Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, and Miami’s Cam Ward were named Heisman Trophy finalists on Monday night.
The Heisman Trophy has recognized the nation’s top college football player since 1935. The winner will be revealed this Saturday in New York. The finalists are selected based on votes from over 900 voters, including media members and former Heisman winners.
Here’s a look at the path each finalist took to reach Manhattan:
Gabriel
After transferring from Oklahoma, Gabriel helped lead Oregon to an undefeated season and a Big Ten championship in its first year in the league. He averages 274 passing yards per game, with 28 touchdowns and six interceptions. His 73.2% completion rate ranks second in the nation.
Hunter
A two-way star, Hunter was named All-Big 12 first-team receiver and earned an honorable mention for offensive player of the year. He leads the Big 12 with 92 receptions and 14 touchdowns, and is second in receiving yards with 1,152. His 21 plays of 20+ yards lead the nation. He was also named Big 12 defensive player of the year after recording 31 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and four interceptions.
Jeanty
The junior running back had one of the most remarkable seasons in college football, rushing for 2,497 yards—fourth-highest in FBS history. His 192.1 yards per game lead the nation, 58 yards more than the next highest average. He’s the first player since 2019 to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season.
Ward
Miami’s quarterback was named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s offensive player and newcomer of the year. He averages 343.6 passing yards per game, leading the nation with 36 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions.