No matter your persuasions or rooting interests, the 2024 Heisman Trophy ceremony was a watershed moment for College Football. A lot of prejudice and a lot of notions, both fair and fallacious, were thwarted on that podium in New York. For one, Travis Hunter’s triumph cut right through the notion that the Heisman is transitioning into becoming a quarterback award. It even went to a player plying their trade in what is perceived as a “lesser” conference. Unfortunately for Ashton Jeanty, he wasn’t the one thwarting these fallacies and making history.

To say that Ashton Jeanty’s ‘24 campaign would’ve won the Heisman in any other year isn’t hyperbolic. The numbers he has put up have been almost unprecedented. He just happened to be competing against an adversary that’s a unicorn, who’s middle name is perhaps “unprecedented”. In the immediate aftermath of the Heisman being awarded to Hunter, runner-up Jeanty put into perspective his feelings. To contextualize just how difficult to swallow this loss is, the vote count for the winner was the closest it has been since 2009.

In an interview with BroncoNewsNation, a disappointed Ashton Jeanty said: “Anytime, you know, you have something that you feel you should have accomplished, or you know you should have been given- obviously, everything is earned- but I just, I really felt like I should have walked away with the award.” Statistically, Jeanty had a case as good as any previous recipient. He superseded the last RB to win the accolade, Derrick Henry, in 2015, in every major rushing category. Despite being visibly distressed, Jeanty didn’t knock his competitor and proceeded to figuratively brush this setback off his dapper red suit.

“You know, kudos to Travis [Hunter] for winning. But yeah, it’s [as] simple as that. Work harder, go harder. There’s a lot more to come. This isn’t the end. This is just the beginning. So I just got to do that, much more.” he said. Ashton Jeanty’s efforts may not have been supplemented by individual honors. But they didn’t go in vain. “We’re not done yet. I’m gonna see you all in Arizona for that Fiesta Bowl”, he addressed the Broncos’ faithful. 

Jeanty’s a bonafide hero for Boise State. He has spearheaded them all the way into the CFP, with a first-round bye, no less. As great as Travis Hunter was, he doesn’t have that on his CFB resume. 2024 has been the year of the running back across the rungs of the football ladder. The dying art of running the pigskin has been resuscitated back into vogue. If the likes of Saquon Barkley deserve credit for that, so does Ashton Jeanty.

Ashton Jeanty’s tryst with CFB history is not over just yet

The awards cycle has ceased, but Jeanty is still chasing history. For starters, he’s 1 house call away from breaching the elusive 30-touchdown club. That does not even begin to scratch the surface of what his escapades have afforded him the opportunity to do. Historic is a term thrown around loosely in sports discourse at times. However, Ashton Jeanty stands on the precipice of something truly historic.

He is 132 rush yards away from breaking the all-time FBS record. A record that has stood for over 35 years and was set by football icon Barry Sanders. With Boise State poised to play at least one more game in the CFP, the record is within reach. Jeanty is aware of this. “I’ve broken a lot of records this year, but I don’t think I’ve broken any of the records that have been around for 30-plus years…When I break that record, that’s gonna cement my name in the history books forever,” he said, pertaining to this milestone on SportsCenter.

For a player averaging over 190 yards a game, 132 may well be doable in a singular game. Albeit, he will face a caliber of opponent higher than he did traversing the Mountain West. With a plethora of underlying storylines revolving around the playoffs, this is definitely one to keep an eye on. Will Jeanty indeed etch his name in the history books?