Ashton Jeanty responds to Travis Hunter comments on Heisman race

Two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter grabbed some headlines last week when he made his case for winning this year’s Heisman Trophy over Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. Claiming there hasn’t ever been a player to play both sides of the ball quite like him and asking what he would do if given as many opportunities to touch the ball as Jeanty.

Boise State was in the midst of a bye this week ahead of their highly anticipated conference championship rematch with UNLV on Friday. Which gave Jeanty time to reply to Hunter’s comments regarding the Heisman race with YouTuber Deestroying.

“Kudos to Travis, he’s balling for real. He’s doing some stuff we ain’t ever seen nobody do,” Jeanty admitted. “Personally, I don’t take no offense to it. He’s just speaking his opinion, everybody’s got an opinion.”

“For me, what I’ve been doing hasn’t been done in 36, 37 years, so that’s something special. If I keep that up and break a record that’s been around for 36 years, I feel like you can’t really compete with that.”

Jeanty is referring to college football’s single-season rushing record held by Barry Sanders, who rushed for 2,628 yards in 1988 with Oklahoma State. A mark that Jeanty is well on his way to surpass after rushing for a whopping 1,248 yards through six games this year with six more regular season matchups ahead of him. Also notching 18 total touchdowns through the halfway point of the season.

There’s no question that what Hunter is doing in Boulder is unprecedented in the sport, catching 51 passes for 604 yards and six touchdowns on offense while also being a lockdown corner with 18 tackles, three pass breakups, two interceptions, and a forced fumble. But if the Heisman Trophy race ended today, Jeanty thinks that he would be the winner.

“Me, for sure,” he said. “You know I gotta say me.”

“He is balling,” Jeanty said referring to Hunter. “But I just feel like what I’m doing, it’s too special. I watch Travis, I watch his games, incredible player. I’ve never seen people do that he’s doing. But I know myself, I know my talent, I feel like I’m the best player in college football.”

Both players are special in their own way and could be named the best player in the sport as it currently stands. Both the non-quarterback favorites to take home college football’s most prestigious award.

But with Hunter now missing the second half of Colorado’s last two games due to injury concerns and other contenders starting to emerge, it will be fascinating to see if either player has what it takes to hear their name called in New York this December.