BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Boise State running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty confirmed Thursday that this will be his last season at the university.
The nation’s leading rusher with 2,288 yards on 312 carries along with 28 total touchdowns, has long been expected to enter the NFL Draft after his record-setting season.
Jeanty, who needs 341 yards to surpass Barry Sanders’ all-time single-season rushing record, will have an opportunity to break the record with at least two more games.
Friday’s Mountain West title game will be Jeanty’s last chance to make his 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 Friday when it hosts No. 19 UNLV (10-2, 6-1, No. 20 CFP) for the Mountain West title and the Group of Five berth in this year’s College Football Playoff.
Jeanty, who now sits at No. 5 all-time in single-season rushing yardage, needs only 55 yards to surpass USC legend and 1981 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Allen.
The Broncos, whose only loss came in September on a last-second field goal to No. 1 Oregon, defeated UNLV 29-24 on Oct. 25 in Las Vegas. Jeanty was held to his second-lowest rushing output of the season with 128 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries.
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