Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty fumbled the ball twice in the opening 17 minutes against Penn State, with the nation watching on during the College Football Playoffs.
Fresh off his Heisman Trophy snub, which saw Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter beat him to the ultimate individual collegiate accolade, Jeanty had a point to prove against the Nittany Lions. However, he was swarmed by the Penn State defense and suffered a nightmare start before going on to lose 31-14, leading to fans fearing for his 2025 NFL Draft position.
Jeanty entered the game just 132 yards short of Barry Sanders’ historic rushing record, with many feeling he was the deserved winner of the Heisman Trophy. The Broncos running back averaged 192 yards per game this season, but managed just 104 on Tuesday meaning he missed out on the record by 28 yards, as the Penn State defense made its presence felt.
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The early turnovers saw the Nittany Lions take a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, although Boise State did respond with a rushing touchdown before halftime. However, that score came via fullback Tyler Crowe, on just his first carry of the game for eight yards.
Jeanty is expected to be a first-round selection, with some draft experts even predicting he could be a top-ten pick. But his poor start against a top-ranked college football opponent led to some harsh criticism from fans, with the 2025 NFL Draft just months away.
“Ashton Jeanty plays a defense that isn’t full of future insurance salesman and the reason he didn’t win the Heisman is exposed,” one fan wrote on X, hinting that Jeanty benefitted in the Mountain West conference. “Aint no way in hell I would draft Jeanty in the top 10 after this performance .. overrated,” another added.
One fan offered a more measured response, stating: “Jeanty is still ridiculous but this can be a lesson for all of us that running backs are extremely reliant on the relationship between their line and their opponent. Boise has had advantages all season in that matchup. They were never going to have that once in the playoff.”
While Jeanty missed out on the Heisman Trophy, he did win the Maxwell Award – presented annually to the best college football player, which is judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches. He is the first running back to win the award since Derrick Henry in 2015.
Jeanty felt as though he should have beaten Hunter to the Heisman but admitted following the ceremony that it’s made him more focused. “I really felt like I should’ve walked away with the award, but kudos to Travis for winning,” Jeanty told reporters after finishing as the Heisman runner-up.
“But yeah, it’s simple as that. Work harder, go harder. There’s a lot more to come. This isn’t the end, this is just the beginning. So I just have to do that much more to get the things that I want.”
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