Who will be the next Heisman Trophy winner?
Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel, Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter, Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty and Miami QB Cam Ward are the four finalists for the 2024 Heisman. And there’s an incredibly good chance that neither quarterback is the winner.
Hunter and Jeanty are the two clear favorites for the award. If either player wins on Saturday night (8 p.m. ET, ESPN), he will become just the fifth non-quarterback to win the Heisman since the turn of the century. Only Alabama WR DeVonta Smith (2020), Alabama RB Derrick Henry (2015), Alabama RB Mark Ingram (2009) and USC RB Reggie Bush (2005) have lifted the award in the 2000s without being a quarterback.
Here’s a brief look at why each of the four finalists were chosen to go to the ceremony in New York. Their odds to win are from BetMGM.
Miami QB Cam Ward (+25000)
Ward stayed in college after flirting with the NFL Draft following the 2023 season and it turned out to be a good decision. The former Incarnate Word quarterback started his college career at the FCS level before transferring to Washington State before the 2022 season. Ward spent two seasons at Washington State before using his final season of eligibility at Miami.
The senior has powered Miami’s offense with over 4,000 yards passing and 36 passing TDs this season. Miami led all of college football with 44 points per game and scored at least 38 points in all but one game this season. That game was a 28-23 defeat to Georgia Tech that helped end Miami’s hopes of the ACC title and the College Football Playoff.
Ward has the second-most passing yards in college football behind Syracuse QB Kyle McCord and leads the country in passing TDs by one over Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.
Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel (+25000)
Gabriel’s Heisman case rests on being the best player on the best team. Oregon is the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff and the only undefeated team at the top level of college football. The former UCF and Oklahoma QB is in his first season at Oregon and his presence has made for a seamless transition from Bo Nix after Nix set the single-season record for completion percentage in 2023.
Gabriel is 297-of-406 passing for 3,558 yards and 28 TDs this season. He’s thrown just six interceptions and has thrown more than one interception in just one game this season. He was fantastic in the Big Ten title game as Oregon ripped through Penn State’s defense. Gabriel was 22-of-32 passing for 283 yards and four touchdowns.
Though he doesn’t run much, Gabriel can also beat opponents with his legs. He has seven rushing TDs this season, including a big one in Oregon’s one-point win over Ohio State in October.
Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty (+1000)
Jeanty is the only Heisman finalist who has played for one school in his college career. After rushing for 821 yards on 156 carries as a freshman, Jeanty broke out in 2023 with 1,47 yards and 14 rushing TDs to go along with 43 catches for 569 yards and five receiving TDs.
He’s been even better this year. Jeanty is having a historic season and could end up as college football’s single-season rushing leader with a big Fiesta Bowl performance. Jeanty has rushed 344 times for 2,497 yards and 29 scores this season. He’s averaging a staggering 192 yards per game even as opposing defenses know he’s the best player on the field.
Heading into the playoff, Jeanty’s season ranks fourth on the all-time single-season rushing list behind Barry Sanders (2,628 yards via 11 games in 1988), Melvin Gordon (2,587 yards via 14 games in 2014) and Kevin Smith (2,567 yards via 14 games in 2007). Jeanty will play his 14th game in the College Football Playoff, but his performance this season would make him a shoo-in for the award in many other years.
Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter (-2500)
Hunter’s two-way prowess is why Jeanty only has an outside shot at the Heisman. Colorado’s excellent defensive back and wide receiver is the prohibitive favorite for the award, thanks to his stellar season playing nearly every offensive and defensive snap. Hunter missed parts of two games because of a shoulder injury, but was otherwise a constant presence for Colorado on the field.
Hunter is Colorado’s leading receiver with 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 TDs. Just four players have more catches than Hunter does, five have more receiving yards and only one, San Jose State’s Nick Nash, has more receiving TDs.
None of the players ahead of Hunter in those categories plays defense. Hunter is Colorado’s top defensive back and has four interceptions and 11 passes defensed. He also is eighth on the team with 32 tackles. His ability to be a star on both offense and defense is why he’s the player most likely to be lifting the award Saturday night.
