When No. 13 Boise State and San Jose State vie on Saturday in a pivotal Mountain West showdown, it will feature two of the most productive players in college football.
Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty is a firm Heisman Trophy contender with a FBS-leading 1,734 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground in nine games. He is more than 60% of the way to the all-time records set by Barry Sanders in both categories. On the other sideline, Spartans wide receiver Nick Nash is quietly putting together the best season by a receiver in college football.
Nash has caught 86 passes for 1,156 yards and 13 touchdowns, all marks that led the nation heading into Week 12. The senior has posted at least 90 yards and a touchdown in all but one game this season and exploded for 33 catches for 377 yards and five touchdowns during an absurd two-game stretch against Kennesaw State and Washington State.
The last time the Group of Five fielded the nation’s top rusher and receiver was during the 2022 season, when Air Force running back Brad Roberts and Houston wide receiver Nathaniel Dell pulled off the feat. No Mountain West player has led either category since San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny in 2017.
The last time one conference produced the country’s top rusher and receiver in the same year was the WAC in 1992. That year, San Diego State running back Marshall Faulk and Wyoming receiver Ryan Yarborough led their respective categories.
Both Jeanty and Nash’s production have been critical to breakout seasons for their teams. Jeanty’s Boise State is on the cusp of the College Football Playoff if it is able to win the Mountain West. San Jose State has already clinched a bowl game in the first year under coach Ken Niumatalolo.
Jeanty sits more than 400 yards ahead of the No. 2 rusher, Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, but Nash’s race is much closer. Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. technically passed Nash in total yardage after playing a weekday game, but Nash will take it back if he records at least 15 yards against the Broncos.
The expanded CFP will also factor into final stats as teams could now conceivably play as many as four additional games to rack up total stats. Lucky for each, no other player ranked in the top 10 of their respective categories is projected to make the CFP, giving the Mountain West a clear path to make history.
