Heisman finalists will be announced today. Don’t expect to see Cam Skattebo’s name
Dec 9, 2024, 10:46 AM | Updated: 12:19 pm
Four Heisman Trophy finalists will be named on Monday afternoon, but Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo is likely on the outside looking in as a candidate despite making a strong case in the Big 12 title game.
The top eight players in FanDuel’s odds don’t include ASU’s Skattebo as of Monday morning.
Colorado receiver-slash-cornerback Travis Hunter and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty are locks to make the short-list of finalists. Quarterbacks including Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel and Miami’s Cam Ward are next up in the pecking order.
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Skattebo is a darkhorse in the Heisman conversation with the running back sitting second in scrimmage yards (2,074) behind Jeanty (2,613) through conference championship week.
The ASU back hit the Heisman pose after scoring a touchdown in the Sun Devils’ 45-19 route of Iowa State Saturday, then addressed his candidacy for the award given to college football’s most outstanding player at the postgame podium.
“I’ve always been the underdog and nobody respects the fact that I’m the best running back in the country,” he said. “I’m going to stand on that and if people want to disrespect that, I’m going to keep going and I’m going to keep proving people wrong. And whatever NFL team takes me is going to get a gem, and I’m going to give everything I got for them.
“No matter winning the Heisman or losing the Heisman, I should still be in that situation.”
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It’s not that Skattebo has been out of view, just that he has been late to pick up steam in the Heisman conversation.
Jeanty, for example, was clearly in the picture after his 267 yards rushing in Boise State’s opener followed by 192 more in a 37-34 loss to the Oregon Ducks on Sept. 7.
It also hasn’t helped matters that Heisman voting submissions can be entered before conference title games, something college football analyst Brock Huard criticized in the middle of Jeanty running over the UNLV Rebels on Friday night.
Entering the Big 12 title game, ESPN’s college football writers ranked Skattebo fifth in the Heisman hierarchy, but Andrea Adelson pointed out that might be too late.
As Arizona State has begun its rise, so too has Skattebo. After receiving zero votes in our midseason poll, Skattebo sits at No. 5, thanks in large part to the impact he has had on the Sun Devils’ offense. He ranks No. 2 in the nation in all-purpose yards behind Jeanty with 1,681 (1,221 yards rushing, 460 yards receiving).
According to TruMedia, Skattebo ranks No. 2 in the country behind Jeanty in forced missed tackles on rushes, with a whopping 86 through Week 12. (Also consider: He has 49 fewer runs than Jeanty.) One other particularly impressive stat: Skattebo has been the most effective in the fourth quarter. In that quarter, Skattebo has 337 yards rushing, more than any other quarter. Especially eye-opening considering he missed one game and sat out the fourth quarter in two blowout wins.
Skattebo also averages his highest yards per carry in the fourth quarter (6.1) and has more 10-plus-yard runs in the fourth than any other quarter.
Notably next to writers giving Skattebo a mention, ESPNBet at the same time did not even list odds for Skattebo’s candidacy.
The Heisman winner will be named on Saturday.
FanDuel 2024 Heisman Trophy winner odds don’t include ASU RB Cam Skattebo in the top 8
Travis Hunter (Colorado) -4000
Ashton Jeanty (Boise State) +1100
Dillon Gabriel (Oregon) +40000
Kurtis Rourke (Indiana) +50000
Jalen Milroe (Alabama) +50000
Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) +50000
Cameron Ward (Miami Florida) +50000
Bryson Daily (Army) +50000
Heisman odds as of Monday morning before finalists are announced.
