Alabama Crimson Tide, led by Jalen Milroe, fell embarrassingly to the Vanderbilt Commodores and Milroe’s Heisman candidacy endured a setback. The Miami Hurricanes completed a miraculous comeback at California as QB Cam Ward solidified his seat at the conversation. However, the best performance was not Ward’s nor Milroe’s.
The Heisman Trophy winner is being determined by a four-horse race. Two quarterbacks, one receiver/cornerback, and a running back. Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Miami‘s Cam Ward, Colorado’s Travis Hunter, and Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty. The latter put on the best show in college football’s Week 6. His stats are so good no one could actually tell Jeanty has been shutdown late in games as Boise State blow-out opponents and he is sidelined.
Imagine how good Jeanty’s numbers would be if he could statpad. Despite his reduced playing time, the Boise State Broncos running back has already surpassed the 1000 yard mark on the season. In the Broncos 62-30 win over Utah State, Jeanty tallied 186 yards and three touchdowns, in just 13 carries. Jeanty was sidelined for the second half as the Broncos took a commanding lead.
Ashton’s stellar season has him favored to win the Heisman, though his competition is intense. Travis Hunter’s Colorado Buffaloes were on a bye-week and so the star two-way player couldn’t build on his candidacy.
Running back Ashton Jeanty #2 of the Boise State Broncos reacts prior to the start of the first half against the Washington State Cougars at Albertsons Stadium on September 28, 2024 in Boise, Idaho.
Boise State HC names the best player in the nation
The Broncos hold a 4-1 record through the first six weeks in the NCAA. Though the competition Boise State faces is not the most demanding, that shouldn’t take any merit away from Jeanty’s campaign. Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson made his thoughts clear on the sensational running back.
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“Best player in the country – next question,” Danielson said. “I believe he’s going to be in New York for the Heisman. I believe that.“
“It’s all about the team. And Ashton is the same way. We protect him and we’re going to be smart with him because of how vital he is to our team. And we need to make sure we get other guys reps. At that point I didn’t know what his rush yards were, but we know he had enough. … We have to be smart, especially when we’re up in games.”
Jeanty compared to last RBs to win the Heisman
Ashton Jeanty’s stats so far are beyond astonishing. 95 carries for 1,031 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. And he has not had the chance to statpad. Through five games on the season, this is how Jeanty stacks up against the last running backs to win the Heisman, per FOX College Football.
2015 winner Derrick Henry had 93 carries for 570 rushing yards and nine rushing TDs through his first five appearances. In 2009, Mark Ingram posted 83 carries for 487 yards and six touchdowns. Reggie Bush, the 2005 Heisman winner, rushed in 71 opportunities for 601 yards and six touchdowns during his first five matches.
That is some elite company for Jeanty, whose stats underscore the incredible accomplishments of the aforementioned players during their historical college football campaigns.
