University of Colorado Boulder star player Travis Hunter does the Heisman pose after scoring a touchdown during the football game at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Linus Loughry/CU Independent)
The finalists for the 2024 Heisman Trophy were announced Monday featuring familiar names that have been in contention all season. The final four are Travis Hunter of the University of Colorado, Ashton Jeanty of Boise State University, Dillon Gabriel of the University of Oregon and Cam Ward of the University of Miami.
Hunter, a two-way player for the Buffaloes, has been in the driver’s seat for the award for the past few weeks due to his ability to play both offense and defense at an elite level. He finished the regular season with 14 touchdowns and 1,157 yards as a wide receiver, leading the Big 12 Conference with 92 receptions.
On defense, Hunter was just one interception shy of tying for the most in the Big 12 with four. He is also considered one of the premier cornerbacks in the nation, with 11 pass breakups and a forced fumble that sealed a win for Colorado in overtime. For his efforts, Hunter was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, currently in second place in the Heisman race, had one of the best single-season rushing performances since Derrick Henry’s 2015 Heisman-winning campaign. Including the Broncos’ Mountain West Championship victory, Jeanty finished the season with 2,497 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns.
Boise State gave Jeanty nearly 26 touches per game, and he made the most of them. He is a two-time Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year and is expected to enter the NFL Draft next April.
The third and fourth finalists are both quarterbacks with long-shot odds to win but impressive seasons nonetheless. Dillon Gabriel of Oregon led the Ducks to an undefeated 13-0 season and a top seed in the College Football Playoff. He threw for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns and added seven rushing touchdowns. Gabriel was also named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in completions and completion percentage.
The last finalist is Cam Ward of Miami. Ward, the ACC Player of the Year, finished the regular season with 36 touchdowns and 4,123 yards. He led Miami to a solid season, with the Hurricanes peaking at No. 4 in the AP Poll before finishing at No. 15. They missed out on both the ACC Championship and a College Football Playoff berth.
All four finalists will be on the field at least once more this season, either during bowl games or in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. The Heisman race has fluctuated throughout the season, but in the final three weeks, the momentum has swung toward Hunter. FanDuel’s odds currently have Hunter as the favorite at -4000, with Jeanty sitting at +1100.
Gabriel is listed at +40000, and Ward at +50000. A $5 bet on each finalist would pay $2,500 for Ward, $2,000 for Gabriel, $55 for Jeanty, and just 13 cents for Hunter.
The Heisman winner will be announced in New York on Saturday, ahead of the bowl games and College Football Playoff action, which resumes in two weeks.
Contact CU Independent staff writer Baylan Wysuph at Baylan.Wysuph@Colorado.edu
