Honestly, looking back at what happened on the blue turf in 2024, it feels less like a football season and more like a glitch in the Matrix. We’ve seen great running backs at Boise State before—guys like Jay Ajayi and Doug Martin were absolute units—but Ashton Jeanty was something else entirely.
He didn't just play; he demolished every defensive scheme thrown his way.
By the time the dust settled on the 2024 season, ashton jeanty boise state stats weren't just impressive; they were historic. He finished the year with 2,601 rushing yards. Just let that sink in for a second. That is the second-most rushing yards in a single season in the history of the FBS. He was only 28 yards away from catching the legendary Barry Sanders. 28 yards. That’s basically two or three decent carries.
It’s kind of wild to think about how close he came to the "unbreakable" record.
Breaking Down the Ashton Jeanty Boise State Stats That Matter
People tend to look at the total yardage and stop there, but the real story is in the efficiency and the sheer volume of work he handled. Jeanty wasn't just a volume shooter; he was a home-run hitter who also happened to be the team's primary engine.
He carried the ball 374 times. That is a massive workload for any human being, yet he still averaged 7.0 yards per carry. Usually, when a back gets that many touches, their average starts to dip because defenses know exactly what’s coming. Not with Jeanty. He was still ripping off 70-yard touchdowns in the fourth quarter when everyone in the stadium knew he was getting the rock.
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The 2024 Statistical Masterpiece:
- Rushing Yards: 2,601 (1st in NCAA)
- Rushing Touchdowns: 29
- Yards Per Game: 185.8
- Total Touchdowns: 30
- All-Purpose Yards: 2,750
If you want to talk about "clutch," look at his fourth-quarter numbers. He led the entire nation in fourth-quarter rushing yards with 679. When the game was on the line and the defense was tired, Jeanty somehow found another gear. He had five different touchdown runs of over 70 yards, which tied a record set by LaDainian Tomlinson. That’s the kind of company he’s keeping now.
Why He Was a Nightmare for Defenses
I’ve talked to a few scouts who say the scariest part about Jeanty isn't his speed—it’s his contact balance.
According to PFF, he recorded 1,970 yards after contact in 2024. Think about that. If you took away every single yard he gained before a defender touched him, he still would have led the country in rushing. It’s basically like trying to tackle a bowling ball covered in dish soap. He forced 152 missed tackles.
Most teams try to stop a guy like this by "stacking the box," which basically means putting seven or eight guys right at the line of scrimmage. Jeanty faced a stacked box on 266 of his carries. He still averaged nearly 7 yards per carry against those looks. Basically, it didn't matter how many people you put in his way; he was going to find a gap or just run through someone's face.
The Heisman Race and the "G5" Tax
There is a lot of debate about whether Jeanty should have won the Heisman. He ended up as the runner-up to Colorado’s Travis Hunter, which honestly, is nothing to be ashamed of. Hunter is a generational two-way talent. But Jeanty’s 2,017 points in the voting—including 309 first-place votes—showed that the Heisman voters finally started respecting Group of 5 (G5) players again.
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He was the first G5 player to finish second in the Heisman race since Marshall Faulk back in 1992.
Major Awards Won in 2024:
- Doak Walker Award (Best RB in the nation)
- Maxwell Award (Player of the Year)
- Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year
- Unanimous All-American
Winning the Maxwell while losing the Heisman is a bit of a quirk, but it proves that many experts viewed him as the single most impactful player in college football, regardless of position.
From Boise to the Big Leagues
The Raiders didn't overthink it. In the 2025 NFL Draft, they took Jeanty with the 6th overall pick.
It’s rare to see a running back go that high these days because the NFL usually treats the position as replaceable. But when you have a guy who has the vision of Barry Sanders and the slipperiness of Alvin Kamara, you don't pass that up. The Raiders were dead last in rushing the year before, and Jeanty was the immediate answer.
His college career ended with 4,769 rushing yards and 50 rushing touchdowns. He owns the Boise State record book now. Every significant rushing record at that school has his name next to it.
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Final Career Totals at Boise State (2022-2024):
- Games Played: 40
- Rushing Yards: 4,769
- Rushing TDs: 50
- Receptions: 80
- Receiving Yards: 862
- Receiving TDs: 6
He wasn't just a "runner." He was a safety valve in the passing game and a willing pass protector. That’s why he’s succeeding in the pros now.
What This Means for Your Scouting or Fantasy Strategy
If you're tracking Jeanty's transition to the NFL or just looking back at his legacy, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, ignore the "small school" narrative. He put up 192 yards and three touchdowns against Oregon—the team that finished #1 in the country during the regular season. He played his best against the best.
Second, the volume he handled at Boise State is a double-edged sword. While it showed he's a workhorse, it’s a lot of "tread off the tires." However, his ability to avoid direct hits by using his elite contact balance might actually give him a longer career than your typical power back.
If you're looking for more details on specific game logs or want to compare his 2024 campaign to other historical seasons, you should check out the official Boise State Athletics archives. They have the drive-by-drive data that shows just how much the Broncos relied on him.
The era of Ashton Jeanty at Boise State is over, but the stats he left behind are going to be talked about for decades. He didn't just break records; he changed the way we look at what a running back can do in the modern era.