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Ashton Jeanty ran for 209 yards and a touchdown on Friday night to help Boise State to a second consecutive Mountain West championship.
The Broncos beat UNLV 21-7, winning a rematch from the regular season as Jeanty made his final case for the Heisman Trophy. Entering Friday night, Colorado 2-way star Travis Hunter was the overwhelming favorite at most sportsbooks to win the Heisman. But Jeanty had a 13th game this weekend — that secured at least a 14th game — while Hunter’s Buffs wait at home to receive their bowl destination.
As the win wound down, FOX color commentator Brock Huard claimed that Jeanty should be the Heisman winner.
“If you already voted and you’re a Heisman voter, just send your ballot in,” Huard said. “Just don’t vote ever again. It just makes no sense to me.
“Get every data point for all of these guys. For Dillon (Gabriel) tomorrow! Get every data point you can. To me — and I was talking to Chris Petersen at halftime about this — if only coaches voted, Ashton Jeanty would win the Heisman. I really believe that.”
When asked for his reasoning, Huard said Hunter is the “most spectacular” and “most dynamic” player in the country but Jeanty is “the best player who has elevated his team to a championship and a Playoff and a bye.”
“If you already voted and you’re a Heisman voter, just send your ballot in. Just don’t vote ever again. It just makes no sense to me.”
“If only coaches voted, Ashton Jeanty would win the Heisman.”
– Brock Huardpic.twitter.com/iRyFZecUzk
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 7, 2024
Boise State lost 6 games a year ago and went through a midseason coaching change. This season, their only loss came on the road at Oregon.
The Ducks kicked a field goal in the final seconds to win by 3. Jeanty ran for 192 yards and 3 touchdowns on 25 carries in the game.
Jeanty’s Broncos have faced 3 teams currently ranked in the College Football Playoff Top 25. He averaged 176 rushing yards in those 3 games and scored 5 rushing touchdowns.
Hunter’s Buffs have not played a game this season against a team that is currently ranked in the CFP Top 25. They’ve only played 1 team that was ranked at the time of the game — Kansas State at home — and lost. Hunter was forced to leave that game early with an injury and finished with just 3 catches for 26 yards.
Heading into the Playoff, Jeanty has 2,497 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns. He is just 131 rushing yards shy of tying Barry Sanders’ 1988 mark for the most rushing yards in a single season in college football history.
That being said, Hunter remains -2500 to win the Heisman at FanDuel. Jeanty is +1000.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
