Heisman Straw Poll: Ashton Jeanty doesn’t seem to be making up much ground, but he can make history

Ashton Jeanty won. Travis Hunter lost. These results had an impact The athleteThe Heisman Trophy straw poll is very close, with Hunter losing two first-place votes, falling to 24, and Jeanty doubling his first-place votes, coming to two.

Miami quarterback Cam Ward received the other first-place vote after throwing for 280 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Wake Forest, breaking Bernie Kosar’s records for completions (263) and passing yards (3,774) in a single Season had broken procedures.

But technically it remains a two-man race and in reality a defeat.

Hunter is the oddsmakers’ overwhelming favorite to win the award, leading this poll with 78 points to Jeanty’s 52 points. Ward is third with 15 points, and Penn State tight end Tyler Warren and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel have seven and six points, respectively.

The athlete follows the same voting protocol as that of the Heisman: three points for a first-place vote, two points for a second-place vote, one point for a third-place vote.

Hunter had another big night on offense for Colorado, catching eight passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns against Kansas. He also had seven tackles and a pass breakup on defense, but the Buffaloes were dominated overall on that side of the ball and lost 37-21. Deion Sanders’ team lost control of its College Football Playoff hopes, but that doesn’t change the prevailing belief that Hunter is the best player in the country.

Jeanty extended his national-leading totals to 2,062 yards and 27 rushing touchdowns in a 17-13 win over Wyoming in which he suffered a leg injury, missed time, came back and finished with 169 yards – 60 of them on three critical ones Runs in Boise State’s winning touchdown drive. This is compelling stuff, but not compelling enough.

Jeanty has a regular season finale against Oregon State and the Mountain West title game to give herself a kick. If he could break Barry Sanders’ NCAA single-season rushing record, he would be tough to beat. That’s 567 meters away.

However, it’s likely that Jeanty will make it to the ceremony in New York, and that’s no small feat for a player outside of a power conference. In the last 40 years, only 10 players from schools not currently in a Power 4 league have made it to New York. The last person to do so was Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch in 2013.

This list also includes Temple running back Paul Palmer in 1986, Holy Cross running back/defensive back Gordie Lockbaum in 1987, Air Force quarterback Dee Dowis in 1989, San Diego State running back Marshall Faulk in 1992 and Alcorn State quarterback Steve McNair in 1994, Marshall receiver Randy Moss in 1997, Marshall quarterback Chad Pennington in 1999, Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan in 2007 and another Boise State Bronco, quarterback Kellen Moore, in 2010.

Two quarterbacks who received votes in the poll – Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke and Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart – are missing this week after losses to Ohio State and Florida, respectively. There’s a new name thanks to Colorado’s face plant: Kansas running back Devin Neal, who had 287 yards of offense and four touchdowns against the Buffs.

(Photo: Loren Orr/Getty Images)