Heisman Trophy midseason report: Ashton Jeanty, Travis Hunter and Dillon Gabriel give the race a western vibe

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel has played like a Heisman Trophy contender once this season, but it was the game that mattered more than all the others combined.

Gabriel was masterful in the Ducks’ 32-31 victory over Ohio State on Saturday, passing for 341 yards and two touchdowns, running for a third score and generally shredding the Buckeyes’ vaunted secondary.

As a result, his Heisman Trophy odds have improved dramatically.

Before the showdown, Gabriel was roughly 14-to-1 to win the most coveted individual award in college football.

Now, he’s the No. 2 betting favorite with 3.5-to-1 odds, according to BetMGM.

Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty is the frontrunner at 1.5-to-1.

Who else is in contention at the midseason turn?

I would rank the players in the following order if the Heisman voting were held today:

1. Boise State TB Ashton Jeanty

Jeanty not only leads the national in rushing with 208 yards per game, which is 50 yards clear of the competition, he’s also on pace to break one of the most hallowed records in the sport: Barry Sanders’ single-season mark of 2,628 yards. And it’s not like Jeanty has compiled gaudy numbers against third-rate opponents. He rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns at Oregon and 259 yards and four touchdowns against Washington State.

2. Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter

Hunter has been superb at two positions while taking an unfathomable 120 snaps per game (approximately). He ranks in the top 15 nationally in catches (49), receiving touchdowns (six) and yards per game (97.8) and plays cornerback at a lockdown level. Simply put: The modern game hasn’t seen anyone like Hunter. But can he withstand the punishment for six more games? Hunter left the loss to Kansas State on Saturday night with a shoulder injury.

3. Miami QB Cam Ward

Ward’s nonchalance in the pocket is such that he sometimes appears to be playing two-hand touch in the backyard, but his production for the undefeated Hurricanes has been sensational. The transfer from Washington State ranks in the top-five nationally in yards per game (369.8), yards-per-attempt (10.4) and passer rating (182.4). Miami doesn’t play Clemson during the regular season, limiting Ward’s opportunities to shine in marquee matchups.

4. Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel

As noted above, Gabriel was superb in the game that mattered most as he averaged 10 yards-per-attempt against one of the nation’s best defensive backfields. But Gabriel had been somewhat mediocre until Ohio State’s visit, with several interceptions in the Red Zone. If the rest of his season looks like Saturday, Gabriel will earn a trip to New York City for the Heisman ceremony, just as Oregon’s Bo Nix did last year.

5. Navy QB Blake Horvath

The Midshipmen are undefeated and ranked for the first time since the end of the 2019 season — and Horvath is the primary reason for their success. He’s completing 66 percent of his passes and has rushed for at least 100 yards in three of the five games. The competition has been modest, with Memphis as the stoutest opponent thus far. (Horvath passed for 192 yards, rushed for 211 and accounted for six touchdowns against the Tigers.) But that changes in two weeks when Notre Dame visits Annapolis. If Horvath dominates and the Middies win, the Heisman buzz will follow.

Also considered: Alabama QB Jalen Milroe, Clemson QB Cade Klubnik, Georgia QB Carson Beck, Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke, Iowa TB Kaleb Johnson, Penn State DE Abdul Carter, Texas QB Quinn Ewers and Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia

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