A rivalry between teams is good, but a rivalry between 2 players? That’s spicy. So, Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty. The 2 dudes gunning it for the Heisman, but only one will be the lucky player to lift that trophy. For Travis Hunter, it shouldn’t be a big task. This guy has already shaken up the CFB world with the amount of successful snaps he can play on both sides of the football. This is a feat that was last accomplished by the legend Champ Bailey, way back in 1998. This alone says a lot. However, Jeanty is also another anomaly. Arguably one of the best running backs this year, this guy is single-handedly carrying the Boise State run game on his back.

But, with the season almost nearing its end, the race is heating up, and it is about time one player called out the other. Back on Kickin It With Dee, we get a look at Ashton Jeanty firing back at Hunter with a cocky answer. “I feel like, for me, what I’ve been doing hasn’t been done in 36-37 years, so that’s something special. If I break a record, that’s been around for 36 years, then I feel like you can’t compete with that,” Jeanty mentioned while comparing the stuff he is doing with whatever Hunter is pulling off on that turf. Now, here is the thing. What Jeanty is saying has a lot of value. In just 10 games, this guy has managed to cross past the 1800-yard mark and has already collected 26 touchdowns and 256 carries.

If we go back and look at the CBS news chart comparing his stats with the last 3 RBs who managed to grab the Heisman, you will be surprised to find out that Jeanty is doing double-digit numbers across the board compared to the others. This is wild. Dude is performing better than legends, like Derrick Henry, Mark Ingram, and Reggie Bush. 

However, we have seen good RBs before. But what Hunter is doing? That hasn’t been recreated in 25 years. Yeah, Bailey was a legend, and he was also the last guy who managed to snag 5 receiving touchdowns and 3 interceptions in a single season. Who pulled off the same feat again? Travis Hunter. Back to back in 2023 and now in 2024.

Every time Shedeur Sanders manages to land a good pass to Hunter, that play automatically becomes a massive gain for the Buffs. Even against Utah, the Utes D-line knew this all too well and tried everything to block off Hunter. What did he do? Grabbed 5 receptions and 1 massive touchdown for the Buffs. While Jeanty has all rights to be cocky, Hunter is still in the safe spot. More so because of the latest Heisman odds.

Travis Hunter is on top of the world

A few weeks back, we had talked about a Heisman graphic showing who poses the biggest threat to Hunter’s run. And no, it was not Jeanty. The only dude who came close to holding off the 2-way star was QB Cam Ward. Both Ward and Hunter were standing at +200 odds. However, after the disappointing loss against Georgia Tech, Ward’s unbeatable run and the Hurricanes dynasty fell apart.

So, where does the Colorado Buffs anomaly stand now? Well, safely on the top spot with +125 odds. After the W against the Utes, Hunter is entering Week 12 as the top contender for the Heisman trophy. Jeanty is still stuck in the 3rd spot with +400 odds.

However, there is a new contender for the trophy. Ward is out, and Dillion Gabriel is in on the 2nd spot with +275 odds. While the Ducks did have a close game against Wisconsin and narrowly avoided a loss with a 16-13 score, it did not alter Gabriel’s shot at grabbing the Heisman.

With few more games left on the schedule, one thing is for certain: the QB domination over Heisman is about to end. But will Hunter get it or Jeanty? That is something we all gotta wait for.