The 2024 college football season is flipping scripts and setting new storylines, and the Heisman race is no exception. This time, it’s Boise State Broncos’ running back Ashton Jeanty stealing the spotlight, pushing past the usual quarterback craze. Jeanty didn’t just come back from a bye week—he charged up, leading his Broncos to stomp over Utah State Aggies with a score of 62-30, thanks to his 217-yard, 31-carry performance that no defender could shut down. Jeanty’s stats through six games even dwarf the numbers of recent RB Heisman winners, including Derrick Henry, Mark Ingram, and Reggie Bush.
Analysts are buzzing that Jeanty may actually have the makings of a Heisman winner, something no running back has snagged since Henry in 2015. And the numbers don’t lie: Jeanty’s 1,248 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 126 carries crush Henry’s mid-season totals and outshine the 2009 and 2005 Heisman performances of Ingram and Bush, respectively. That’s right; the Boise State phenomenon is giving traditional QB contenders like Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter a run for their money. With Heisman buzz leaning toward him, Jeanty is the ultimate underdog in a quarterback-heavy race, currently ranking third in the odds behind only Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel and Miami’s Cam Ward.
But here’s the twist—while Shedeur Sanders’ Heisman dreams hit a snag with fumbles and sack mishaps, Jeanty kept churning yards and racking up touchdowns. Even as Colorado’s dynamic duo faced injuries and setbacks, Jeanty kept firing on all cylinders, showing the college football world that running backs aren’t done competing for the Heisman just yet. Jeanty’s incredible run has sparked debate and upended expectations, giving fans and analysts alike a reason to wonder: could the Heisman trophy finally be headed back to a running back?
So, will Jeanty break the QB streak and rewrite Heisman history? Tune in, because this season’s underdog might just pull off the unthinkable. For more on college football upsets, tune into Think Tank’s latest episode—NIL, NFL, and everything in between.
