Travis Hunter vs Ashton Jeanty: Who is most deserving Heisman candidate?
The 2024 Heisman Trophy race has captivated the attention of college football, with Colorado Buffaloes star Travis Hunter getting a tough fight from Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty. The final two games for each of them could very well decide on how they stack up in the eyes of voters.
First things first, it's difficult to compare the two head-on since they play different positions. Hunter is a two-way star, playing both as a cornerback and as wide receiver. Meanwhile, Jeanty plays the running back position.
Travis Hunter vs Ashton Jeanty: How their respective teams have performed?
Travis Hunter: The two-way star has played nearly 1200 snaps for the Colorado Buffaloes, who are 8-2 overall and 6-1 in Big 12. Under the elite level play from Hunter and his quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Colorado secured bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016.
Ashton Jeanty: The running back has had an incredible impact on Boise State Broncos, who have just lost one game this season, putting them No. 12 in AP rankings, and first in the Mountain West Conference, thanks to an unbeaten 5-0 record.
Travis Hunter vs Ashton Jeanty: Statistical comparison
Travis Hunter: Hunter has impacted on both sides of the field. He has caught 74 receptions for 911 yards and nine touchdowns on offense. In defense, he has recorded 23 total tackles out of which 16 were solo. He has defended eight passes, and forced a fumble once along with eight interceptions.
Ashton Jeanty: In 10 games, the Broncos running back has amassed 1,893 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns, putting him on track to break Oklahoma State Cowboys and Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders' FBS record for most rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in a single season. Sanders amassed 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns in 1988.
Travis Hunter vs Ashton Jeanty: What do the oddsmakers say?
Travis Hunter is leading the Heisman race, with FanDuel odds touting him as -400 favorite closely followed by Ashton Jeanty (+400), Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (+1400), Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke (+3000), and Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (+3500).
Hunter: "-400" means you would need to bet $400 to win $100 (plus your original stake). This implies a high probability of Hunter winning, as bookmakers view him as a strong contender.
Jeanty: "+400" means a $100 bet would yield $400 in winnings (plus your original stake). This reflects a lower implied probability compared to Hunter, but still suggests that Jeanty is in the conversation as a potential winner.
While there's no way to point out a clear winner, at the moment Travis Hunter's case seems more strong. But that could very well change in the following two games.