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The argument for Travis Hunter to win the Heisman Trophy is essentially the same as the argument for someone other than Travis Hunter to win the Heisman Trophy.
According to Pro Football Focus, Hunter has an 84.7 receiving grade this season and an 88.2 coverage grade. Among qualified FBS wide receivers, he has the 13th-best receiving grade in the country. Among qualified FBS cornerbacks, he has the seventh-best coverage grade in the country.
The argument against Hunter is that he is not elite as a receiver or a corner. Ole Miss wideout Tre Harris has the best receiver grade. San Jose State’s Nick Nash leads the nation in receiving yardage and scores. Texas corner Jahdae Barron has the best coverage grade. Nevada’s Michael Coats Jr. leads the nation in passes defended.
Hunter is neither the best cornerback nor the best receiver in the country. At this point, that’s not necessarily a subjective opinion, but rather a statement rooted in fact. He’s not the highest-graded player and isn’t the statistical leader in anything.
But the pro-Hunter camp says he doesn’t need to be.
Per PFF, Harris has played 350 snaps this season. Nash has played 676.
Barron has played 634 snaps this season. Coats has played 780.
Hunter has played 1,197 snaps across offense, defense, and special teams.
That he is one of the best on both sides of the football this season while playing nearly double the snaps is a testament to his talent. And that’s essentially the foundation of his Heisman claim.
No one else is doing this.
So, with 2 regular-season games remaining for most teams and conference championships still on the table, can anyone catch Hunter? After Week 12, Hunter has become the overwhelming favorite to win the award; he’s the only player on the board with minus odds at FanDuel.
For several weeks, it looked like Hunter would be hurt by championship weekend. His Buffs weren’t in line to play. Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Miami’s Cam Ward, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, all were. And the SEC guys would get the best look with their championship game slated for 4 p.m. ET on ABC on Dec. 7.
But Hunter’s Buffs are now the betting favorite to win the Big 12 (-120 via FanDuel). He’ll likely be playing in the noon slot on Dec. 7.
Gabriel and the Ducks are on track to make the Big Ten Championship Game (8 p.m. ET on CBS). Ward and the Hurricanes are still in the running to make the ACC Championship Game (8 p.m. ET, ABC). Jeanty and the Broncos will play in the MWC Championship Game on Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. ET.
Jeanty is at a supreme disadvantage. The Broncos have 2 regular-season games remaining that don’t move the needle — against a 2-8 Wyoming team and an Oregon State team that has lost 5 straight. The Mountain West title game will see either Colorado State or UNLV face the Broncos, neither of which are anywhere close to the AP Top 25. And Boise State might not even have the grip on the Group of 5 auto bid it once did; Tulane is surging.
Unless he breaks Barry Sanders’ records, he’s likely destined to be a finalist and nothing more. (Something I’ve been saying here for weeks.)
Gabriel is on the better team, but his numbers just don’t compare to Ward’s. Gabriel trails the Miami man in counting stats like yards and touchdowns, and he also trails Ward in Total QBR — ESPN’s efficiency metric.
It still feels like the SEC is lurking. Jaxson Dart is seventh in EPA and third in QBR. Jalen Milroe is fifth in QBR and 14th in EPA. I don’t have Quinn Ewers on my board, but most betting apps do and the Longhorns are in pole position to make the SEC title game. Whichever team wins that game will be sending someone to New York City as a finalist. That’s just the way sportswriters’ brains seem to be wired.
But can anyone actually catch Hunter?
The Colorado defensive back is not just an outstanding player, he’s an easy human being to root for. He has the narrative behind his back and a massive wave of media support for his candidacy. He’s on a contending team. But he’s not the best at his position.
Either of them.
Jeanty is.
Ward or Gabriel can prove they are over the next 4 weeks.
Will it ultimately matter?
Anyway, here’s the updated Heisman Trophy race after Week 12.
