SAN JOSE, Calif. – Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty bolstered his Heisman Trophy resume Saturday night by breaking the school’s single-season rushing record in a 42-21 victory against San José State.

Jeanty rushed for 159 yards on 32 carries with three touchdowns, bringing his season total to 1,893 yards in 10 games. He broke the school record set by Jay Ajayi, who ran for 1,823 yards in 14 games in 2014.

“He’s the best football player in the country,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. “He is also a great leader and an elite person.”

The win guaranteed the Broncos, No. 13 in the College Football Playoff rankings, a spot in the Mountain West championship game, meaning Jeanty is on pace to rush for more than 2,400 yards by the time the Heisman Trophy ballots roll around must be submitted. With a bowl game or playoff appearance, Jeanty could challenge Barry Sanders’ 1988 FBS single-season record of 2,628 yards.

“It means a lot,” Jeanty said of the school record. “All the running backs of the past are great and amazing, but keeping up the legacy, the tradition of great running backs at Boise State, I think is a big deal for me.”

Things didn’t start well for the Broncos and Jeanty against San Jose State. He was limited to 19 yards on his first nine carries as Boise State fell behind 14-0. But after the Spartans failed to convert on fourth down and reach a 21-0 lead, the Broncos began to find their footing.

Jeanty put together a strong drive to finish the half, which he capped with a 2-yard score to tie the game with 38 seconds before halftime.

“(The challenge) every week wears the defense down,” Jeanty said. “We have 8-man boxes, 9-man boxes, so not that many big runs, but if we can grind them down and tire them out over the course of the game, those big runs will come.”

That’s what happened against SJSU. In the second half, Jeanty had runs of 36, 12, 13 and 11 yards, and the Spartans couldn’t keep pace despite quarterback Walker Eget passing for 446 yards.

Boise State (9-1, 6-0 MW) travels to Wyoming next week before closing the regular season at home against Oregon State on Nov. 29.