Both players sport +185 odds on FanDuel, leading one to believe they're neck and neck in the Heisman Trophy race heading into Week 11, with Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel (+350) and running back Ashton Jeanty of Boise State (+500) a somewhat distant third and fourth. Ward and Gabriel are seniors; Hunter and Jeanty have another year of college eligibility ahead of them.
Both players are great, and playing both sides of the ball as Hunter (wide receiver and cornerback) does is an admirable addition to any player's résumé. But if you ask Miami New Times, the smart money's on Ward to hear his name called at the 2024 Heisman Trophy ceremony on Saturday, December 14. When it comes to which of the two top candidates most deserves the Heisman, there should be no debate.
Here's why Ward, not Hunter, deserves to hoist the Heisman Trophy at season's end.
Numbers Don't Lie
Travis Hunter may play two positions on the football field, but less isn't always more. Look no further than one of Ward's targets in Miami to find a player putting up more significant numbers on the offensive side of the football.Hunter's receiving stats don't even exceed Miami's Xavier Restrepo, who boasts 856 yards and nine touchdowns. Hunter's versatility is impressive, but numbers matter if we're talking about a Heisman. Feelings be damned.
Ward's numbers tell the story of a true Heisman contender. Leading the nation in touchdown passes with 29 and second in total passing yards (3,146), Ward is setting the pace in college football.
Advantage: Cam Ward
MVPs Win Games
The Heisman Trophy winner traditionally comes from teams at the top of the national title hunt. Ward fits the bill, while Hunter and Colorado are barely hanging on to hopes of playing for a conference crown, much less a national title.Miami is a spotless 9-0, and Ward is the driving force behind multiple comeback victories. Colorado is a 5-2 football team — one win coming via Hail Mary — and owners of slim playoff hopes, even as the field has expanded to 12 teams this year for the first time.
Ward's performance has kept Miami on the path to the playoffs. That's what MVPs do while putting up big numbers. That's what spells a Heisman winner.
Advantage: Cam Ward
QB > WR/CB
Pressure makes diamonds. But it also makes Heisman Trophy winners.Travis Hunter may play double the snaps Cam Ward takes each game, but the pressure-per-snap is lopsided in the direction of Miami's signal caller. There is no more important position in all of sports than quarterback. They're the pitcher, catcher, and point guard all wrapped in one.
Shadowing wide receivers on the 100th-best team in the NCAA simply does not compare to the pressure of touching the ball on every snap for the University of Miami.
Advantage: Cam Ward
Playoff Picture: Missing Hunter
The NCAA is a business, and like the NFL or NBA, the organization certainly wants to run marketing campaigns around its Heisman Trophy winner playing for a title, not preparing for the CVS Bowl in New Mexico and the NFL draft.The Heisman should go to a player who elevates his team to greatness, which would mean participating in the expanded 12-team playoff field this season. It's almost a given that Miami will be a part of that tournament and that Colorado, currently ranked No. 21, will not.
Advantage: Cam Ward
Strength of Opponents
More wins versus better opponents — seems like a box every Heisman Trophy winner would want to check.If not for Florida State being all-time bad (1-8!), Miami would still have a Top 20 strength of schedule. Still, as of today, it sits in the top 50.
Ward has faced one of the most demanding schedules in the nation and thrived, showing up against top-tier competition and delivering impressive numbers under pressure. He's climbing all-time leading passer lists after just nine games.
On the flip side, Hunter and Colorado have the 80th-ranked strength of schedule in the nation.
If the idea is to play the best against the best in the biggest games college football has to offer, the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy should be Cam Ward — in a landslide. Not Travis Hunter.
Advantage: Cam Ward
