What Dillon Gabriel has to do to take the Heisman Trophy away from Ashton Jeanty

The Heisman Trophy race has been as wild as the first year of the 12-team College Football Playoff. Through seven weeks, we have seen Miami quarterback Cam Ward be the early favorite, followed by Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe briefly be on top of the mountain before Boise State running back Ashton Jeany plowed past him. Coming up fast Jeanty's left is Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Not to say this is Jeanty's Heisman to lose, but he has two things working against him. He is a running back play at a Group of Five school. Gabriel, on the other hand, plays quarterback for a serious national championship contender on the same Power Four team that handed the Broncos their lone loss of the year. Gabriel finally had a Heisman moment this year with his go-ahead touchdown run.

Here are the latest Heisman Trophy odds from FanDuel Sportsbook with all +2000 or better listed.

A lot can change between now and the end of the season, but look for three to five of these guys on this list possibly getting to New York in early December. Everybody else past Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik may have too far to climb. Then again, we have seen Heisman Trophy winners come out of nowhere in the second half. Unfortunately, I do not think that will be the case this college season.

So let's answer the big hard-hitting question you all want to know: What does Gabriel have to do to overtake Jeanty for the 2024 Heisman Trophy to join the most sacred fraternity in all of sports?

What all Dillon Gabriel needs to do to win the 2024 Heisman Trophy

Looking at Oregon's remaining schedule, if this team does not get to Indianapolis as the No. 1 seed out of the Big Ten, something went horribly wrong. They might lose a game before the conference title bout, but I'm not banking on it. Gabriel needs to put up good to great numbers every game for the rest of the regular season. He then must show out vs. an Ohio State or a Penn State in Indianapolis.

That is what he can control. He may need another signature game on the resume to really impress the voters who may need to be convinced of pivoting off Jeanty. Keep in mind that he plays in the same part of the country that Jeanty does. He may play in the Big Ten and could get the midwest vote, but it can be difficult to knock off a non-quarterback who is setting the world on fire in the Heisman race.

As far as what he cannot control, Gabriel needs Jeanty to have a few games where he does not rush for over 100 yards. His lowest rushing total on the season was 127, and that came nearly a month ago vs. FCS Portland State on only 11 carries! Going up against FBS competition, Jeanty's lowest rushing total was 186 yards vs. Utah State, and he still had three rushing touchdowns. It will be so very hard!

Overall, I don't think level of comp is going to dissuade Heisman voters all that much to give Gabriel the award over Jeanty. He would have to get hurt or miss a few weeks of action to do irreparable damage to his otherwise flawless Heisman candidacy. And even if Oregon beat Boise State head-to-head, Jeanty gave the Ducks defense all he could handle with 192 yards and three touchdowns.

The only other thing that can hurt Jeanty besides missing games if if the Broncos fade in the second half. They are most pundits' pick to win the Mountain West and the Group of Five. A second loss on the season may knock them out of the playoff, but it would have to take upwards of three or more for us to really say that Jeanty doesn't deserve the Heisman. This is why Gabriel must take it up a notch.

There may only be +30 difference between their Heisman odds, but it feels like the Grand Canyon.