The Heisman trophy race has been heating up as the College Football regular season finishes. Now, the race is narrowed down to two players. Travis Hunter, the defensive back and wide receiver from the University of Colorado, and Ashton Jeanty, the dominant running back from Boise State. Jeanty’s head coach, Spencer Danielson, commented on this race, saying, “Ashton Jeanty’s the best football player in the country. And, for me, if you’re one of the best players in the country, you play in the championship game.”
Travis Hunter’s Heisman Campaign
This quote was taken as a jab at Travis Hunter and Deion Sanders. The Colorado Buffaloes have had a successful season in the Big 12. They have looked considerably better compared to last season, finishing with a 9-3 record, ranked as the #20 team in the country in the latest AP Poll. But Colorado was not good enough to earn a spot in the Big 12 Championship game, which could have given them a College Football Playoff berth. They lost in one of their final games to Kansas, which effectively knocked them out of playoff contention.
However, the Heisman Trophy is an individual player award, not based on team performance. And as far as individual players go, Travis Hunter is one of the best. Hunter is one of the few players to play on both sides of the ball and he is elite both ways. At defensive back, Hunter is one of the best in the country. He has great ball skills and athleticism, which makes him skilled in coverage. He can make incredible interceptions that other corners cannot. As a wide receiver, Travis Hunter has 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns this season.
His statistics at both positions would not be enough to win the Heisman Trophy if he only played one side of the ball. But the fact that Hunter plays nearly every snap of the game and looks elite at receiver and defensive back makes him like no other player in College Football. It does not matter that Colorado did not make the Big 12 Championship and will not make the College Football Playoff. Travis Hunter’s impact and value cannot be overstated, and that is what the Heisman Trophy is for.
Ashton Jeanty’s Historic Season
Credit: AP Photo/Steve Conner
People have mainly focused on the latter portion of Danielson’s comments, but he also complimented Ashton Jeanty. He is right to call Jeanty one of the best players in the country because Jeanty is also having a historic season. Jeanty has rushed for 2,288 yards and 28 touchdowns, averaging 7.3 yards per carry. He has taken a talented Boise State team on his back and has them projected to make the College Football Playoff if they win the Mountain West Championship game. And even though Jeanty is playing in the Mountain West conference, he has run through every defense put in front of him, including the undefeated #1 Oregon Ducks.
Ashton Jeanty’s season puts him fifth all-time in rushing yards in a single season. This puts him ahead of many other Heisman-winning running backs. That stat alone should make Jeanty a runaway favorite, but many have Hunter still ahead of him. If Ashton Jeanty does not win the award with such a historic season, it makes the Heisman hope for future running backs dimmer. The Heisman has always been a quarterback-centric award, whether voters admit it or not, and if a running back cannot win with a season as dominant as Jeanty’s, then it may be a long time before another running back hoists up the trophy.
This Heisman race has been one of the most contentious in recent memory. Almost any other year, Travis Hunter or Ashton Jeanty would win the award with ease, but they are going up against each other for it. The award race has brought out comments from both players’ coaches, Deion Sanders and Spencer Danielson, but the voters will decide between the players. As the award ceremony gets closer, further speculation will continue.
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