Ashton Jeanty still in the top 4

With four games remaining in the regular season, Boise State junior running back Ashton Jeanty remains one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy in December.

Jeanty has a +450 chance to win the Heisman Trophy in the latest BetMGM odds, just behind Miami quarterback Cam Ward (+200), Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter (+200) and Oregon -Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (+300). Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart is a distant fifth at +2000.

Jeanty had another strong game in Boise State’s win over San Diego State on Nov. 1, rushing for 31 receptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 31 yards.

“Ashton Jeanty, he’s the best player in the country,” Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson said after the 56-24 win. “We do everything we can to stop the run and he continues to wear down defenses and continues to lead this team.”

In eight games, Jeanty has rushed for 1,525 yards and 20 touchdowns on 190 carries. He is the nation’s leading rusher in yards and touchdowns.

Jeanty still has a chance to break Barry Sanders’ NCAA single-season rushing record of 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns. Jeanty is the first Boise State player to rush for 100 or more yards in eight consecutive games.

Jeanty had a strong freshman season for the Broncos, rushing for 821 yards and seven touchdowns as a part-time player behind current Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman George Holani. He played a bigger role last season with 220 carries for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns while catching 43 passes for 569 yards and five more scores.

Going into the 2024 season, BetMGM had no odds listed for Jeanty as a Heisman candidate. Strong performances in Boise State’s opening game against Georgia Southern (267 yards, six touchdowns) and a Week 2 loss to Oregon (192 yards, three touchdowns) put Jeanty into Heisman contention.

“One of the things that makes him so special is his ability to show stiff-arms,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said after the game. “He does a really good job with that stiff arm. You see it regularly in films.”

Jeanty is expected to make another big appearance this weekend when the Broncos (7-1, 4-0 Mountain West) face Nevada (3-7, 0-4) at 6 p.m. Mountain Time. The Wolf Pack ranks 80th nationally in rush defense with 156.4 yards allowed per game.

Ward, a transfer from Washington State, has completed 216 of 322 passes for 3,146 yards and 29 touchdowns with six interceptions this season. He also scored three points.

Ward has remaining games against Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Syracuse, while Boise State plays Nevada, San Jose State, Wyoming and Oregon State on the road.