Boise State running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty confirmed on Thursday that this will be his final season at the university.
Jeanty, who leads the nation in rushing with 2,288 yards on 312 carries and 28 total touchdowns, has long been expected to enter the NFL Draft after his record-breaking season.
Jeanty, who is 341 yards away from breaking Barry Sanders’ all-time single-season rushing record, will have at least two more games to set the record.
Friday’s Mountain West title game will be Jeanty’s last chance to make a case for the Heisman Trophy.
“I feel like I’m the best player in the country,” Jeanty said at the Mountain West Conference championship press conference.
“I’ve put that on notice every single week, and it’s just the same thing. I take it week by week. If I’m picked to win (the Heisman), I win. But my focus right now is going out and playing my best football for my teammates and coaches and winning a championship.”
Jeanty and No. 10 Boise State (11-1, 7-0 MW, No. 10 CFP) will have the spotlight in front of a nationally-televised audience on Friday when they host No. 19 UNLV (10-2, 6-1, No. 20 CFP) for the Mountain West title and the Group of Five spot in this year’s College Football Playoff.
Jeanty, who is now No. 5 all-time in single-season rushing yards, only needs 55 yards to surpass USC legend and 1981 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Allen.
The Broncos, whose only loss was in September to No. 1 Oregon on a last-second field goal, defeated UNLV 29-24 on Oct. 25 in Las Vegas. Jeanty was limited to his second-lowest rushing total of the season, with 128 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries.
