On3 Heisman Trophy Poll: Top 10 player rankings after Week 11

It’s very nearly a consensus No. 1 in this week’s Heisman Trophy polling from the On3 experts, but not quite. Regardless, the race has tightened up a bit among the top four competitors.

On3’s national experts have been closely monitoring some of the biggest outings of the season and have looked for consistency from week to week. Today, they compile their poll of the top 10 candidates.

Each of the four national experts submitted a ballot with his top 10 players on it, and we’ve compiled the results to create a complete ranking using points — 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for second, etc. Let’s get into how the rankings unfolded below.

1. CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado – 39 points

Hunter keeps looking better and better at receiver each and every week. This week he had a game with nine catches for 99 yards and a touchdown on the offensive side of the ball.

On the other side, Hunter didn’t put up any statistics, which actually said a lot about Texas Tech‘s respect for him. The Red Raiders simply didn’t throw at Hunter on the afternoon. Few cornerbacks in the country can say they command that kind of respect.

2. RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State – 37

It had been almost a month since Jeanty last posted a 200-yard rushing outing. That changed on Saturday, when Jeanty put the Broncos on his back in a key game against Nevada. Jeanty finished with 209 yards and three touchdowns, though he did lose a fumble.

Still, his overall output is absurd. The 2,000-yard mark is within Jeanty’s reach in the next game; he’s currently at 1,734 rushing yards and has 24 total touchdowns on the season.

3. QB Cam Ward, Miami – 31

Ward’s late-game heroics weren’t on their typical display on Saturday, as Miami fell to Georgia Tech for its first loss of the season. Ward was plenty good enough himself, throwing for 348 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

That Miami has such a quality record remains a testament to Ward and the kind of production he has brought to the table. On the year he’s just shy of 3,500 passing yards, with 32 touchdowns passing and three rushing. That’s Heisman Trophy type production.

4. QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon – 29

Gabriel has closed the gap on the leaders a bit and has to be considered within striking distance given Oregon’s ranking atop the polls as the top unbeaten team. This week, Gabriel set the NCAA record for career passing touchdowns.

On the year, Gabriel has thrown for 2,848 yards and 22 touchdowns, against just five interceptions. He’s also run for 148 yards and six scores. He’s getting the job done at a very high level.

5. QB Kurtis Rourke, Indiana – 18

Rourke returned to action a week ago and was impressive. He wasn’t quite as sharp in a win over Michigan, but the key thing is it was a win… Indiana’s 10th this season. The Hoosiers are a definite College Football Playoff contender.

Against the Wolverines, Rourke threw for 206 yards and two touchdowns, though he did throw an interception. He was also sacked four times, a season-high for a guy who hasn’t been taken down in the backfield all that much.

6. QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado – 16

Colorado withstood a tough first half and worked its way back into the game against Texas Tech. And the win on Saturday gave the team control of its fate in the Big 12 title race. That’s huge for Sanders and company.

For his part, Sanders added 291 yards passing, three passing touchdowns and a rushing score to his season tally. He’s now at 2,882 yards passing with 24 touchdowns, as well as four scores on the ground.

7. QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss – 13

The Ole Miss quarterback scared everyone when he went down hurt after throwing an interception in the first quarter against Georgia. But he came back into the contest and showed some real grit playing through the injury.

Dart finished the game 13-of-22 passing for 199 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. He also ran for 50 yards. Most importantly, Ole Miss is once again a College Football Playoff contender, which will increase Dart’s Heisman Trophy chances from a visibility standpoint.

T-8. WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State – 8

After his first game all season without a touchdown catch last week, Smith recorded his ninth of the season on Saturday. That broke the Ohio State freshman record held by Cris Carter. Elite company to be in.

Smith now has 45 catches for 765 yards and nine touchdowns on the season. He even has a rushing touchdown. He’s going to be quite a weapon for the next few years.

T-8. QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama – 8

If you need a Heisman Trophy performance in the final month of the season to win the award, Milroe might have just had his. He was electric in a big road win over LSU, one that kept Alabama firmly in the College Football Playoff hunt.

He finished the game with 109 yards passing and 185 yards and four touchdowns rushing. He broke the Alabama school record for most rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback, recording his 16th on the season.

10. QB Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt – 5

Vanderbilt had a tough go of it against a very good South Carolina defensive front, and Pavia could have been sacked half a dozen times. He was only tagged twice, though, a testament to his escapability and toughness.

Pavia’s Heisman Trophy chances were likely tied to Vanderbilt doing something truly special — like contending for a playoff bid — and that’s now off the table after a fourth loss. Still, it’s been an impressive year for the quarterback who has put the Commodores squarely on the map.

Also Receiving Heisman Trophy Votes

QB Bryson Daily, Army – 4
EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State – 4
QB Riley Leonard, Notre Dame – 3
WR Ricky White III, UNLV – 2
RB Dylan Sampson, Tennessee – 2
TE Tyler Warren, Penn State – 1

There were a handful of standout performances from the players in the others receiving votes category. Daily helped Army survive a tough contest to remain unbeaten in his return to action. Carter had four tackles for a loss, two sacks and a forced fumble. Sampson and White both topped 100 yards and scored once. All in all, a good week for several Heisman Trophy contenders.