Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter wins 2024 Heisman Trophy: live updates, analysis and reaction

This was by far the toughest Heisman vote I’ve ever had, with two generational players in a single year. Travis Hunter did things we haven’t seen since football became the football we know today, as the best receiver in the country and one of the better defensive backs. He is definitely a deserving winner. No problem with that.

But I see my vote as representing the story of the season. And when I think about this season, I think about new teams, new faces, unexpected runs and the new playoffs. Jeanty put a team on his back in not only the CFP, but the No. 3 seed, including 192 yards and three touchdowns in a last-second loss to No. 1 Oregon. His 2,497 rushing yards are 131 away from Barry Sanders’ official single-season rushing record, in the same number of carries Barry had, 344 (although yes, Barry played fewer games and the unofficial real record is more with Barry’s bowl game).

But there was no state padding. Jeanty sat out the second half of two early blowout wins. If he hadn’t, he’d probably already have the official rushing record and could challenge the unofficial record, numbers we never thought we’d see again.

Jeanty has averaged 7.2 yards per carry. carry against defenses that focus solely on stopping him. He had 226 plays in a defensive box with seven-plus defenders, averaging 6.9 yards per carry. carry into such defenses. His 1,889 yards after contact alone are the most total rushing yards by an FBS running back since 2019. His 143 missed tackles are a new record. Just unreal.

Jeanty didn’t win, but in any other year that didn’t include the mindless Hunter, he probably would have.