The Undeniable Heisman Case for Sun Devils Star Cam Skattebo

© Jerome Miron/USA Today Sports

The Heisman Trophy finalists were announced this past week with Colorado Buffaloes two-way athlete Travis Hunter, Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty, Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward being named the final four candidates.

The four players just mentioned have had fantastic seasons. Hunter is arguably the best two-way player we’ve seen in the 21st century. Jeanty is on the cusp of breaking Oklahoma legend Barry Sanders’ rushing yards record held for over 30 years. Gabriel has led Oregon to the top overall seed in the College Football Playoff. And Ward? He's arguably has been the best quarterback in college football this season.

However, one name left off the list of finalists has his team in the College Football Playoff. He has the

second-most all-purpose yards in FBS, the fifth-most rushing yards and the eighth-most rushing touchdowns. He also has been one of the most successful FCS-to-FBS transfers ever. Who is it? That name is Arizona Sun Devils running back Cam Skattebo.

A Meteoric Rise

Skattebo is perhaps the most notable name left off the Heisman finalists list. The accolades include leading his team, picked to finish last in the Big 12 Conference, to a conference title and College

Football Playoff berth. Also, the overall story of Skattebo is worthy of being recognized by such a

prestigious award.

Skattebo started his career with the Sacramento State Hornets in 2021. He immediately made an

impression, rushing for 57 carries, 520 yards (a 9.1 yards per carry average) and 6 TDs. In 2022, he had his first 1,000-yard rushing season, rushing for 195 carries, 1,372 yards, 7.2 yards per carry and 7 TDs.

Skattebo’s talent did not go unnoticed being at the FCS level. After deciding to transfer in early 2023,

Skattebo signed with Arizona State, a team struggling to get back their identity in the 2020s. A 3-9

season found the Sun Devils scrounging for diamonds in the rough. Skattebo did not burst onto the

scene as immediately as he did with his FCS career, rushing for 164 carries, 783 yards and 4.8 yards per

attempt. He did score 9 TDs but that did not stop the Sun Devils from going 3-9 once again.

The Sun Devils were due for a change and that change came when Kenny Dillingham was hired to be

the next head football coach for Arizona State in early 2024. A fiery, “player-first” type of guy who had a

deep personal connection to the program growing up in Phoenix, this hire made plenty of sense even

when Dillingham had zero head coaching experience anywhere.

Dillingham and Skattebo brought a certain energy to this Arizona State program, an energy not seen since the days of Brock Osweiler in the early 2010s. This team was bent on proving doubters wrong and there were plenty of them going into a new conference that looked to be one of the most competitive conferences in the FBS going into 2024. The Big 12 was daunting, but nothing that Skattebo and Dillingham couldn’t handle.

“You look at the teams that have continually won in this league and college football that are joining this

league, it’s teams that are tough and training and teaching our kids how to respond to adversity, the

good and the bad. Those are the things that we’ve been harping on the last year.” Dillingham stated at

Big 12 Media Days.

Cam Skattebo Welcomed Underdog Role

“I’ve always been the underdog, and nobody respects the fact that I’m the best running back in the

country,” Skattebo said to CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah.

Both men were out to prove doubters wrong. They did just that by posting some of the best

numbers that the Sun Devils' program has ever seen. Dillingham led Arizona State to a 10-2 finish and Big 12 title, the program’s best season since 2014. Skattebo will likely post a single-season program best in rushing yardage and all-purpose yards. He was the main driver behind the Sun Devils’ success, complemented by the talents of freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt, who finished as an

All-Big 12 second-teamer and threw for over 2,600 yards and 24 TDs.

Yet, even after all this success that the Sun Devils and Skattebo saw, they still see disrespect. No one expects the Sun Devils to make a deep run in the CFP. Skattebo was named an All-Big 12 first-team running back, yes, but that’s about all the recognition he has received in terms of awards. No Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and is hardly being talked about as one of the nation’s best running backs when he has shown that he most certainly is.

Cam Skattebo: Always the Underdog

It is a shame to many that the player with the second-most all-purpose yards, who led his underdog team to a conference title and made a borderline seamless jump from the FCS to the FBS to become one of

the said FBS program’s best players of all time, is left off as Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, let alone the Heisman finalist list.

Dominating the nation’s foremost offensive conference, where you stand out above the likes of Devin

Neal, DJ Giddens, RJ Harvey and Tahj Brooks, should get you your flowers. Being named First-Team All-

Big 12 is certainly a start, but Skattebo’s efforts deserve more. It’s an incredibly tough decision and this

year’s race is perhaps one of the tightest races we’ve seen in recent memory, but Skattebo deserves to

be a part of the conversation.

The stats, story, leadership and accolades speak for themselves. Skattebo was arguably the Big 12’s best

overall player, best overall story and Arizona State deserved representation in the Heisman race. Seeing how Skattebo and the Sun Devils perform in this year’s College Football Playoff will make that all the more prevalent.

While two of the four Heisman finalists sit at home, Skattebo will be competing for a national title. This

is perhaps the most damning evidence of Skattebo’s Heisman snub. The disrespect is astounding and unwarranted, with the stats and accolades to back up that claim. Skattebo went "from underdog to undeniable" as Jeyarajah states in his aforementioned feature. As Skattebo himself said before though, he’s still an underdog and, with that, comes a chip on the shoulder. He will, once again, be out to prove doubters wrong this postseason.