Wisconsin lost to the Minnesota Golden Gophers at home on Friday, ending the season 5-7, its worst since 2001. The Wisconsin Badgers snapped a streak of 23 consecutive game appearances, during which time they won double-digit wins in ten games at times. With Wisconsin’s season ending this weekend, fans were forced to reminisce about the golden days of Badgers football, especially those in the early 2010s highlighted by three straight Rose Bowl appearances.
This weekend, as Boise State Broncos superstar Ashton Jeanty continued his historic, rushing campaign in which he was a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, many Wisco fans took to social media to express their faith in whether the Badgers were great Melvin Gordon did not win the honor in 2014, Jeanty should not have been the favorite. Jeanty is listed as a clear underdog against his leading Heisman contender, two-way Colorado Buffaloes megastar Travis Hunter.
Wisconsin football fans remember Melvin Gordon during Ashton Jeanty’s historic season
According to former legendary Wisconsin Badgers running back Montee Ball via Twitter:
Jeanty deserves the Heisman, but it’s a popularity contest. The award lost its legitimacy after Melvin Gordon’s defeat.
Boise State Broncos representative Ashton Jeanty is having a record-setting season. In his team’s 12 games during the regular season, he rushed for 2,288 yards and 28 touchdowns, which is the best mark in the FBS. At 190.7 rushing yards per game, Jeanty would pace Oklahoma State by breaking Barry Sander’s nearly half-century rushing record (2,628) and win the MWC and CFP titles. However, despite his record-breaking performances, Jeanty remains the clear runner-up to Colorado’s Travis Hunter for the Heisman Trophy Award. Hunter, a two-way player who had unprecedented snaps, led the Big 12 with 11 passes defended, 92 receptions and 14 receiving touchdowns.
But Wisconsin football fans don’t feel sorry for Jeanty because the last great running back, Melvin Gordon, didn’t win the Heisman Trophy in 2014 after a campaign that featured 2,500 players. Wisconsin Badgers fans have flooded social media, comparing Jeanty’s 2024 season to Gordon’s 2014 season.
I’ll be on my deathbed still complaining that Melvin Gordon didn’t win the Heisman in 2014 pic.twitter.com/Zs7uZHp7qw
— Zach Rastall (@zrastall17) November 29, 2024
In case anyone was wondering why Ashton Jeanty isn’t leading in the Heisman race. Let me introduce you to Melvin Gordon.
The last clips are my favorite. pic.twitter.com/NauFxZa94G
— Cyrus Boone (@CyrusBoone_) November 29, 2024
They’ll try to convince you that we’ve never seen anything like Jeanty before… on the right is a guy who hasn’t won the Heisman. Melvin Gordon, in a much tougher conference with more yards and TDs, finished 2nd in the Heisman pic.twitter.com/ZPgRwvwwbD
— Certified Boogeyman (@MaskArcade) November 30, 2024
And you, brother
— Richard Kirtley (@rkirtley87) December 1, 2024
How can you say Jeanty is close to Barry Sanders’ Heisman stats from the 2014 season when he’s nowhere near Melvin Gordon’s stats from the 2014 season, where Gordon finished second in the Heisman voting and played in the Big Ten? pic.twitter.com/HTjSK2vi7H
— Nice (@Thatkidnifty) November 24, 2024
I don’t want to be disrespectful to Ashton Jeanty, but the amount of Heisman talk and hype surrounding his season seems a bit overblown.
He undoubtedly had an incredible year, but what Melvin Gordon did for Wisconsin in 2014 completely outshines him. Let’s not rewrite history.
— Dillon Graff (@DillonGraff) November 30, 2024
For 12 matches.
2014 Melvin Gordon.
Total 2,411 yards
29 tank destroyers
2024 Ashton Jeanty
Total 2,390 yards
29 tank destroyersSo yes, we’ve seen this before and no, Melvin Gordon didn’t win the Heisman.
— Tyler Cintron (@IfUSeekCintron) November 30, 2024
Melvin Gordon had 2,587 yards, 7.5/YPC and 29 TD in 2014 and somehow didn’t win the Heisman https://t.co/yxxVE8Is4r
— Scary Alvarez (@barryistthedon) November 25, 2024
Melvin Gordon in the 2014 regular season for Wisconsin:
It carries LESS
MORE yards
MORE tries
MORE YPC…Facing a B1G schedule and still losing the Heisman to Mariota. Jeanty is competing against a player who has literally had an unprecedented season.
This shouldn’t be close. https://t.co/yZnUrloBo8
— 🃏 (@YOUNGBOY_LUVR69) December 1, 2024
Melvin Gordon also deserved the Heisman. https://t.co/OUOSxojIL3
— Theodore Opichka🐝 (@TheodoreOpichka) November 26, 2024
Melvin Gordon lost to Marcus Mariota in 2014
This year, only one quarterback will likely be in attendance at the Heisman Trophy ceremony: Miami’s Cam Ward and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel. Ward is having a statistically better season, leading the nation with 36 passing touchdowns and seven picks. However, with his team suffering its second loss of the season to Syracuse on Saturday, the Hurricanes will likely be eliminated from the 12-team College Football Playoff, which is a must for the Heisman considering the player doesn’t have a historic record season. Meanwhile, Gabriel’s Oregon Ducks are 12-0 and the best team in the country, but have only scored 31 touchdowns this season.
The award will most likely go to Travis Hunter from Colorado and Ashton Jeanty from Boise State. Jeanty, a superstar running back, has stats similar to Melvin Gordon’s in 2014 with the Wisconsin Badgers. The main difference? Gordon put together one of the most prolific seasons in history, and Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota led the Ducks to the then-four-team College Football Playoff with a total of 57 touchdowns and four interceptions.
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