Ashton Jeanty had an impressive run against teams from the Sun Belt, Big Ten, and Pac-12 during Boise State’s nonconference games.
Now, he is ready to focus on the Mountain West.
Jeanty and the 21st-ranked Broncos (3-1) will start conference play by hosting Utah State on Saturday night. The standout running back aims to increase his national lead in rushing yards.
“He’s the No. 1 back in the country right now, so he’s going to have our full attention, and we know we need to be able to contain him,” said Utah State interim head coach Nate Dreiling.
Jeanty has quickly moved from being one of the top running backs in the country to being considered one of the best players overall, possibly even in the Heisman Trophy conversation.
He leads the nation with 845 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in just four games, recently putting on a show in his last performance.
Last week against Washington State, Jeanty rushed for 259 yards and scored four touchdowns, including runs of 64 and 59 yards.
“Everything Ashton is getting right now is 100% earned and deserved because of how he’s worked and the production he shows on the field,” said Boise State coach Spencer Danielson.
“Not only is he an elite running back that the nation gets to watch on Saturdays, but he’s also one of the best teammates and leaders I’ve ever been around.”
Facing Jeanty and Boise State is just another tough challenge for Utah State (1-3) in a season that has been full of them. The Broncos will be the third ranked opponent the Aggies have faced already, and they have had two weeks off since their loss at Temple on September 21.
Utah State struggled against Southern California but did take an early lead against Utah before losing steam in the second half.
“Obviously, the schedule is what it is,” Dreiling said. “We are going to play four ranked teams in our first six games. I don’t know the last time that happened for Utah State. But at the end of the day, it’s still about us.
Every single one of our games, other than USC, we’ve been ahead, we’ve been moving, and we’ve looked really good. Now it’s about finishing. We need to instill that mindset in our players and give them the confidence to win.”
