Barry Sanders had a Heisman Trophy winning season in 1988. To this day it is largely judged on its own level.
Midway through the 2024 season, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty is quickly putting up the numbers to challenge the legendary Sanders.
BSU shared a graphic on its social media channels comparing Oklahoma State’s No. 21 to the Broncos’ No. 2 side-by-side. Through five games in 1988, Sanders had 1,002 rushing yards on 130 carries and 17 touchdowns. Jeanty has 1,031 yards on 95 carries, including 16 touchdowns.
It’s not a one-to-one comparison. Sanders also returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns through the Cowboys’ first two games. But the context of Jeanty’s performance makes his launch into 2024 uniquely special.
Jeanty’s standout statistics are generated during competitive games. He is never around when the game is out of reach. He has yet to carry the ball more than 26 times in Boise State’s five games and spent most of the third and fourth quarters on the sideline against Portland State and Utah State.
Coach Spencer Danielson may choose to produce even more impressive statistics for his star running back, but Jeanty’s role for the Broncos is more important than simply impressing award voters.
“Ashton Jeanty is the best player in the country,” Danielson said after the Broncos’ 62-30 rout of Utah State in their Mountain West Conference opener on Oct. 5. On a day when Jeanty had 186 yards on just 13 carries, Danielson continued, “I’m proud of the rest of the guys for stepping up as well. When (the opposing defense) loaded the box, (quarterback Maddux Madsen) was able to get the ball to the playmaker.”
The result of this balance is that defenses, including third-ranked Oregon, remain balanced. Boise State ranks first in the nation in scoring more than 50 points per game.
The collective team performance and Jeanty’s contributions are even more impressive considering the Broncos’ offensive line is without starters and preseason All-MW honorees Mason Randolph and Roger Carreon.
This context adds another layer to Jeanty’s Heisman candidacy. Averaging over 206 yards per game, Jeanty is on pace to break Rashaad Penny’s Mountain West record of 2,248 yards gained in 2017 in just one game.
Based on his current output, a projected total of 2,475 yards through 12 games would put Jeanty on track to achieve regular season rushing numbers not seen since Marcus Allen in 1981 and Sanders in 1988 (2,342 yards and 2,628 yards, respectively, in 11 games).
Like Sanders, who received first-place votes in 1988 with 559 votes compared to Rodney Peete’s 70, Allen was an unlikely winner of the Heisman. He took first place with 441 votes, beating out second-place finisher Herschel Walker (152 votes).
Sanders and Allen won the Heisman in an era when, frankly, running backs were more respected. It’s been nearly a decade since Derrick Henry became the last running back to win college football’s highest individual honor.
Obviously, historically significant productions bring Jeanty into the conversation. But how does he overcome the dual obstacle of playing for a program outside of the self-governing council while also taking on an often undervalued position at the ballot box?
Well, Week 6 provided a template for at least one essential step in the blueprint. Jeanty needs the potential front-runner in a power conference to suffer a high-profile failure.
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe became an early Heisman favorite with a win over Georgia, but a loss to Vanderbilt the following week lowered his odds. Colorado two-way sensation Travis Hunter and Miami quarterback Cam Ward enter Week 7 looking like leading contenders.
Hunter’s candidacy relies on his dizzying snap totals playing on both sides of the ball. The likelihood of him continuing to do so at a high level throughout the season is undesirable given natural attrition.
There is still a lot of football left, so perhaps another frontrunner will emerge. But if the race comes down to Ward and Jeanty, there’s another step Boise State might have to reconsider based on the last time a Miami quarterback and a non-power conference running back appeared in the Heisman race.
In 1992, Gino Torretta beat out San Diego State’s Marshall Faulk for the award. That’s partly because the Hurricanes beat the Aztecs head-to-head. The outcome of that game (a 63-17 romp by the U) was less important than Faulk missing the big game with a knee sprain.
It may seem basic, but here’s what the coach said fits Jeanty’s Heisman roadmap: Availability is your best ability. Staying healthy and staying on the forefront of Boise State’s pursuit of a College Football Playoff berth is paramount. In some ways, Danielson’s decision not to pile on the unnecessary takes on Jeanty’s workload and makes the stat sheet that much more valuable for the back’s Heisman case. In the long run.
Jeanty’s final and perhaps most obvious step is to continue producing. Continuing to keep pace with Sanders means Jeanty will have to do a lot more work, considering Barry only had three regular season games of 312 yards or more late in Oklahoma State’s 1988 season.
These are high standards that Jeanty expects to match. If you consider Sanders’ ’88 years the gold standard in sports, it’s the highest standard. But so far, 2nd place has performed well compared to the standards of 21st place.
