The 2024 college football season has come to a close, but the excitement is far from over. With conference championships, the College Football Playoff, and awards season underway, the spotlight now shifts to the Heisman Trophy. In 2021, the Heisman Trophy Trust began inviting four finalists to New York City for the Heisman Trophy Weekend. This year, the top ten finishers will be featured on The Top Ten Heisman Trophy Finalists Show Presented by Nissan on Thursday, December 9, 2024, at 9 p.m. EST on ESPN. The winner of the 2024 Heisman Trophy will be revealed live on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN. Before diving into the Week 14 Heisman poll, here’s a quick look at the upcoming Heisman Trophy timeline:
- Monday, Dec. 2: Heisman ballots distributed to electors.
- Monday, Dec. 9: Deadline for submitting Heisman ballots and announcement of the 2024 finalists.
- Saturday, Dec. 14: The 2024 Heisman Trophy Winner announced during the televised Heisman Ceremony on ESPN (Private Event).
- Sunday, Dec. 15: Heisman Legends Brunch.
Strike The Pose: Week 14 Heisman Poll
We will continue to track whose stock is rising and whose stock is falling in our Week 14 Heisman poll. Some old faces will return to our list this week. We brought back our Honorable Mention candidate for Week 14, and who knew he was a King?
Honorable Mention Haynes King – QB – Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Haynes King delivered one of the standout performances of Week 14 last Friday night in Athens. Leading the Yellow Jackets to a commanding early 17-0 lead over their in-state rivals, King showcased resilience and talent, even as the game slipped away in a marathon eight overtimes against the Bulldogs.
King put up remarkable numbers despite nursing an injury to his throwing shoulder. He completed 26 of 36 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns while adding 110 rushing yards on 24 carries, punctuated by three rushing touchdowns. Though the Yellow Jackets ultimately fell short, King’s efforts were impressive against the highly talented Bulldogs.
#5 LaNorris Sellers – QB – South Carolina Gamecocks
LaNorris Sellers has emerged as one of the most impressive first-year quarterbacks in the Southeastern Conference. The Florence, South Carolina native may not have carried the pre-season hype of names like Arch Manning at Texas or DJ Lagway at Florida, but Sellers has carved out his remarkable narrative. Leading the Gamecocks to a 9-3 record in 2024, he’s kept South Carolina on the cusp of playoff contention.
Sellers’ standout moment came during rivalry week against Clemson. Facing a seven-point deficit, the Gamecocks chipped away with a clutch field goal before Sellers delivered the decisive blow. On the game-winning play, Sellers showcased his dual-threat ability, finding a gap in Clemson’s defense and shaking off two tackles for the game-winning touchdown. Sellers finished the game with more rushing yards (166 on 16 carries) than passing yards (164), proving his versatility and poise under pressure. His heroics sealed a critical win over South Carolina’s Palmetto State rival and solidified his place as one of the SEC’s rising stars.
#4 Cam Ward – QB – Miami Hurricanes
Where have we heard this story before? Oh, right, in other weekly Heisman poll installments. Cam Ward had 349 yards passing with two touchdowns for the Hurricanes in their final home game on the road at Syracuse. The Hurricanes scored 38 points and should be playing this week in Charlotte for the ACC Championship and one of the final spots in the College Football Playoff. Unfortunately, the Hurricane defense didn’t get the memo and surrendered 42 points in the loss. Ward has played well all season and carried the Hurricanes to many victories. While the Heisman Trophy may be out of reach, his consistent performances have solidified his status as one of the top quarterback prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft.
#3 Dillon Gabriel – QB – Oregon Ducks
Dillon Gabriel may not dominate the Saturday morning pregame shows, but his track record speaks volumes. Over six seasons and three programs, Gabriel has consistently put up big numbers and led his teams to victory. As the quarterback of the undefeated Oregon Ducks, he has successfully guided the team through their inaugural Big Ten season and likely secured the projected No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. The Ducks are now set to face Penn State in the Big Ten Conference Championship in Indianapolis. Because he is the quarterback on the top team in the country, that could be enough to pull votes away from either of our two top candidates and pull off the upset.
#2 Ashton Jeanty – QB – Boise State Broncos
Ashton Jeanty is nothing short of a unicorn in college football. Boise State’s game plan is as straightforward as it is effective: hand the ball to Jeanty and watch him work. Opposing teams know it, the fans know it, yet no one has found a way to stop him. Last Friday, Jeanty’s brilliance was on full display, securing Boise State’s spot in the Mountain West Championship and keeping their College Football Playoff hopes alive. Despite missing a couple of series in the second half of the Broncos’ 17-13 win over Wyoming, the No. 11 Broncos (10-1, 7-0 Mountain West) leaned on Jeanty’s historic form. He racked up 169 rushing yards, including 53 pivotal yards on the game-winning drive.
Jeanty’s consistency has been nothing short of remarkable. Through 11 games, he has tallied 11 games with 100+ rushing yards, eight games surpassing 150 yards, and four exceeding 200 yards. Playing in the Moutain West Championship gives Jeanty another data point and a final opportunity to set himself apart from our top vote-getter.
#1 Travis Hunter – ATH – Colorado Buffaloes
Travis Hunter continues to do Travis Hunter things and is our Week 14 Heisman winner. Yes, he has also become his own adjective. Each week, we look at the number of plays that Hunter is a part of, how many catches he had, whether he scored a touchdown or multiple touchdowns, and what he did on defense. Every week, it is something more. Hunter is another unicorn in his own space. Although Colorado fell short of qualifying for the Big 12 Championship, Hunter played a pivotal role in the Buffaloes’ resurgence during the 2024 season. Hunter delivered a memorable performance in his final regular-season game against Oklahoma State. On offense, he hauled in 10 receptions for 116 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing his ability to dominate in the passing game. On defense, he contributed with one tackle, two pass deflections, and a key interception, once again proving his value as a dual-threat player.
