Heisman Watch 2024: Prime Contenders in Race for School Soccer’s Greatest Honor

A transparent favourite has emerged in faculty soccer’s 2024 Heisman Trophy race.

Nonetheless, that participant nonetheless faces moderately stiff competitors heading into the marketing campaign’s closing stretch.

From a two-way star to a seasoned signal-caller and a working again posting mind-boggling numbers almost each day out, let’s spotlight the three main candidates for faculty soccer’s high particular person prize.

Dillon Gabriel’s sixth journey across the faculty soccer world has been a very good one—or a freakin’ nice one, actually.

Throughout his first season at Oregon—he cut up the earlier 5 seasons between UCF and Oklahoma—he has steered the Geese to an ideal 10-0 begin and a spot atop all related rankings. Alongside the way in which, he has imprinted his title into the historical past books.

No FBS participant has ever tallied extra profession touchdowns than his 180. That is an achievement that not solely speaks for itself, however might doubtlessly sway some voters his route.

He’s a top-10 performer nationally in completion share (74.1, second), passing yards (2,848, eighth) and quarterback ranking (168.4, tenth). He has additionally added to his output with 43 carries for 148 yards and 6 extra scores.

A real two-way star like his Colorado coach, Deion Sanders, as soon as was, Travis Hunter has electrified the school soccer world since kicking off his profession—with Sanders—at Jackson State.

Hunter’s dazzling, jaw-dropping expertise is nothing new, however its significance feels contemporary. His Buffaloes are a robust 7-2 on the season and have an actual shot at securing a seat within the Large 12 championship recreation. That success could not all be on his shoulders, but it surely’s nonetheless a testomony to his two-way brilliance that is been unmatched in fashionable faculty soccer.

He earns stellar marks as each a large receiver and a cornerback. His 69 receptions have yielded 856 yards and 9 touchdowns. On protection, he has tallied two interceptions, a pressured fumble, seven passes defended and 21 tackles. As PFF’s Trevor Sikkema famous, Hunter’s “1,044 offensive and defensive snaps are 251 greater than the subsequent most-worked participant within the FBS.”

Hunter is a real one-of-one sort of star, and in a season the place quarterbacks have not been fairly as statistically dominant as different years, this appears like his award to lose.

Given their ridiculous nature, it is tempting to have a look at Ashton Jeanty’s statistics and label them as video-game numbers.

There’s only one drawback with that evaluation—players battle to even match this degree of dominance.

He’s, statistically talking, unstoppable. His 224 carries (second-most within the nation) have spanned 1,734 yards and produced 23 touchdowns. Regardless of the large quantity, his common run has gone for 7.7 yards. And whereas he does not get too concerned as a pass-catcher, it is nonetheless value mentioning his 16 receptions for an additional 93 yards and a rating.

He hasn’t rushed for fewer than 127 yards in a recreation, has produced 200-plus dashing yards 4 totally different instances and did every thing he might to assist his Broncos almost knock off Gabriel’s Geese (27 touches for 200 scrimmage yards and three scores again in September). Jeanty has given himself an opportunity to turn into the primary non-Energy 5 participant to win the Heisman since BYU quarterback Ty Detmer in 1990.