Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty sprints his way onto Heisman watchlists with 6 TD game

If your Heisman Trophy watchlist didn't include Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty before Saturday, you should immediately pencil him in.

The 5-foot-9, 215-pound junior from Jacksonville, FL absolutely tore through the Georgia Southern defense for a school-record 267 yards and a career-high six touchdowns on just 20 carries, helping lead the Broncos to a 56-45 victory in a shootout with the Eagles.

Jeanty also tied the Mountain West Conference record for most touchdowns in a single game. He came up two scores short of the FBS record (8 TDs) held by Howard Griffith and Jaret Patterson.

Two of Jeanty's scores were from 70+ yards while three came from goal-line plunges. The last of his six end-zone trips came from 26 yards out. He wasn't alone on the attack either, as backup Sire Gaines ran for a hearty 110 yards and one score on 12 carries.

Ashton Jeanty announces himself to the Heisman Trophy race

The 20-year-old Jeanty entered the 2024 season having tallied 2,168 yards over the last two years with the Broncos. Saturday's efforts would have been good for almost 20 percent of his total yards from 2023 alone.

Jeanty's Heisman candidacy officially began Saturday as preseason oddsmakers didn't even include him on the list. He'll have a long way to climb before making it to New York City but he's entered the same conversation as Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon, who's considered the highest-ranked rusher with Heisman odds.

Boise State will head west to Eugene, Ore. to face the No. 3 Ducks next week, a test for not just Jeanty's abilities but also for his team's College Football Playoff aspirations.

The highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion will receive an automatic bid into the new 12-team playoff and Boise State was at the top of a lot of preseason predictions.