Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty Leads the Nation in Rushing Yards, Falls Short of Heisman Trophy
Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, a standout running back, led the nation with an impressive 2,497 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns during the 2024 season. This exceptional performance propelled his team to a spot in the College Football Playoff. His impressive stats would have easily earned him the Heisman Trophy in most years. However, this season presented stiff competition from two-way stars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders.
Hunter won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the second two-way player to do so and the first non-quarterback to win the award since wide receiver DeVonta Smith in 2020. Despite finishing in second place, Jeanty insisted that he did enough to win the title. Nevertheless, he vowed to use the motivation to push him even harder.
Jeanty received 309 first-place votes and also earned the Maxwell Trophy as the best player in college football and the Doak Walker Award as the top running back. His impressive display earned Boise State a spot in the Mountain West Championship, and they secured a bye into the quarterfinals of the playoff.
As Boise State prepares for their next match against either SMU or Penn State, Jeanty aims to channel his disappointment from the Heisman snub into an even stronger performance. With his determination, there’s no doubt he’ll be back stronger and hungrier than ever.