no one expected Boise State to earn its way into the top-12 teams with no auto-bid necessary.
Jeanty is a distant second in Heisman Trophy odds heading into the final weekend of voting. Entering Friday, Jeanty held +1300 odds at DraftKings. Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter is a heavy favorite at -5000. Hunter would be a deserving winner of the award, and is likely to walk across the stage in New York. However, Jeanty is every bit deserving of the Heisman Trophy.
In the Mountain West Championship Game win, Jeanty flexed his complete skill set. He wore down the Rebels' defense in the first half with his physicality. He flexed out as a decoy to help quarterback Maddux Madsen complete 12 of his first 14 passes. Finally, with only seconds remaining in the first half, Jeanty took his kill shot, breaking off a 75-yard rushing touchdown to give the Broncos a three-touchdown lead it would never surrender.
UNLV entered the game ranked No. 10 nationally in rushing defense and held opponents to 3.2 yards per carry. It didn't matter. Jeanty tore the Rebels to shreds to the tune of 209 yards and a touchdown.
The win was the fifth 200-yard performance from Jeanty. He cleared 149 yards and a touchdown in all but two games this season; one was because he was pulled with only 11 carries for 127 yards against FCS Portland State. In a 37-34 road loss at the buzzer against No. 1 Oregon, Jeanty exploded for 192 yards and three touchdowns against the lone undefeated FBS team. This is a season filled with highlights, records and Heisman moments.
Jeanty had major NIL offers from schools in the SEC and Big Ten that could have eclipsed what he received from Boise State. It didn't matter. It only adds to his legend that he stayed loyal and took aim at history as a Bronco.
"I hope that my decision sheds a light to college football players at a bunch of different schools," Jeanty told CBS Sports in July. "That's what I wanted was to set an example and show people that you can be different. You don't have to do what everybody else is doing."
Hunter has an incredible case, too. The junior ranks top-five nationally in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and passes defended. He sits No. 1 in PFF coverage grade and cleared 90 catches, 1,100 yards, 14 touchdowns, four interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
Hunter's effort helped lead Colorado from 4-8 in 2023 to 9-3 this year. And he did it in a way that's never been done before. Any detractors dismissing Hunter's case as "getting cardio" isn't seriously engaging with what he accomplished this season. There were moments of stat padding to try and win the award, sure, but arguably no other player in the history of college football even had the ability to reach all of those metrics. If he wins on Dec. 14, it will be deserved.
At the same time, Jeanty's case is truly legendary. The numbers are off the charts. Jeanty is the most valuable player in the sport, even if that's not the guiding light for Heisman voters. The team is historic and will shockingly play for a national championship, even earning a first-round bye. His results were nationally relevant.
Out of the last 10 years, Jeanty arguably would have probably won the award in eight or nine of them. LSU's Joe Burrow season is untouchable, but Jeanty would have a strong case against any of the other winners during that span. If Hunter didn't exist, Jeanty would run away with this trophy in a landslide this season.
On Dec. 14 in New York, a new Heisman Trophy winner will be crowned. Hopefully, voters waited until the end of the Mountain West Championship Game to cast their ballots. There isn't a wrong answer at the top of the ballot, but Jeanty sure deserves your consideration.
