Alright, folks, the countdown is on! Heisman Night is dropping this Saturday, December 14th, at Lincoln Center’s Apple Room in New York, and it’s about to get spicy. College football is basically holding its breath as we inch closer to crowning the 90th Heisman Trophy winner. But leave it to Dillon Gabriel to shake things up with a plot twist that feels straight out of a last-minute movie rewrite.

Gabriel, one of the four Heisman finalists, just threw a wrench into the race by backing someone, not himself. When asked on the Dan Patrick Show who he’d vote for, Gabriel didn’t blink before saying, “I’m going to get some heat for this one, but I’m going to say, Ashton Jeanty.” Yeah, he said it. That’s like showing up to prom and voting for your best buddy to win King instead of yourself.

Let’s rewind a bit. The finalists this year are Travis Hunter, Ashton Jeanty, Cam Ward, and, of course, Dillon Gabriel. But the real drama is between Hunter and Jeanty, with oddsmakers practically engraving Hunter’s name on the trophy already. Still, Jeanty has had one of the most insane rushing seasons in FBS history. The guy’s been tearing it up, but Hunter’s two-way magic has kept him in the spotlight all season long.

Gabriel’s endorsement of Jeanty wasn’t just a casual shoutout, though. He made it clear he had his reasons: “I say that because I have been at the group for 5 months, knowing, you know, that. Of course, I played against Ashton this year. I think he’s a talented individual. You know, his story is unique, and what he’s been able to do is pretty impressive.” Respect, right?

Meanwhile, Hunter has been a highlight reel on both sides of the field. Offense, defense, you name it—he’s doing it, and oddsmakers are eating it up. But Ashton Jeanty? He’s the guy who carried his team into playoff contention and made it look easy. It’s like comparing an artist who paints with two brushes at once to one who redefined the whole canvas. Different vibes, both elite.

As for the other two contenders, Cam Ward and Dillon Gabriel, they had killer seasons but aren’t expected to snag any first-place votes. Even betting odds favor Hunter and Jeanty. So it’s basically down to two guys right now, but all four of these guys are bringing the heat and building the hype for Heisman season.

Heisman finalists setting vibe in New York

Well, it’s a big achievement for all four Heisman Trophy finalists; none are from the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, which has given four of the past five Heisman winners. All of them have come a long way, keeping their exceptional performance and consistency. Ashton Jeanty, who is leading with 2497 yards and 29 touchdowns, is the first running back invited to the Heisman since 2017. Ashton considers it a tremendous blessing to be there. “There’s been a lot of great running backs before me that should have been here in New York, so to kind of carry on the legacy of the running back position,” he said.

Travis Hunter has been a total showstopper this season and has been a major player in getting the Buffs to a bowl game. He had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns and played 688 defensive snaps. Travis is the only Power 4 conference player with 30 snaps on both sides. He gave all the reasons to make him the top contender for the Heisman, as he says, “I think I laid the ground for more people to come in and go two ways.”

Even Dillon Gabriel is no less than anyone in terms of his gameplay. This Oklahoma transfer changed the whole fate of the Ducks by passing for 2558 yards with 28 touchdowns. If Oregon is the top team, it’s because of Dillon Gabriel’s consistency with a completion rate of 73.2%. Reflecting on his journey, Gabriel says, “I think all the memories start to roll back in your mind.”

Last but not least, Cam Ward, whose track record shows the kind of abilities he holds. Throwing for 4,132 yards with a nation-high 36 touchdowns—that’s not something you will witness every day. But then Ward thinks it’s just the mindset that sets you free to achieve your target: “I just think there’s a recklessness that you have to play at the quarterback position.” Such talent in one frame—that’s the beauty of this award. Let’s see who’s the ultimate winner because Gabriel already has one favorite.