A two-way player, a running back and 2 quarterbacks announced as 2024 Heisman Trophy finalists
By Wayne Sterling, CNN
(CNN) — Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel and Miami’s Cam Ward were named 2024 Heisman Memorial Trophy finalists, organizers announced Monday.
The prestigious trophy is awarded annually to college football’s most outstanding player.
Hunter, a junior wide receiver and cornerback for the No. 23 Buffaloes, caught 14 receiving touchdowns and picked off four passes. The two-way star had 92 receptions and 1,152 receiving yards and on defense had 31 total tackles, 15 passes defended and forced a game-winning fumble.
Jeanty, a junior running back, rushed for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns for the No.9 Broncos. The standout runner led the nation in both categories. He has rushed for at least 125 yards in 13 consecutive games, the longest streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) since 1996. Jeanty’s rushing total is the second-most in the regular season, only behind 1988 Heisman winner Barry Sanders.
Gabriel, a sixth-year senior quarterback for the No. 1 Ducks, threw for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns while completing 73.2% of his passes. He also rushed for 192 yards and seven TDs. The southpaw slinger became the NCAA’s FBS all-time touchdown leader with 187.
Ward, a fifth-year senior quarterback, threw for 4,123 yards and an FBS-best 36 touchdowns, which is also a school record, for the No. 13 Hurricanes. He completed 67.4% of his passes while leading the nation’s highest scoring offense at 44.2 points per game.
The trophy, named in honor of long-time college football coach John W. Heisman, is voted on by 870 college football media members and 57 former winners.
Quarterbacks have dominated, winning the coveted trophy 12 of the last 15 seasons. However, this year may be different with Hunter and Jeanty being the clear favorites.
Last year, Louisiana State University quarterback Jayden Daniels won the award.
The winner will be announced at the 90th Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York on Saturday night.
The-CNN-Wire
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