Heisman Trophy Rankings Week 2: Top 10 Players in the Race

It's always wild to do a ranking of the top players in the Heisman race off of games played in August, but let's set the tone after a riveting first week.

OF COURSE a few of the players on this list aren't going to be within 1,000 miles of an invite to New York once this really kicks in, but if the season were to end right now and we had to fill out our ballots, who have been the top players?

Again, it's been one week and a little extra, and this will certainly get serious in a hurry. But for now, yeah, a Vanderbilt quarterback and a UNLV linebacker among a few of the real favorites.

2024 Heisman Trophy Rankings: Week 2

CFN Week 2 Rankings 1-134

10. Riley Leonard, QB Notre Dame

It’s not about the stats in the 23-13 win over Texas A&M. It’s about the 23-13 win AT Texas A&M. In the crazy environment he was calm, cool, and didn’t make any big mistakes completing 18-of-30 passes for 158 yards to go along with 63 very, very tough rushing yards.

9. Jalen Milroe, QB Alabama

The guy is going to win the Heisman as the leader of the Kalen DeBoer offense. He wasn’t needed for very long in the 63-0 destruction of a WKU team that might win the Conference USA title and be in the mix for the College Football Playoff, completing 7-of-9 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns, and running for 79 yards and two scores.

8. Travis Hunter, WR/CB Colorado

He’s just a tad bit overhyped because of the ESPN PR machine when it comes to all things Colorado, but he was brilliant in the 31-26 win over North Dakota State with seven catches for 132 yards and there touchdown catches - including a Play of the Year brilliant grab - and made three stops.

7. Ollie Gordon, RB Oklahoma State

Don’t blow off his day in the 44-20 win over South Dakota State just because it was against an FCS team. The Jackrabbits are better than - probably - 40ish FBS teams and will be in the thick of a third straight FCS national title. Gordon had to grind to 104 yards and two touchdowns, and caught four passes for 42 yards and a score.

6. Jackson Woodard, LB UNLV

If we’re doing the Heisman Rankings thing based on who deserves it right now, Woodard is the national Defensive Player of the Year. He took over the 27-7 win over Houston with a team-high 11 tackles, a nation-leading three sacks, he broke up a pass, and even returned a kick.

5. Shedeur Sanders, QB Colorado

The guy doesn’t get enough credit for how tough he is, getting tagged on seemingly every play. That was a tough North Dakota State team that Colorado pushed past, and it wouldn’t have happened without Sanders completing 26-of-34 passes for 445 yards and four scores with a pick.

4. Diego Pavia, QB Vanderbilt

Yeah, seriously - if the Heisman voting was done RIGHT NOW after Week One, how is Pavia not on the ballot somewhere? In the shocking victory over Virginia Tech, the New Mexico State transfer completed 12-of-16 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns without a pick, and he ran 26 times for 104 yards and the game-winning touchdown in overtime.

3. Cam Ward, QB Miami

That’s what everyone was hoping for in Game 1 out of Miami’s new star. He completed 26-of-36 passes for 385 yards and three touchdowns with a very weird pick in the Hurricanes were totally dominant in the 41-17 win over Florida. He also ran for 33 yards.

2. Tetairoa McMillan, WR Arizona

Everyone on Arizona got to have some fun in a way-too-interesting 61-39 win over New Mexico. McMillan looked every bit like the first round NFL Draft pick he is with an unstoppable ten-catch, 304-yard, four touchdown day - and he almost had another score.

1. Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise State

The guy is a preseason All-America talent for a reason. In the best game of the weekend - a 56-45 thriller over Georgia Southern - he ran 20 times for 267 yards and six touchdowns. He started out with a 77-yard scoring dash in the first few minutes, and the production kept on going including a 75-yard touchdown run in the fourth to give the Broncos a little breathing room.