While recent buzz has pointed to Colorado’s Travis Hunter as the likely Heisman Trophy winner, Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty is carving out a legacy of his own this season. Jeanty has not only been the heart and soul of a Broncos team that sits just one win away from a College Football Playoff berth, but he’s also making a compelling case to be recognized as one of the best running backs in college football history. A prestigious record might await him.
As Jeanty gears up to lead Boise State into the Mountain West championship game, he has his sights set on Barry Sanders’ FBS single-season rushing record. Currently, Jeanty is just 340 yards shy of breaking Sanders’ record of 2,628 yards set in 1988. While it will almost certainly take more than one game for Jeanty to surpass this milestone, the Broncos are guaranteed at least two more games: Friday’s conference title game and either a playoff game or a bowl game.
Ashton Jeanty’s impressive stats
Jeanty enters the Mountain West title game with an astounding total of 2,288 rushing yards and 29 total touchdowns through 12 games. This performance places him fifth in FBS history for rushing yards in a season. His stats through Boise State’s Week 12 win over Oregon State are as follows:
| Games | Att. | Rush yards | Rush TD | Yards/att. | Rec. | Rec. yards | Rec. TD |
| 12 | 312 | 2,288 | 28 | 7.3 | 18 | 102 | 1 |
Jeanty’s remarkable average of 7.3 yards per carry showcases his explosive ability on the field. However, whether he would play in a bowl game before the NFL Draft is still uncertain. If he wants to make history and break Sanders’ record, a strong performance against UNLV on Friday could be crucial to locking up a playoff berth.
Chasing Barry Sanders’ record
The Sporting News is closely tracking Jeanty’s pursuit of Barry Sanders’ FBS single-season rushing record. If Jeanty can secure a playoff berth, he will have the opportunity to make a run at history. However, if Boise State falls short in the Mountain West title game, Jeanty will face a tough decision: whether to play in the team’s bowl game to attempt to break the record.
Here’s Jeanty’s current rushing yards pace depending on how many total games he plays:
- 13 games: 2,479 yards
- 14 games: 2,669 yards
- 15 games: 2,860 yards
- 16 games: 3,051 yards
If Jeanty plays 14 games, he is currently on pace to beat Sanders’ rushing record by 41 yards. A national semifinal appearance by Boise State would give Jeanty a 15th game, while a trip to the national championship game would provide him with a 16th opportunity to etch his name in the record books.
Challenges ahead
Of course, tougher competition in the playoffs could impact Jeanty’s rushing pace. He averaged an impressive 190.7 yards per game in the regular season, but defenses will undoubtedly be more formidable as the competition intensifies. This means that even if he plays two more games, the record is not guaranteed for Jeanty.
Barry Sanders’ legendary 1988 season serves as a benchmark for Jeanty. Sanders previewed a Hall of Fame NFL career when he ran for 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns, smashing the record previously held by Marcus Allen. Sanders averaged 7.6 yards per carry and won the Heisman Trophy with a staggering 559 first-place votes, far outpacing Rodney Peete’s 70.
Sanders himself has wished Jeanty luck in his pursuit of the rushing record on social media, showing support for the next generation of running backs.
Most rushing yards in a season
Jeanty currently stands fifth on the all-time single-season rushing leaderboard, but he is in good company. Here’s a recap of the top five:
1. Barry Sanders, 2,628 (1988)
Sanders broke Marcus Allen’s seven-year-old record with an unbelievable season at Oklahoma State, rushing for 2,628 yards on 7.6 yards per carry in just 11 games.
2. Melvin Gordon, 2,587 (2014)
Gordon was the Heisman Trophy runner-up with 2,587 yards and 29 touchdowns, averaging 7.5 yards per carry, but his hopes for the award were dashed in the Big Ten championship game.
3. Kevin Smith, 2,567 (2007)
Smith rushed for 2,567 yards at UCF, finishing eighth in Heisman voting with a hefty 450 carries, averaging 5.7 yards per carry.
4. Marcus Allen, 2,342 (1981)
Allen won the Heisman Trophy after rushing for 2,342 yards and 22 touchdowns, shattering Tony Dorsett’s single-season rushing record.
5. Ashton Jeanty, 2,288 (2024)
Jeanty’s 226-yard display in the final week of the regular season moved him into the top five, averaging 7.3 yards per carry and consistently delivering impressive performances.
As the Mountain West championship game approaches, the excitement surrounding Jeanty’s pursuit of history continues to build. Will he break Barry Sanders’ record? The football world is watching closely, and one thing is for sure: Jeanty’s journey is far from over.
