The 2024 Heisman Trophy finalists were announced on Monday, with the two top candidates officially selected.
Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter and Boise State's bruising running back Ashton Giunty are thought to be two potential candidates for the award, while Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Miami's Cam Ward are considered for the award. Rounding out the four.
This year marks the first year of the expanded College Football Playoff, making for a thrilling college football season. But while his Buffaloes won't be playing for a national title, Hunter's efforts along with potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Shedule Sanders, led to a successful Colorado season.
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Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter (AP Photo/David Zarbowski)
Hunter is the favorite to win the Heisman. Because he just does something that no one else in college football does: play on both sides of the ball.
Hunter played full time on offense and defense and finished in the top five in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and passes defensed. He also received the highest coverage grade from Pro Football Focus this season.
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Offensively, Hunter had 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 receiving touchdowns in 12 games, averaging 96.0 yards per game. Defensively, he recorded 32 tackles with four interceptions while defending 11 passes in the same set.
Even though Hunter is the overwhelming favorite, it was just exciting to see Giunty lead the Broncos to the Mountain West Conference title while earning a bye as the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff. It's a thing.
Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Giunty (Brian Rosness-Imagine Images)
Giunty is a projected first-round pick, a junior who the Broncos' offense has truly run through with rushing yards (2,497), rushing touchdowns (29), total touchdowns (30), and rushing attempts (344). led the college football world. April.
His claim over Hunter is the fact that he led a Group of Five school to a CFP bye in a historic season. If he breaks Barry Sanders' all-time rushing record (2,628), who knows how the polls will turn out?
However, there is only one No. 1 seed in this year's CFP, and it will be Gabriel's Ducks, as the elite has grown even more in his sixth college season.
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Gabriel had 3,558 passing yards and 28 passing touchdowns on 297 attempts through the air, leading the Ducks to an undefeated 13-0 regular season.
The Hawaii native's best game came against No. 2 Ohio State, where he passed for 341 yards and three total touchdowns, helping Oregon State win the Big Ten in its first year in the conference. proved something. Oregon defeated Penn State to win the Big Ten and is aiming for an undefeated season with a national title on the line.
Ward, who could be another No. 1 overall pick in 2025, has a calm and collected personality for a quarterback, which has led to several come-from-behind wins for the Hurricanes this season.
Miami quarterback Cam Ward (AP Photo/Lynn Sladke)
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He started at the Incarnate Word, his only offer in high school, and ended up leading the college football world with 36 passing touchdowns and finishing second this year with 4,123 passing yards. It's also a story.
Although Miami did not qualify for the CFP this year, an argument could be made that Ward was the best quarterback in the game this season and that earned him the trip to New York.
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