Two-time Colorado star Travis Hunter is one of four Heisman Trophy finalists announced Monday.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Miami quarterback Cam Ward will join Hunter in New York on Saturday for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, where the winner will be announced.

Hunter, who plays wide receiver and cornerback for Colorado, emerged as the favorite for the award late in the season. Jeanty has gained traction as his projected top competitor, as Jeanty has challenged Barry Sanders’ FBS single-season rushing record.

Will Hunter or Jeanty break the QB trend?

Both would represent unorthodox selections in the modern college football landscape. Only once in the last eight seasons and twice in the last 14 has a non-quarterback taken home college football’s most prestigious individual award.

Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith was the last non-quarterback to win the award in 2020. Alabama running back Derrick Henry was the last running back to win the Heisman Trophy in 2015. Either Gabriel or Ward would have to emerge as the upset winner to continue the trend of quarterbacks winning the Heisman Trophy.

The case for each finalist

Hunter produced a season unlike any, if any, we’ve seen before. As Colorado’s top offensive weapon, Hunter leads the Big 12 in receptions with 92 for 1,152 yards and a league-best 14 touchdowns. As a cornerback, he is one of the best in the country, accounting for four interceptions, a forced fumble, 32 tackles and a top 12 of 11 passes defended.

Given his expected ability to play both positions – but likely not both – at the next level, he is projected to be selected in the top three of the NFL draft.

Jeanty has emerged in the Heisman Trophy conversation thanks to a monster season that helped lead Boise State to a No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff. Jeanty, the two-time Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, leads the FBS in both rushing yards (2,497 at 7.3 yards per carry) and rushing touchdowns (29). For comparison, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton is a distant second with 1,660 yards.

With at least one game left to play, Jeanty has her sights set on Sanders’ (Oklahoma State, 1988) record for rushing yards (2,628).

In his first season at Oregon since transferring from Oklahoma, Gabriel led the Ducks into the CFP (13-0) as the No. 1 seed and the only undefeated team in the country. He has completed 73.2% of his passes for 3,558 yards with 28 touchdowns and six interceptions. He added 192 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.

As a quarterback, Gabriel led the Ducks to victories over then-No. 2 Ohio State and ahead of No. 3 Penn State in the Big Ten championship game on Saturday.

Ward was an early favorite for the Heisman Trophy, but fell away in analysts’ eyes in recent weeks along with Miami’s fortunes. The Hurricanes lost two of their last three games against Georgia Tech and Syracuse, dropping them out of the CFP rankings.

Regardless, Ward posted an outstanding season, completing 67.4% of his passes for 4,123 yards, throwing an ACC-best 36 touchdowns and seven interceptions for a Miami team that finished 10-2 and ranked No. 15 nationally his pop event stands. Tarts Bowl matchup against Iowa State.