Trick or Treat! Our Last Word on Sports writers are back with a spooky twist on our Week 9 Heisman poll! The lists may be getting shorter, but the debates are still as fierce as a haunted graveyard. Our #1 spot remains a ghostly fixture, yet there’s been plenty of bone-rattling jockeying for position down the line, and with contenders pulling out all their tricks, this Halloween week brought some spine-chilling performances as the top players making their case for college football’s biggest treat!
Strike the Pose: Week 9 Heisman Poll
We will continue to track whose stock is rising and whose stock is falling in our Week 9 Heisman poll. We have a new candidate on our list this week. The 12th Man and the Yell Leaders came to their feet for our honorable mention Saturday night in College Station. Sure, he is a quarterback, but his legs (and some inopportune LSU turnovers) helped propel the Aggies to the win and alone atop the SEC.
Week 9 Heisman Honorable Mention Marcel Reed
For a half, LSU could do no wrong. The Tigers raced to a 21-7 first-half lead in College Station on Saturday night. It just wasn’t meant to be. Costly interceptions and botched field goal attempts opened the door for an Aggies comeback. With Texas A&M’s offense sputtering under Conner Weigman, the Aggies returned to Marcel Reed to provide the spark to ignite the comeback. Reed completed just two passes but averaged 35 yards a completion. It was his legs, though, that proved the difference.
Reeds kept the LSU defense off balance with masterful control of the zone read. Reed put the exclamation on the comeback, tallying three touchdowns on his nine carries. The Aggies now sit alone atop the SEC with an inside track to Atlanta. Aggies Head Coach will now have to decide if Reed is the right quarterback to take Texas A&M. First, he will have to battle a pesky Gamecock squad in Columbia on Saturday.
Marcel to the house ‼️ @Marcel10Reed
📺 ABC#GigEm | #BTHOlsu pic.twitter.com/UAJNP3Sqwx
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) October 27, 2024
#5 Bryson Dailey, QB, Army ( N/C )
Bryson Dailey and the Black Knights were off last week, but they face a big game this week when they head to Colorado Springs to take on Air Force. Dailey had yet to throw more than ten passes for the Black Knights, but his legs continued to get the job done. He averages almost 20 carries and 130 yards on the ground per game. The senior also has 19 touchdowns on the season. The Black Knights are in a great position to be undefeated when they head to the Bronx on November 23 to take on the Irish. They will have to be careful, though; the Irish made quick work of the other service academy on Saturday in the Meadowlands.
#4 Cam Ward, QB, Miami (⬇️ 2)
Cam Ward and the Miami Hurricanes didn’t need any last-minute field goals or late heroics to knock off Florida State on Saturday. The Hurricanes added to the Seminole’s pain with a 36-14 defeat in Coral Gables. Wald didn’t light up the stat sheet but kept the Hurricane offense moving on Saturday night. Ward finished the game 22 of 35 for 208 with no touchdowns or interceptions. With the win, Miami can finally claim a (state) championship. This season, the Hurricanes have defeated Florida, South Florida, and Florida State, a point not missed by Miami Head Coach Mario Cristobal.
Mario Cristobal: “All recruits, in-state, out of state, can now clearly see the trajectory of this program versus the other programs (in the state).”
— Clay Ferraro (@ClayWPLG) October 27, 2024
#3 Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon (N/C)
If a quarterback breaks through and wins the Heisman in 2024, it’s likely to be Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel led the #1 Ducks to a seemingly easy win on Saturday against Illinois. While other Pac-12 teams (USC and UCLA) are having difficulty adjusting to life in the Big Ten, the Ducks continue to act like they’ve always been a part of the league. Gabriel had another big day on Saturday, finishing with almost 300 yards in the air and three touchdowns. Gabriel will lead the Ducks to Ann Arbor to take on the Wolverines. This will likely be more of a helmet game and hype than what will play out during the game. The Wolverines have struggled with the forward pass this season and have had difficulty keeping up with teams with higher talent.
#2 Travis Hunter, ATH, Colorado (⬆️ 2)
Travis Hunter made a strong return on Saturday, springing back near the top of the Week 9 Heisman poll with a stellar, all-around performance against Cincinnati. Showing no signs of his recent shoulder injury, Hunter played an impressive 132 snaps—61 on defense and 68 on offense. He set a career-high with 153 receiving yards, marking his fifth 100-yard game this season, and also notched four pass breakups, another career high. He added to offensive touchdowns to put the cherry on top. Hunter also had a pretty (flippin’ g00d) end-zone celebration.
Travis Hunter is really flippin' good at football 🕸️#Big12FB | 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/c7MbihwtA2
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) October 27, 2024
#1 Ashton Jeanty (N/C)
Ashton Jeanty retains his top spot in our Week 9 Heisman poll, showcasing again why he’s one to watch. All eyes were on Jeanty and the Boise State Broncos under the Friday night lights in Las Vegas for Mountain West After Dark. Facing a determined UNLV defense that made him work for every yard, Jeanty still managed to deliver, rushing for 128 yards on 33 carries in a hard-fought 29-24 victory.
