In college football, the Heisman Trophy stands as the greatest signifier of excellence for any player. Introduced in 1935, the trophy is awarded seasonally to the player providing the best performance to the game. NFL stars such as Baker Mayfield, Derrick Henry and Joe Burrow, all received the award during their college football days.

As college football rolls into playoffs, the Heisman Trophy winner becomes increasingly discussed. The debate between Ashton Jeanty and Travis Hunter excites the nation as fans get into passionate debates about who should receive the award. Ashton Jeanty, being a record-breaking running back for Boise State, dominates the run game, even scoring three touchdowns against one of the best teams this year in college football, Oregon. Travis Hunter is a versatile player for Colorado, playing on both the defensive and offensive side of the ball as a wide receiver and a cornerback.

Ashton Jeanty has racked up 2,500 yards over the season with a total of 30 touchdowns, 29 of them being rushing and one of them being receiving. Jeanty leads the league in rushing yards, and the second rushing leader behind him is still himself, just after making contact. Ashton Jeanty shows off his true run dominance with this stat, beating out every other college football running back in yards after making contact. As playoffs begin, Jeanty needs just 132 yards to tie Barry Sanders rushing yard record. This means, essentially in one game of playoffs Jeanty will likely hold the new record as he has only gone below 132 yards two times this season. The lowest amount of yards that Jeanty has rushed in a single game this season is 127, so obviously he is on pace to make the record his own. Once this season has ended, Jeanty will find himself being a high pick in the NFL draft, taking his talents to the national stage.

Moving onto Travis Hunter; his all-around play style shines through as Colorado defeats difficult opponents with game changing plays from Hunter. As a wide receiver, he tallied a 1,000 yard receiving season, marking 14 touchdowns. As a cornerback, Hunter has had 4 interceptions in the 24 season so far, making him a star player for Colorado’s defense. The adaptable play that Travis Hunter demonstrates weekly has put him in the running for the Heisman Trophy. Similarly to Jeanty, Travis Hunter will also find himself being a wanted player in the NFL draft.

So, who should win the Heisman Award? Well, that’s the question that is tearing apart college football fans across the nation. Many believe that Ashton Jeanty’s unbelievable stats have clearly earned him the trophy. Undeniably, his rushing stats this season are beyond impressive. However, many argue that Boise State’s strength of record is weak due to them being in the Mountain West Conference, allowing him to put up his stats easier than other teams. Contrastingly, many others believe that Travis Hunter is the player who deserves the Heisman most. His skill on both sides of the ball is indisputable, especially with the difficult teams that Colorado faces off against. However, Hunter isn’t a top 5 player stats-wise as either a wide receiver or cornerback, making many argue that while his defensive and offensive skills are impressive, it shouldn’t be enough for him to win the Heisman Trophy. Personally, I believe that Ashton Jeanty should receive the award. No matter what conference, approaching Barry Sanders’ record is indubitably impressive, making Jeanty the best pick for the Heisman Trophy.