Nothing about this Heisman Trophy race was according to the script we expected. For one thing, there are no representatives from the SEC – the conference that has won four of the last five trophies.

Perhaps even more surprising is that the same four top players from our midseason list are also there this season, albeit in a slightly different order. Colorado receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter pushed his way past Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty to the front. But only five points separate them, suggesting a tight race that could come down to the wire.

Two quarterbacks might have something to say about that. Since 2000, quarterbacks have won the Heisman 20 times; The only two non-QBs to win in the last 14 years were wide receiver Devonta Smith in 2020 and running back Derrick Henry in 2015. Additionally, no player from outside a power conference has won the award since Ty Detmer in 1990 won.

Here’s how ESPN writers voted on their top Heisman candidates ahead of the final week of the regular season. In this round of voting, 10 different players received votes.

To arrive at the final rankings, 12 voters were asked to select their top five. Five points were awarded for first place votes, with four points for second place votes, three points for third place votes, two points for fourth place votes and two points for fifth place votes one point was awarded.

Total points: 56 (First place: 9)

Simply put, no one has done what Hunter has done this season, and that’s the main reason he jumped to the top of our Heisman list. We’re not just talking about the number of snapshots, which at first glance is unprecedented; Hunter has played 1,266 snaps, more than any other player since 2018, when ESPN began tracking snap count data.

He was an elite starter at both positions: receiver and cornerback. Hunter has 82 catches for 1,036 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. His number of receiving touchdowns is the second-most in a season in school history. Defensively, he has three interceptions and is the first player with 1,000 receiving yards and three interceptions in a season since at least 1980.

The number of his snaps is almost identical: 602 on offense, 640 on defense (plus 24 on special teams). The only other season since 2018 in which someone played at least 200 snaps on both sides of the ball? Yes, Travis Hunter last year (412 on offense, 572 on defense).

According to ESPN Research, Colorado has run 710 offensive plays this season, and Hunter has played on 85% of them. On defense, Colorado played 772 games with Hunter playing in 83%.

By comparison, the only defensive player to win the Heisman, Charles Woodson in 1997, played the majority of his snaps on defense and contributed only on offense, with 238 yards receiving and three touchdowns.

Is it any wonder Hunter strikes the Heisman pose a lot more often?

“Travis is who he is,” said Colorado coach Deion Sanders, who also played both ways as a player. “It should go to the best college football player. I think since when did it end? Week 2?”

ESPN BET Heisman odds: -800

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Total points: 51 (First place: 3)

Jeanty has already reached his goal of 2,000 yards in 11 games this season and continues his mastery of speed, toughness and big-play ability with every touch of the ball. He is now the first player to rush for 125 or more yards in 11 consecutive games in the same season since Troy Davis did it at Iowa State in 1996.

Jeanty needs three more rushing touchdowns to join Barry Sanders as the only players in FBS history to record 30 rushing touchdowns and 2,000 yards rushing in a single season.

Jeanty leads the nation with 2,062 yards rushing so far this season – nearly 600 yards more than his closest competitor. He is also the first star back since 2019 to rush for more than 2,000 yards.

Still, he’s a long way from the rushing mark Sanders set in a single season in 1988 (2,850 yards). His production has also dropped significantly since mid-season. After averaging 9.9 yards per carry in his first six games, Jeanty averaged 5.74 in his last five games. He had three 200-yard performances in the first six games of the season and just one in the last five.

But even if it slows down, it doesn’t stop completely. Against UNLV, where he posted season lows in yards (128) and yards per carry (3.9), he scored the game-winning touchdown in a 29-24 win. Last week, in a closer-than-expected 17-13 win over Wyoming, Jeanty was forced to leave the game and go to the medical tent after suffering a hard blow to his legs in the third quarter. He missed a drive but managed 53 yards on his return for the go-ahead score.

“This is Game 11, Week 13 of the season, and he’s an absolute warrior who can get it done when he’s banged up,” coach Spencer Danielson said after the win over Wyoming. “We have to be smart with his body and make sure we give him what he needs.”

