Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty continued his record-chasing run to Heisman Trophy frontrunner status Saturday night in the No. 21 Broncos’ 62-30 win over visiting Utah State.
Jeanty surpassed 1,000 rushing yards on the season on just his 90th carry and produced 186 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 13 attempts in the first half of the blowout win. He tied an FBS record in needing just five games to achieve 1,000 rushing yards.
“First off, Ashton Jeanty? Best player in the country. Next question,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said.
The junior running back has rushed for 1,031 yards and 16 touchdowns on 10.9 yards per carry for the 4-1 Broncos and is now averaging 206.2 rushing yards per game. His 1,031 yards through five games rank eighth most in FBS history, according to ESPN Research.
Jeanty turned his first carry vs. Utah State into a 63-yard touchdown and then broke a 75-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter, breaking the Mountain West single-season record for 70-yard rushing TDs in a season with his fourth. Jeanty has seven rushes of 60 or more yards on the year, tied for most in FBS in a single season over the last 20 years.
Boise State did not play Jeanty in the second half after it took a 49-17 lead into halftime. He also sat out the second half of the Broncos’ 56-14 win over FCS Portland State.