Ashton Jeanty has an additional opportunity to influence opinions while Travis Hunter remains sidelined.

In the recent voting conducted among 27 writers and editors, all participants placed Hunter in the top position, awarding him the maximum score of 81 points. Votes that had previously gone to Ashton Jeanty and Cam Ward shifted to Hunter this week, following his impressive performance in the Colorado season finale, where he recorded three touchdown receptions, an interception, and two pass break-ups in a decisive 52-0 victory over Oklahoma State.

Coach Deion Sanders remarked that Hunter had "clinched the Heisman," a statement that, while perhaps premature, underscores the strength of Hunter's concluding performance—though it is noted that his Heisman pose could use refinement to more closely resemble the trophy itself. It would have been beneficial for Hunter to receive additional support from his team, the Buffaloes, to secure a spot in the Big 12 title game, which ultimately did not happen. Meanwhile, Jeanty is set to compete on Friday for No. 11 Boise State (11-1) against No. 22 UNLV (10-2) in the Mountain West title game, providing him an opportunity to make a final impression on a national audience. To sway opinions, he would need a performance of extraordinary magnitude, such as rushing for 341 yards to achieve a total of 2,629 for the season and surpass Barry Sanders’ single-season NCAA rushing record. However, Jeanty experienced a setback in the straw poll this week after accumulating 226 yards and a touchdown in a victory over Oregon State, raising the stakes for his upcoming game. The path to altering perceptions is indeed challenging. The leading rusher in the nation received 25 second-place votes and two third-place votes, totaling 50 points. The voting methodology employed by The Athletic mirrors that of the Heisman, assigning three points for a first-place vote, two points for a second-place vote, and one point for a third-place vote.

Jeanty is assured of his trip to New York and is likely to secure second place by a comfortable margin. This year lacks a clear candidate for third place, which will add intrigue to the voting process and the selection of candidates invited to New York. Following his defeat at Syracuse, Miami quarterback Cam Ward's poll standing plummeted from 15 points to six, placing him in fifth position behind Penn State tight end Tyler Warren, who has eight points, and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who has seven points. Consequently, Ward will miss the opportunity to compete in the ACC title game, while Warren and Gabriel will face off for the Big Ten championship in Indianapolis, a scenario made possible by Ohio State's unexpected loss to Michigan, allowing the Nittany Lions to advance. Rising to sixth place in the poll is Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo, who has five points and will have a chance to present his case when the surprising Sun Devils compete against Iowa State for the Big 12 title. Iowa's Kaleb Johnson, with two points, is the third running back among the eight candidates, matching the number of quarterbacks, which now includes a new entrant, South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers, who has received a third-place vote. Although Sellers will not be heading to New York this year, he is expected to be a prominent contender for the award in 2025.