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Prior to the start of the 2024 college football season, most had probably never heard the name Ashton Jeanty before. Probably some still don't. But week by week, the Boise State running back's name is getting larger—and so are his numbers.
Through five games, Jeanty now leads the nation in rushing yards (1,031), rushing yards per game (206.2), yards per carry (10.8), and rushing touchdowns (16), all by a fairly wide margin.
Last weekend against Utah State, the Broncos running back joined the likes of Barry Sanders and Leonard Fournette as one of the quickest to ever reach 1,000 yards in a season, doing it in just five games. Jeanty was once again magnificent, racking up a whopping 186 yards with three touchdowns on just 13 carries. He's been a huge reason why Boise State (4-1) is currently ranked No. 17 in the country and why he's getting Heisman recognition.
Jeanty and the Broncos will be back in action in Week 7 when they head to face Hawaii (2-3) in a Mountain West conference game. This will be just the second conference game for the Broncos this season, meaning Boise State football is still very much in the running for a spot in the College Football Playoff, especially with conference championship hopes still intact.
As usual, expect Jeanty to put on another stellar performance when he faces the Rainbow Warriors on Saturday. Now, let’s get into some bold predictions for him against Hawaii in Week 7.
Ashton Jeanty rushes for at least 200 yards
As mentioned, Jeanty is averaging 206.2 rushing yards per game, but he has only hit the 200-yard mark in two games this season, coming just shy in two others. His lowest rushing total was 127 yards on 11 carries against Portland State, but that was because Boise State didn’t need him for long in their 56-14 blowout win.
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Jeanty faces a surprisingly solid run defense on Saturday. Hawaii football ranks 46th in the nation, allowing just 120.6 rushing yards per game at 3.82 yards per carry. However, considering Jeanty ran for 196 yards against Oregon’s 24th-ranked rushing defense earlier in the season, expect the junior running back to continue piling up the yardage. He is inching closer to Barry Sanders' single-season record of 2,628 rushing yards, and at his current pace, Jeanty is projected to finish with 2,535 yards in 12 games, per Pro Football Focus.
Ashton Jeanty breaks off 60-yard run or longer against Hawaii
One reason that Jeanty has just been racking up the yardage is because he's been breaking off some massive runs in each game, breaking through defenders and shredding tackles. He's averaging a long run of 70.8 yards every game. He has yet to break one off under 64 yards, while his longest of the season is 77 back in Week 1 against Georgia Southern. It's unlikely he breaks his trend against Hawaii in Week 7.
Ashton Jeanty scores four touchdowns against Hawaii
Jeanty kicked off the season with an eye-popping six-touchdown performance in Week 1, though some dismissed it due to the Broncos facing an FCS opponent in Georgia Southern. However, he’s proven himself since then, scoring in every game but one (Portland State) and averaging at least three touchdowns per game in the rest. Overall, Jeanty is averaging 3.2 rushing touchdowns per game, with a total of 16, which is four more than Tennessee's Dylan Sampson, who ranks second.
If Jeanty were to score four rushing touchdowns against Hawaii, he would come just two shy of what Rainbow Warriors entire defense has allowed on the ground this season. But with the way Jeanty is racking up touchdowns, nothing seems too bold for the Boise State football star this season.
