The 2024 Heisman Trophy is not going to be awarded till Dec. 14, however two clear favorites to win the award have emerged.
Per FanDuel , as of Tuesday (Nov. 19), Colorado cornerback/WR Travis Hunter (-350) and Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty (+390) are the highest contenders, which is sensible.
After one other week of spectacular performances from Hunter and Jeanty, the remainder of the sphere has some catching as much as do. Hunter had his odds of successful school soccer’s high particular person trophy enhance considerably after his first profession dashing TD on Saturday.
Alongside along with his first dashing TD, Hunter had 5 receptions for 55 yards, in addition to an interception off a tipped cross and three tackles.
Along with his versatility on full show, Hunter grew to become the primary school or NFL participant to supply no less than 50 receiving yards, rating a dashing TD and intercept a cross in the identical recreation since Champ Bailey within the 2000 NFL season, per ESPN sports activities betting analyst Pamela Maldonado.
Hunter continues to be a reliable choice for quarterback Shedeur Sanders on offense. He has 74 catches for 911 yards and 10 TDs (one dashing). Hunter’s 9 TD catches are tied for eighth within the nation, per TeamRankings.
Contemplating Colorado went 4-8 in Deion Sanders’ first season as head coach in 2023, the 2024 season has been a exceptional turnaround for this system. Presently 8-2 and tied with BYU for the Massive 12 lead, Colorado has a wonderful shot of reaching the Massive 12 Championship Sport.
If that occurs, Hunter can have an additional alternative to showcase his versatility and maybe safe the Heisman Trophy.
Whereas Hunter has created some separation from a lot of the discipline, Jeanty has stored him in sight all through the season. Along with main the nation in dashing yards with 1,893, Jeanty set the Boise State season dashing document when he ran for 159 yards and three TDs within the group’s 42-21 win over San Jose State on Saturday.
The earlier document of 1,823 dashing yards was held by Jay Ajayi in 2014, and it took Ajayi 14 video games to perform the feat in comparison with 10 video games for Jeanty.
One space during which Jeanty excels is forcing missed tackles. In keeping with Dane Brugler of The Athletic, Jeanty is just the second working again over the past decade to surpass 100 compelled missed tackles in a season, becoming a member of former Texas standout Bijan Robinson, who’s now starring for the Atlanta Falcons.
Jeanty’s season has been extraordinarily spectacular. The Broncos working again has 256 carries for 1,893 yards and 26 TDs. Jeanty’s 26 dashing TDs lead the nation by 5, based on TeamRankings. Jeanty has rushed for no less than 125 yards in each recreation this season.
Since Boise State has already secured a spot within the Mountain West title recreation, Jeanty can have an extra alternative to enhance his Heisman possibilities.
Although Miami QB Cam Ward, Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke and Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel are subsequent in line within the Heisman odds, it will take extraordinary performances from every of them or a pointy decline from Hunter and Jeanty to have a practical shot on the trophy at this level.
With Miami, Indiana and Oregon nonetheless in place to make their convention title video games, it’s laborious to rely them out, particularly contemplating quarterbacks have received 20 of the 24 Heisman trophies awarded since 2000.
As the highest two Heisman favorites, Hunter and Jeanty will look to turn into simply the third non-QB to win the Heisman Trophy since 2015, becoming a member of DeVonta Smith (WR, Alabama, 2020) and Derrick Henry (RB, Alabama, 2015).
