Travis Hunter, #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes, runs with the ball during the second quarter against the Colorado State Rams at Canvas Stadium on September 14, 2024 in Fort Collins, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/CU Independent)
For the first time in almost a decade, a running back has the best odds to win the Heisman award. With an award that is historically dominated by the quarterback position, this year’s front-runners are breaking the trend.
The favorites to win the Heisman are Boise State University’s running back Ashton Jeanty and University of Colorado’s own Travis Hunter. On the surface, Jeanty’s stats should win him the award right now. But if we dissect who is truly the best player in college football, everything points to this class being one of the most competitive Heisman races in recent history.
First up, when looking at Jeanty, he is undoubtedly the best running back in college football. Through five games of the season, Jeanty has over 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns. He ran in four touchdowns alone against Washington State University in Week 5, and just last week had a hat trick of scores with 186 yards, just in the first half. Jeanty, known as “the walking first down,” is averaging 10.9 yards every time he is given the ball.
Shortly behind Jeanty is Colorado’s superstar Travis Hunter. Since the Buffs’ Week 1 win over North Dakota State University, people have been connecting his name to the Heisman award, and even adding a slogan to the Buffs’ season, “HE12MAN.” Hunter has been number 12 dating back to his high school days, and fitting it into the name might just be destiny.
What separates Hunter from the rest is his ability to play over 120 snaps a game, playing wide receiver and cornerback – both at an extremely high level. He has 561 yards off six touchdowns this season, along with a pair of interceptions and a game-winning forced fumble in Colorado’s overtime victory against Baylor.
FanDuel gives Jeanty (+220) and Hunter (+320) better odds than the three leading quarterbacks behind them. If the odds stand true, Jeanty would be the first running back with the prize since Derrick Henry in 2015.
Henry’s stats at the end of his campaign were an eye-popping 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns. If Jeanty is to keep up his current trajectory, he would finish with around 2,260 yards and a blazing 35 touchdowns. Both more than Henry in 2015.
A safe argument for Hunter’s side is the difference in strength of opponents so far in the season. Colorado has wins over relevant schools like the University of Central Florida and Baylor University, while Boise State has played games against Georgia Southern University and Portland State University.
The competition imbalance should make a big difference in the race once voting begins. Boise State is in the group of fives Mountain West Conference. Meanwhile, Colorado plays in the Big 12 Conference, with multiple ranked opponents on the upcoming schedule. If Jeanty is to win the Heisman, he will be the first player in a nonpower conference to do so since 1990.
Hunter has more NFL Draft appeal, especially if he continues to play on both sides of the ball. It is believed that he will be a top-three draft pick, and very possibly the number one overall selection. But, that’s not what the award is given out for. Only 25 Heisman winners have been taken first overall since the first NFL draft in 1936.
Almost every online poll has Jeanty as the Heisman winner at this point in the season. No matter who gets that trophy this December, we are going to see a historic Heisman race in 2024.
The three most recent non-quarterback Heisman winners are DeVonta Smith in 2020, Derrick Henry in 2015 and Mark Ingram III in 2009. Historically, the voting is also skewed toward players in a power conference and who play in the College Football Playoff. If Jeanty is to win the Heisman, he will be the first player in a nonpower conference to do so since 1990.
If the same goes for Hunter, we could expect roughly 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns, with upward of four interceptions.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Baylan Wysuph at baylan.wysuph@colorado.edu.
