R.J. Young
FOX Sports National College Football Analyst
What makes Boise State such a threat with Ashton Jeanty? Why is the defensive coordinator poking the air in the press box and the coach getting angry? They almost caught him.
Just when everyone on the field (players, coaches, fans) thought Jeanty was going to be tackled, Jeanty managed to escape, drop the defender, disappear, and then appear on the field 20 yards downfield.
Jeanty is a magic act. And his statistics are fascinating.
The junior running back totaled 2,497 rushing yards heading into Boise State’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals against Penn State (7:30 p.m. ET, Tuesday at State Farm Stadium). Compare Penn State’s three leading rushers – Nick Singleton (928), Kaytron Allen (892) and Drew Allar (289) – to Jeanty’s record, and he’s still nearly 400 yards short of the Broncos’ star back.
But here’s the real reason Jeanty is a true magician on the gridiron. Of the 2,497 rushing yards, 1,889 came after contact. If you only count yards after contact, he would still be the nation’s leading rusher by 229 yards.
Ashton Jeanty 2024 Boise State Broncos Full Season Highlights
There are those who say Jeanty hasn’t done it against elite competition. On September 8 against top-ranked Oregon, he cooked the Ducks, ripped out their entrails and served their liver as pate for 192 yards and three touchdowns. And yes, it is. This was just an “average” game for Jeanty, who averaged 192.1 rushing yards per game this season.
Jeanty has the same number of missed tackles through 13 games as Penn State linebackers Kobe King (80) and Abdul Carter (63) combined. He is the best back among Penn State defenders since Saquon Barkley broke his own record at Beaver Stadium and the best back to ever step on the field with the Nittany Lions.
Tuesday night’s Fiesta Bowl showdown should be a power vs. power matchup. Because the Nittany Lions don’t make a habit of allowing opposing running backs to eat. They are so stingy when it comes to cooking that they write their names on plastic wrap across four plates and two pots.
Tom Allen’s group has allowed only one 100-yard rusher this season. USC’s Woody Marks rushed for 111 yards in the Trojans’ 33-30 loss to the Nittany Lions on Oct. 12. “I mean, it’s like Sunday in the South, because Jeanty is rushing for 127 yards on 11 rushes against Portland State.
It is important to note that Jeanty is chasing several records heading into this matchup against Penn State. He needs just three yards to become just the third player in the 155-year history of the sport to rush for 2,500 yards in a season. He’s just 131 yards away from Barry Sanders’ vaunted single-season record of 2,628 yards. And yes, it is. He will make no less than 11 dashes in pursuit of his greatest treasure: immortality.
For now, Jeanty doesn’t have to consider the fact that Sanders set the single-season rushing record in 1988 in just 11 games. He doesn’t need to know that we don’t count Sanders’ 222 rushing yards in the Holiday Bowl.
That’s something we need to consider. And that’s a concern.
The NCAA changed its policy to include bowl game statistics starting in 2002. The number of bowl games increased from 36 to 28, and the need for fit within the sport grew along with it. As bowl games have transformed from mere exhibition games to crowning true national champions, the statistics generated from those games have grown in importance.
Former associate athletic director John Heisler told The Associated Press that the average fan probably thought bowl game statistics were included in the NCAA.
“I’m not sure this will make a big difference,” Heisler said.
When you talk about Colorado’s Travis Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Memorial Trophy winner, wait until you start including total snaps as a recognized and valuable statistic that’s hard to ignore.
Hunter beat Jeanty in the closest vote in 15 years. Among those who believe he was robbed of the trophy awarded to the sport’s most outstanding player is Jeanty himself.
“I felt like I should have walked away with the award, but kudos to Travis for winning,” Jeanty said.
“Kudos” is an ancient Greek word meaning “glory.” Now is the time to break yours, Ashton.
You told us how you really feel. You’re leading a team that doesn’t seem like a good fit for a 3 seed. You are playing against an eternal power in this sport. You’re a three-star recruit with Cal’s highest offer outside of Boise State.
So you made it through the Mountain West. We do not believe it is a worthwhile test. We believe you have more work to do.
Ashton Jeanty on feelings after Mountain West Championships – ‘I’m a dog’
Don’t make the mistake of believing you have nothing left to prove. Don’t make the mistake of believing that we have a gift to Barry Sanders and Reggie Bush.
Running for 132 yards against the Nittany Lions isn’t enough. That’s not good enough to be considered a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. You have left the tamed territory. This is Rome. The Colosseum demands more.
Better than Hunter? Greater than Sanders? Do you want our free love? Then run: Be the one who takes center stage when a national champion is crowned on January 20th.
Take action now.
Show us. Beat us. win.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and host of the podcast “The Number One College Football Show.” follow him @RJ_Young.
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