Opinion: Cam Skattebo deserves to be a Heisman Finalist

NEW YORK, – Tonight the Heisman Trophy Ceremony will be held in New York City, and four incredible college football players will be in attendance: Ashton Jeanty (RB, Boise State, pictured below), Travis Hunter (WR/DB, Colorado), Dillon Gabriel (QB, Oregon), and Cam Ward (QB, Miami). However, a different Cam will be at home, in Sacramento, preparing for a College Football Playoff game.

Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty runs for a big gain against Oregon State. Jeanty was named a Heisman Finalist, the only running back to make the cut. (Photo by Spencer Barnes/Sun Devil Daily)

Cam Skattebo should be a Heisman Finalist

Editor’s Note: This is an opinion piece. All views and opinions in this story are independently held by the author and do not represent Sun Devil Daily as a whole.

Cam Skattebo is the story of a true underdog. He came out of high school with two offers: Sacramento State and Williams and Mary. Four years later, he is one of the top running backs in the nation and deserves to be recognized as one. After an impressive senior season for the Sun Devils, the Heisman Committee made a mistake by not inviting Skattebo to New York.

Skattebo put a season together that does not happen very often in college football. He put up 1,568 rushing yards and 506 receiving yards while scoring 22 touchdowns. No Heisman-winning running back since 1960 has surpassed 1,500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in a single season. Skattebo is the first FBS player to accomplish that since Christian McCaffrey in 2015 for Stanford. Additionally, Skat played in one less game this season after missing the UCF game with a shoulder injury.

Cam Skattebo Stats & Awards

The only criteria listed for the Heisman trophy is the, “most outstanding college football player.”

During the regular season of college football, there are awards handed out each week. Skattebo won the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week award five separate times during the regular season. Plus, he won the Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Player.

Skattebo’s stats stack up very well against all players in college football. He finished No. 2 in yards from scrimmage, tied for No. 6 in touchdowns and No. 5 in rushing yards.

Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo celebrates a touchdown in the Territorial Cup against Arizona on Nov. 30, 2024. (Photo by Sedona Levy/Sun Devil Daily)

His case is crystal clear. The Sacramento native has been one of the most outstanding players this year in college football. He makes elite-level plays on the field and dons a unique ability to propel his team to victory. He deserves to go to New York City and be a part of the Heisman ceremony.

Brand bias?

One critical part of why Skattebo is not a Heisman finalist is the lack of national attention to Arizona State. The Sun Devils did not begin to get national attention until after they beat No. 16 Kansas St. on the road. The Heisman Voters are members of the media, so when a team like Arizona State flies under the radar majority of the season, it does Skattebo no favors in the Heisman race.

If Skattebo played at the same level as he did this season for the Sun Devils for a bigger brand like Michigan, Alabama, or Oregon, would he have made the cut? It’s hard to tell.

Additionally, it does not help when you have ESPN’s Desmond Howard mocking the Sun Devils on College Gameday.

“I saw that on the rundown (referring to the Arizona State vs BYU game in Gameday’s ‘Pick ‘Em’),” Howard said. “I was like, ‘Why are we picking this game?’ I thought it was a mistake.”

Skattebo’s confidence in himself

Howard and the national media may not believe in Skattebo, but he believes in himself.

“I’ve been disrespected my whole life. I’ve always been the underdog,” Skattebo said after tallying 208 total yards and three touchdowns in the Big 12 Championship. “Nobody respects the fact that I’m the best running back in the country. I’m going to stand on that. If people want to disrespect that, I’m going to keep going and proving people wrong.”

“Whatever NFL team takes me is going to get a gem. I’ll give everything I’ve got for them. Whether winning or losing the Heisman, I should still be in that situation.”

The Heisman Ceremony airs at 6:00 p.m. AZT on ESPN on Saturday, Dec. 14.

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