This is not a year for a quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy.

• There are only two candidates for the Heisman Trophy: For now, Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and Boise State running back Ashton Ginty are two of the clear best players in college football.

• Each of them has its own historical season: Jinty’s performance is on track to break almost every speed record, and Hunter is the greatest two-way star ever.

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Estimated reading time: 14 minutes

The highest individual award in the NFL is the MVP trophy. By definition, this award goes to the “Most Valuable Player.” So it makes sense that the last 11 winners have been defensemen. They are not only the most valuable players in football, but in all team sports. According to PFF’s wins-over-replacement stats, the NFL’s most valuable quarterback in 2023 was nearly four times more valuable than the top non-quarterback. In fact, the 20 signal-callers combined posted a higher WAR than the top non-defensive player.

The Heisman Trophy, college football’s preeminent individual award, is also primarily given to defensive players. Only four of the 24 winners this century have held positions outside this position. But unlike the MVP Trophy, the Heisman is awarded to “college football’s most outstanding player,” not necessarily the most valuable, although the two are often the same.

This year that is not the case. Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and Boise State Running back Ashton Ginty is undoubtedly two of the most outstanding players in the country as they each have historic seasons.

Hunter is simply the greatest two-way player college football has ever seen. Junior was a real iron man for Buffaloes, taking 920 snaps in eight games, averaging 115 per week. For reference, the Snap minimum we set for any given week is 25, as that’s typically what the key player plays. Such a workload would tire out almost any other player, which in turn would lead to poor performance on the field. Hunter doesn’t just play at an excellent level at both ends, he plays like a superstar at both positions.

Hunter’s eight receiving touchdowns are tied for second in the Power Four, and his 757 receiving yards are sixth.

He has nine stops on the season, ranking third among Power Four corners. The junior also has two interceptions and four forced incompletions on the year while posting a passer rating of just 40.5. Throwing the ball in every game gives a rating of 39.6.

Hunter’s 86.8 reception routes only. Ole MissTre Harris is a Power Four player and ranked fourth nationally. His 88.7 coverage grade is also fourth among FBS quarterbacks.

Let that sink in for a second. A player who scores at least double the average starter is at least a top-five player at two different positions on completely different sides of the ball.

Travis Hunter is the greatest two-way player college football has ever seen. pic.twitter.com/PENyszu2Qy

— Max Chadwick (@CFBMaxChadwick) October 29, 2024

Normally, that would be enough to get him to run away with the Heisman Trophy. Except for the fact that there is a running back. Idaho who challenges Barry Sanders’ historic 1988 season. Ashton Ginty is poised to break almost every speed record in seven games.

Ashton Ginty’s historic first seven games of the season:

*Since PFF began compiling college football rankings in 2014.

That pace throughout the season only counts for the regular season, so Sanders’ record could be in even more jeopardy considering Jinty could play two or more games in the postseason.

For those who ignore his video game numbers due to the level of competition in the Mountain West, remember that he rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns against the best players. Oregon at 2 weeks.

Even though these two have had historic years in their own ways, the betting odds still give the top quarterbacks a great chance to take home the tight end trophy.

Current Heisman Odds (via Bookmaker DraftKings):

While this in no way discredits the amazing years that Gabriel and Ward are having, they don’t quite hold up to monumental seasons like Cam Newton in 2010 or Joe Burrow in 2019.

On the other hand, Hunter and Jinty are having record years. If these two keep up this pace for the rest of the season, they will be the only contenders for the Heisman Trophy.

That is, if you’re really looking for “college football’s most outstanding player.”