Editor’s note: The rank you see next to each player reflects how a vote for the Heisman would look right now
1. Travis Hunter, Colorado WR/DB (LW: 1)
Week 12 results: 49-24 win over Utah
Week 12 stats: 5 receptions, 55 receiving yards, 1 carry, 5 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 3 tackles, 1 interception, 1 pass breakup
Season stats: 74 receptions, 911 receiving yards, 9 receiving touchdowns, 1 rushing touchdown, 23 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 8 pass breakups, 3 interceptions, 1 forced fumble
One big number: top 15 in both coverage and receiving grades among qualified players, per PFF
Current odds: -330 (via FanDuel)
Up next: at Kansas
2. Ashton Jeanty, Boise State RB (LW: 2)
Week 12 results: 42-21 win at San Jose State
Week 12 stats: 32 carries, 159 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 1 reception, 5 receiving yards
Season stats: 256 carries, 1,893 rushing yards, 7.4 yards per attempt, 26 rushing touchdowns, 17 receptions, 98 receiving yards. 1 receiving touchdown
One big number: leads all FBS running backs with 105 missed tackles forced this season; 32 more than second place and 9 more than the stat’s leader (Tahj Brooks) had in all of 2023
Current odds: +350 (via FanDuel)
Up next: at Wyoming
3. Cam Ward, Miami QB (LW: 3)
Week 12 results: N/A
Week 12 stats: N/A
Season stats: 66.8% completion, 3,494 passing yards, 32 passing touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 182 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 1 receiving touchdown
One big number: N/A
Current odds: +1400 (via FanDuel)
Up next: vs. Wake Forest
4. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon QB (LW: 4)
Week 12 results: 16-13 win at Wisconsin
Week 12 stats: 22-for-31, 218 passing yards, 1 interception, 11 carries, 7 rushing yards
Season stats: 73.8% completion, 3,066 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 155 rushing yards, 6 rushing touchdowns
One big number: average depth of target (6.9 yards) is the second-shortest of any FBS quarterback with at least 250 dropbacks this season
Current odds: +2500 (via FanDuel)
Up next: BYE
5. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss QB (LW: 5)
Week 12 results: N/A
Week 12 stats: N/A
Season stats: 70.8% completion, 3,409 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 304 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns
One big number: N/A
Current odds: +6000 (via FanDuel)
Up next: at Florida
6. Jalen Milroe, Alabama QB (LW: 6)
Week 12 results: 52-7 win over Mercer
Week 12 stats: 11-for-16, 186 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 6 carries, 43 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown
Season stats: 67.5% completion, 2,232 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 608 rushing yards, 17 rushing touchdowns
One big number: current average of 1.7 rushing touchdowns per game would be the highest by a non-service academy quarterback in a single season since Collin Klein in 2012
Current odds: +3300 (via FanDuel)
Up next: at Oklahoma
7. Kurtis Rourke, Indiana QB (LW: 7)
Week 12 results: N/A
Week 12 stats: N/A
Season stats: 71.8% completion, 2,410 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 17 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns
One big number: N/A
Current odds: +3000 (via FanDuel)
Up next: at Ohio State
8. Cade Klubnik, Clemson QB (LW: 9)
Week 12 results: 24-20 win at Pitt
Week 12 stats: 27-for-41, 288 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 10 carries, 41 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown
Season stats: 63.4% completion, 2,563 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 341 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns
One big number: tied with Trevor Lawrence (2018) and Woodrow Dantzler (2001) for the eighth-most touchdowns responsible for (31) in a single season in Clemson history
Current odds: +20000 (via FanDuel)
Up next: vs. The Citadel
9. Tyler Warren, Penn State TE (LW: unranked)
Week 12 results: 49-10 win at Purdue
Week 12 stats: 8 receptions, 127 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown, 3 carries, 63 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown
Season stats: 67 receptions, 808 receiving yards, 5 receiving touchdowns, 16 carries, 157 rushing yards, 4 rushing touchdowns, 50.0% completion, 26 passing yards, 1 passing touchdown
One big number: second-best receiving grade (91.8) by a tight end in the FBS, per PFF
Current odds: not on the board (via FanDuel)
Up next: at Minnesota
10. Dylan Sampson, Tennessee RB (LW: 8)
Week 12 results: 31-17 loss at Georgia
Week 12 stats: 19 carries, 101 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 3 receptions, 16 receiving yards
Season stats: 220 carries, 1,230 rushing yards, 5.6 yards per carry, 21 rushing touchdowns, 15 receptions, 110 receiving yards
One big number: 62.8% of rushing yardage has come after contact this season
Current odds: not on the board (via FanDuel)
Up next: vs. UTEP
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.