Heisman Trophy odds: Travis Hunter remains heavy favorite over Ashton Jeanty entering Heisman ceremony

2024 Heisman Trophy ceremony set for Saturday

Boise State Broncos running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty. / Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images

The four Heisman Trophy finalists were announced Monday, and Boise State junior running back Ashton Jeanty made the cut.  

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Jeanty are the four Heisman finalists. The award will be presented on Saturday in New York City with the ESPN television broadcast scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Mountain time. 

In the latest update from DraftKings, Hunter is an overwhelming favorite to win the Heisman at -2000. Jeanty is next at +800, followed by Gabriel (+35000) and Ward (+50000). 

Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson believes Jeanty should win the award. No running back has lifted the Heisman Trophy since Alabama’s Derrick Henry in 2015. 

“I promise you he’s the best football player in the country. Don’t take my word for it; watch the film,” he said. “My shout out to everybody is just ‘Please watch the film.’ Watch his film, watch his body of work. Find out more about who he is as a young man, because guys like Ashton Jeanty are phenomenal for college football.”

Jeanty has 344 carries for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns this season, leading the country in all three categories. The 5-foot-9, 215-pound phenom is fourth on the FBS all-time single-season rushing list, trailing only Oklahoma State’s Barry Sanders (2,628 yards, 1988 season), Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon (2,587, 2014) and UCF’s Kevin Smith (2,567, 2007).

Jeanty needs 132 yards in the College Football Playoff to break Sanders’ record. Boise State (12-1) received the No. 3 seed for the playoff and will play the winner of a first-round game between No. 6 Penn State (11-2) and No. 11 SMU (11-2) in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve. 

Hunter has also shined this season, tallying 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns with four interceptions on defense. 

No. 23 Colorado (9-3) is set to face No. 17 BYU (10-2) in a matchup between two Big 12 teams on Dec. 28. Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders said Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders will play in the bowl game.

Gabriel began his college career at UCF and spent two years at Oklahoma before transferring to Oregon last offseason. The senior quarterback has completed 297 of 406 passes for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns for the top-ranked Ducks (13-0), who also earned a first-round bye for the College Football Playoff. 

Just like Gabriel, Ward is also at his third school. Ward started at FCS Incarnate Word, spent two seasons at Washington State and transferred to Miami for his final season. He has completed 293 of 435 passes for 4,123 yards and 36 touchdowns while running for four scores.