Ashton Jeanty Elevates Boise State’s Heisman and Playoff Aspirations.
Boise State football coach Spencer Danielson responded to the first question after the Broncos’ 62-30 victory over Utah State by highlighting star running back Ashton Jeanty’s performance, who rushed for 186 yards and three touchdowns, further solidifying his record-breaking season. Jeanty is now considered a front-runner for the Heisman Trophy, a status that sportsbooks did not predict for him before the season started.
“I truly believe he’ll be in New York for the Heisman ceremony,” Danielson said. “I see the effort he puts in and the teammate he is.”
This surge in performance comes at a crucial time for Boise State, now 4-1 and ranked No. 17 in the AP Top 20—the highest among Group of Five teams. This positions the Broncos to potentially secure an automatic berth in the newly expanded College Football Playoff (CFP), a significant opportunity for a program that has long been an outsider in college football’s power structure.
Since the CFP began in 2014, only one Group of Five team, Cincinnati in 2021, has made the playoffs. The new 12-team format guarantees entry for the five highest-ranked conference champions, meaning the top Group of Five team will get a spot this year, independent of its overall ranking. While revenue distribution details are pending, the CFP recently signed a six-year, $7.8 billion deal with ESPN, increasing financial opportunities for participating schools through merchandise and ticket sales, as well as enhanced recruiting and marketing prospects.
The Broncos, part of the Mountain West Conference, invested $58.3 million in athletics in fiscal 2023, ranking 11th among public Group of Five schools, with a football budget of $21.5 million.
Jeanty’s contributions will be pivotal if the Broncos aim for the playoffs. His performance this season has been exceptional, including a 63-yard touchdown on his first carry against Utah State, followed by a 75-yard touchdown run. He didn’t play in the second half due to a significant lead. Overall, Jeanty has amassed 1,031 rushing yards at an average of 10.9 yards per carry, despite sitting out parts of several games due to lopsided scores. This total is the eighth-highest in FBS history for the first five games, and he is on track to challenge Barry Sanders’s legendary 1988 season, where he rushed for 2,628 yards and won the Heisman Trophy.
