On3 Heisman Trophy Poll: Top 10 player rankings after Week 13

After a thrilling weekend of college football action we have a consensus top four candidates for the Heisman Trophy from the experts at On3.

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 – 40 points

Colorado fell to Kansas, which has been systematically killing off top contenders in the Big 12 in the last few weeks. But it will have done little to dull Hunter’s Heisman Trophy case.

The talented two-way star caught eight passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns, taking his season total for receiving to 1,036 yards and 11 scores. He also racked up a season-high seven tackles on defense. He’s the consensus No. 1 for the On3 experts.

2. RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State – 36

Jeanty was shaken up during a tight win over Wyoming, but he still managed to chip in 19 carries for 169 yards and a touchdown. That took his season total over 2,000 yards, a remarkable feat in modern college football.

The Boise State back has been the work engine behind the team’s push for a playoff spot, too. Two difficult games remain, first a regular season finale against Oregon State and then the Mountain West title game. Win both and the Broncos will be in the playoffs, perhaps with a first-round bye.

3. QB Cam Ward, Miami – 32

Ward remains remarkably consistent in posting huge numbers, and that continued this weekend in a game against Wake Forest that started slow but finished strong. The Washington State transfer threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns, though he was picked off once. He also rushed for a touchdown.

The good news for Ward is he’s going to get the platform to keep playing on big stages, so long as Miami can take care of Syracuse next week. That gives Ward the chance to put up a truly monster game to shake up the current paradigm.

4. QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon – 28

Gabriel was on a bye this week as Oregon readied for its final regular season contest of the year. After that it’ll be an appearance in the Big Ten title game, which will give Gabriel the stage to make a late run at the Heisman Trophy.

He probably needs to do a good bit, despite playing for an undefeated team. He just hasn’t quite had that signature moment yet, even though he was nails in the win over Ohio State. Gabriel needs a big day if he hopes to crash Hunter’s party.

5. TE Tyler Warren, Penn State – 23

The first non-consensus pick going down the board for the On3 experts, Warren very nearly made it a consensus No. 5. He’s been a monster at Penn State all year, but it’s taken him a little longer to get the full name recognition of many voters.

Still, Warren is absurd. He logged eight catches for 102 yards against Minnesota, though he wasn’t quite as involved in other ways as he normally is. On the season he has 910 yards receiving and five touchdowns, as well as 157 yards rushing and four scores.

6. QB Kevin Jennings, SMU – 10

Jennings has been remarkably good in leading SMU to a 10-1 record, and he’s begun to get more recognition of late as the Mustangs enter the playoff spotlight. The dual-threat quarterback has gotten it done in a number of ways.

On the season Jennings has thrown for 2,521 yards and 17 touchdowns, against seven interceptions. He has also run for 315 yard and four touchdowns. That’s pretty solid — though perhaps not spectacular — production.

T-7. RB Dylan Sampson, Tennessee – 8

In just about any other year Sampson would be getting a ton more press, but he’s been overshadowed by Jeanty’s ridiculous season at Boise State. Sampson actually had a six-game streak of 100-plus yard performances snapped in a win over UTEP, where his usage was light.

Sampson, though, has run for 1,307 yards and 22 touchdowns this season. Monster production. He’s even added 17 catches for 135 yards, showing some versatility out of the backfield. He probably needs to go absolutely crazy against Vanderbilt to earn a Heisman Trophy ceremony invite, though.

T-7. QB Riley Leonard, Notre Dame – 8

Outside of his two-interception outing against Northern Illinois in a loss, Leonard has been remarkably consistent this season. He doesn’t put up the biggest yardage totals as a passer, but his ability to run makes the offense tough to slow down.

Leonard has thrown for 1,937 yards and 14 touchdowns, against just four interceptions. However, he has also run for 671 yards and 13 touchdowns on the season, one of the more productive dual-threat prospects in the country.

T-9. RB Cam Skattebo, Arizona State – 7

Skattebo had one monster performance early in the year, but really didn’t start heating up until the month of October. He has produced five games with at least 100 yards rushing, including the 262-yard outing against Mississippi State.

This week Skattebo ran for 147 yards and three touchdowns, carrying Arizona State to a key win over BYU. And now the Sun Devils even have an outside shot at the College Football Playoffs. That’s one way to get on the Heisman Trophy radar.

T-9. QB Kurtis Rourke, Indiana – 7

Rourke had been hovering around No. 5 to No. 6 in recent Heisman Trophy polling at On3, so he took a definite hit with the loss to Ohio State on Saturday. Rourke was only 8-of-18 passing for 68 yards, without a touchdown and without an interception.

Overall, though, it’s hard to argue against the body of work. Indiana — yes, Indiana — is 10-1 and still has a shot at the College Football Playoff. That takes more than just Rourke, but he’s been a massive part of the success, no doubt.

Others Receiving Heisman Trophy Votes

QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss – 4
WR Ricky White III, UNLV – 3
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State – 3
EDGE Kyle Kennard, South Carolina – 3
EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State – 2

There are a few other candidates receiving votes outside the top 10 in this week’s Heisman Trophy polling, including Dart, who is fresh off a loss to Florida. Still, he’s been quite productive. So too have White and Smith as excellent receiving options. Kennard and Carter check in as the top pass-rushers in the country this season, rounding out the bottom of this week’s list.