ESPN BET Heisman odds: +600

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Total points: 34

Miami built its football dynasty with a series of elite quarterbacks that earned it the nickname “Quarterback U.” But it has been more than 20 years since the Hurricanes both won a championship and had a quarterback make it to New York as a Heisman finalist.

Ward appears to be on the verge of changing all that. He wasn’t perfect, but Ward was easily the most stunning quarterback in college football this season. Some of his plays border on incomprehensible — from understated shovel passes to big throws across his body — but others are routine throws he must make to get the job done. Ward completed a career-high 67.2% of his passes and has the Hurricanes ranked No. 1 in the nation in offense, averaging 541.5 yards per game.

Along the way, he set the single-season school record for touchdown passes (34-plus), passing yards (3,774) and completions (268) with a tenacity that has earned him high praise from his coaches and teammates. The latter two brands were set by Bernie Kosar in 1984. Not since Ken Dorsey came to New York in 2001 and 2002 has there been this much excitement surrounding the quarterback position in Miami.

Ward offered hope that the program has turned things around. A win over Syracuse on Saturday puts the Hurricanes in the ACC Championship Game and keeps their College Football Playoff hopes alive. Ward bounced back from a 28-23 loss to Georgia Tech on Nov. 9, in which he made an error on the final drive, and then posted a 280-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 42-14 win over Wake Wald on Saturday. He knows he has to do his best to help the Hurricanes achieve the goals they set at the start of the season.

ESPN BET Heisman odds: +1200

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Total points: 26

Gabriel did exactly what he has done throughout his six-year career: throw for a lot of yards and score a lot of touchdowns. In fact, he’s passing for more than 3,000 yards for the fifth time in his career (the only exception being at UCF in 2021, when he was sidelined with a season-ending injury earlier this year). Gabriel also set the NCAA FBS record for total touchdowns (179) earlier this month, so his productivity and longevity are undeniable.

The difference this year is that his veteran presence, smart playmaking and remarkable accuracy have propelled Oregon to No. 1 in the rankings, the only undefeated team in the country.

This is no coincidence. Gabriel completes a career-high 73.8% of his passes as he methodically runs the offense and ranks 5th in the country in QBR. At the middle of the season, Gabriel was also in 4th place in this survey. In order to move up further, he has to do better in his last two games. In the final game against Wisconsin, he failed to score a touchdown for the first time all season as Oregon tied a season-low 16 points. Still, Gabriel’s plays led the Ducks to a 16-13 win, in which they outscored the Badgers 10-0 in the fourth quarter.

Against Maryland on November 9, Gabriel threw three touchdown passes, but for only 183 yards. In his last two games, his QBR was well below his season average. Chances against Washington and in the Big Ten Championship Game could potentially make the difference in the Heisman race.

ESPN BET Heisman odds: +5000

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Total points: 8

As Arizona State rose, so did Skattebo. After receiving zero votes in our midseason poll, Skattebo is ranked No. 5, thanks in large part to his impact on the Sun Devils offense. He ranks second nationally in all-purpose yards behind Jeanty with 1,681 (1,221 yards rushing, 460 yards receiving).

The 1.75 meter tall, 100 kilogram player plays like a battering ram, making him one of the hardest players in college football to beat.

According to TruMedia, Skattebo ranks second in the country in forced fumbles on rushes, behind Jeanty, with a whopping 86 through Week 12. (Also consider: He has 49 fewer runs than Jeanty.) Another particularly impressive stat: Skattebo was most effective in the fourth quarter. In this quarter, Skattebo has 337 rushing yards, more than any other quarter. Particularly eye-opening considering he missed a game and sat out the fourth quarter with two blowout wins.

Skattebo also averages the highest yards per carry in the fourth quarter (6.1) and has more runs of 10 yards in the fourth quarter than any other quarter.

There’s something endearing about his rise to national fame. He has a ZERO deal for his trademark “Skatteburger” with a local restaurant chain, with a portion of the proceeds going to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

ESPN BET Heisman odds: N/A

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Also receive votes: Omarion Hampton, North Carolina, RB (1 point); Kyle Kennard, South Carolina, DE (1); Bryson Daily, Army, QB (1); Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green, TE (1); Tyler Warren, Penn State, TE (1)