Heisman rankings: Hunter punctuates award-worthy campaign

There's some important hardware to hand out before college football turns its attention to the inaugural 12-team playoff. The race for the Heisman, the sport's most prestigious individual award, comes down to two candidates, but there's a clear front-runner to accept the trophy Saturday in New York.

4. Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon

Stats: 3,558 passing yards, 73.2% completion rate, 35 total TDs, 6 INT

Oregon sits atop the CFP rankings as we enter bowl season, and Gabriel has checked all the boxes since his arrival in Eugene during the offseason.

The 23-year-old leads all Big Ten passers with 28 touchdown throws, while his 73.2% completion percentage is the second-highest mark in the country. Most importantly, the Hawaiian provided a steady hand on offense following Bo Nix's departure to the NFL, ensuring the Ducks didn't miss a beat and enjoyed a dominant debut season in the Big Ten.

Oregon handed Ohio State its first loss of the season as Gabriel threw for 341 yards and contributed three total scores. The Ducks also capped their 2024 campaign by handling Penn State in the Big Ten title game and earning a coveted first-round bye in the playoff.

If the Heisman trophy was a lifetime achievement award, no other player would have a chance. Gabriel, whose collegiate career initially began in 2019 at UCF and featured a stop in Oklahoma from 2022-23, became the FBS' all-time leader after passing for 187 TDs. He also set the FBS' all-time record for total touchdowns in November.

Gabriel won't win the Heisman, but he's in a position to win a national championship.

3. Cam Ward, QB, Miami

Stats: 4,123 passing yards, 67.4% completion rate, 41 total TDs, 7 INT

After declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft, Ward withdrew his bid to turn pro and considered a few options. He ultimately chose Miami over other suitors, and the decision took both the player and program to new heights.

Ward captained Miami to a blowout win in its opening week battle against in-state rival Florida, consistently saved the day with game-winning drives, and displayed the same poise that had NFL scouts enamored with him. The senior passer also set new program records with 36 passing touchdowns and 4,123 yards to help resurrect the Canes and turn them into national contenders.

Ward, who began his collegiate career at Incarnate Word and transferred to Washington State for two seasons (2022-23) before joining Miami, became the first player in program history to tally seven straight 300-yard games in a single season and helped the Canes top the FBS in scoring offense (44.2), total offense (538.3), and yards per play (7.6).

The CFP committee didn't believe the Hurricanes' win-loss record was worthy of the CFP field, but that shouldn't take away from what Ward and Miami accomplished. Ward is a special talent who deserves to be among the finalists for the stiff-arm trophy.

2. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Stats: 2,497 rushing yards, 7.26 YPC, 30 total TDs

The "Beast of the Blue Turf" hasn't been tamed by anyone.

Jeanty has run over, through, and around the competition. Boise State's star tailback eclipsed 200 yards rushing in six contests in what is undeniably the most historic season by a halfback in quite some time.

The 5-foot-9, 215-pound running back leads the country with 35 runs of 15 or greater yards, and he racked up 60 runs of 10 or more yards this season, per PFF. His 1,889 yards after contact exceed any other FBS tailback's total rushing yards this season, and he's exceeded his yardage totals from last season by a margin of 1,150 yards with at least one more game on the horizon.

Jeanty also leads the nation with 2,497 yards, 29 rushing touchdowns, and 192 yards per game. He was instrumental as the Broncos captured their second consecutive Mountain West Conference title, and he has a real opportunity of surpassing Barry Sanders' all-time rushing mark while touting the rock in front of a national audience in the Fiesta Bowl.

Jeanty remains on pace to best Sanders' single-season rushing record of 2,628 yards, set in 1988 en route to winning the Heisman trophy. Derrick Henry was the last running back to win the stiff-arm award after rushing for 2,219 yards and 28 scores in 2015.

In any other year, Jeanty would be the favorite to hear his name called as the winner of the Heisman. But there's one player that outpaced Jeanty's historic output and lapped the rest of the field.

1. Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado

Stats: 92 receptions, 1,152 receiving yards, 15 total TDs, 12.5 YPC, 11 PBUs, 4 INTs

Hunter has established himself as one of the greatest two-way players in college football history. He proved himself as an excellent wideout and cornerback while logging 1,443 total snaps, including 709 offensive reps and 713 defensive reps, per PFF.

Hunter put an exclamation point on an otherworldly campaign with 116 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception in Colorado's season-finale win over Oklahoma State. But it was just another day at the office for the junior standout, who recorded both an interception and offensive touchdown in four games this season, tallied nine or more receptions in six games, leads Power 4 wideouts with 14 receiving TDs, and is second among receivers in that group with 1,152 yards.

Hunter is also in the running for the Maxwell Award (given to the player of the year), the Chuck Bednarik Award (given to the defensive player of the year), and the Biletnikoff Award (given to the best receiver).

Hunter should become the first full-time defender to win the Heisman since Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson accomplished the feat in 1997. He's also poised to become the Buffaloes' first Heisman winner since Rashaan Salaam took home the trophy in 1994.

A one-of-a-kind athlete who's projected to hear his name called early in the 2025 NFL Draft next spring, Hunter deserves to be the 90th winner of the Heisman on Dec. 14.

Honorable Mentions: Cam Skattebo, Bryson Daily, Kurtis Rourke, Shedeur Sanders