Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty achieving rare feat together in 2024

Two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter and star Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty are doing something unprecedented in college football's NIL era: making serious waves in the race for the 2024 Heisman Award.

"Because of both Jeanty and Hunter, it’s looking more and more like the award for the top football player in the country will go to a non-quarterback, which is rare," Denver Sports' Jake Shapiro prefaced before saying, "But to be fair, Hunter and Jeanty are having unprecedented starts to their season. Only four players that weren’t QBs have won the award since 2000, meaning the gunslingers will be in this race until the very end—though only one true candidate seems to be left."

Jeanty has a much more serious case for the Heisman. The Broncos RB already surpassed 1,000 rushing yards and has 16 touchdowns through five games. Hunter has been elite, but Jeanty has been legendary.

Hunter may also run into an unfortunate reality that'll prevent him from becoming the next Heisman regardless of whether he's the sport's best player or not.

Travis Hunter fears he may face an anti-Deion Sanders bias in Heisman race

In what'd be an embarrassing moment for the sport, Hunter could lose the Heisman because of an anti-Deion Sanders bias. Rich Eisen fears that reality coming to fruition.

"If he doesn't win, it will be anti-Deion bias. He is playing with every snap. His routes are second to none, and he plays defense lights out. I swear he is going to do this in the pros," said Eisen (h/t Marca).

Even Hunter himself fears that.

"I could be at the top of their list. They are just not saying anything. And I can also be at the bottom of the list because they just don't like who my coach is," said Hunter.

College football would jump the shark if Hunter loses because of voters' view of Sanders. Jeanty may make the likelihood of Hunter winning remote if he keeps dominating the Mountain West, though.