Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty played a crucial role in securing the Broncos’ place in the College Football Playoff on Friday night. With an impressive performance that included 32 carries for 209 yards and one touchdown, Jeanty helped lead his team to a 21-7 victory over UNLV in the Mountain West championship game.
This standout game caps off a remarkable season for Jeanty, positioning him as a serious contender for the Heisman Trophy. Throughout the season, prior to any potential CFP games, he recorded an astonishing 344 carries for 2,497 rushing yards, averaging 7.3 yards per carry, along with an impressive total of 29 touchdowns.
The race for the prestigious Heisman Trophy appears to boil down to a competitive matchup between Jeanty and Colorado’s talented wide receiver and cornerback, Travis Hunter. In support of Jeanty’s candidacy, fans have taken to social media to highlight his extraordinary season, drawing comparisons to some of the best performances by running backs in college football history.
This conversation naturally evokes the memory of Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon, whose 2014 season was a close second in the Heisman voting, losing out to Oregon’s quarterback Marcus Mariota. Many, including Montee Ball, have expressed that the award diminished in credibility following Gordon’s narrow loss. The parallels between Jeanty’s performance this year and Gordon’s remarkable campaign seven years ago are striking and raise questions about whether history might repeat itself.
As the conversation around the Heisman Trophy heats up, there is hope that it’s time for a change. Jeanty’s historic season deserves recognition, and it is clear that whether he wins or not, his remarkable achievements will be remembered in college football lore.
In summary, Jeanty’s contributions have established him as a powerhouse, both for Boise State and in the Heisman race, keeping the spirit of competition alive while aiming to redirect the narrative around deserving candidates in the awards landscape.