So far, Boise State's Ashton Jeanty's performance during the 2024 college football season makes him a compelling candidate for the Heisman Trophy. It would be the first time a Boise State Bronco has ever won the award that goes to the best player in college football each year. The last time the Heisman Trophy was even mentioned with a Boise State player was in 2010 when quarterback Kellen Moore finished fourth in the voting. No one realistically thought he would win, considering he was up against the eventual top two picks of that year's NFL Draft, Stanford's Andrew Luck, and the winner, Cam Newton, who also won the National Championship game at Auburn.

 

Jeanty's impressive mix of speed, power, and playmaking skills has made him a standout running back. The Ringer recently said that watching him play will "make you fall in love with football," and comparing his season so far to past Heisman-winning running backs proves he deserves to win.

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His versatility is on full display with multiple games of over 200 yards and 18 touchdowns. His performance is reminiscent of past winners like Derrick Henry and Mark Ingram, both dominated with power running. Jeanty's ability to impact games on the ground and as a receiver makes him a dual-threat weapon.

 

Historically, running backs like Reggie Bush and Earl Campbell have won over Heisman voters through their electrifying play and game-changing abilities. Jeanty has those same traits, with his play reminding people of Bush's or Christian McCaffrey's dynamic Heisman-winning seasons when they became the focal point of their teams.

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Even though at the beginning of the season, no one was talking about Ashton Jeanty as a Heisman candidate, he is now the odds-on favorite to win the award. His Vegas odds are +175, and the closest competitor is Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel at +375. The other top candidate is Colorado's Travis Hunter, who plays both offense and defense. He got hurt at the beginning of their game on Saturday night, dropping his odds to +1100.

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Jeanty has run for over 200 yards in four games this season, has seven runs of 50 yards or more resulting in touchdowns, and has 1,248 yards through just six games, which puts him on pace to break Barry Sanders' single-season total from 1988. As long as he stays healthy, it seems very likely that a Heisman Trophy is coming to Broncos Country.

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