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Oklahoma losing to Iowa State a death sentence for Baker Mayfield’s Heisman hopes

By Patrick Schmidt

NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 16: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners warms up before the game against the Tulane Green Wave at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Tulane 56-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 16: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners warms up before the game against the Tulane Green Wave at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Tulane 56-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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Baker Mayfield was the Heisman front-runner for much of the first month of the season but now he has no shot and it’s largely a result of his Oklahoma teammates.

Baker Mayfield threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns against Iowa State. Judging by those box score numbers, you’d have to think the Oklahoma Sooners quarterback had a pretty good day and helped his Heisman chances. Oh, but the numbers are deceiving, because the best way to help your Heisman cause is by winning football games. That’s something Mayfield has done in spades since transferring from Texas Tech, but on Saturday, Mayfield and Oklahoma suffered the worst loss of the season, falling 38-31 at home to Iowa State.

This was the first time Oklahoma lost to Iowa State in 18 years and marked the first road win for Iowa State against a top-five win. In other words, this is a stunning loss that will be impossible to forget for Heisman voters. Mayfield is a great college quarterback and he’ll have some great games the rest of the year, but the loss will end their hopes of getting back to the College Football Playoff. Moreover, the collective failures of the team and coaching staff will signal an end to any Heisman talk for the redshirt senior quarterback.

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Mayfield is hoping to be a finalist for the third straight year and join Tim Tebow in that distinction, but unlike Tebow, Mayfield won’t have the bronze statue in his trophy room. It’s unfortunate an individual award can be lost because of the merits of his team, but then again, that’s the way it’s always been, or for the most part.

Lamar Jackson won last year despite three losses. Tebow won with three losses and Robert Griffin III won despite Baylor losing three times. It happens, but this one loss really feels like a handful because of how bad Iowa State has traditionally been.

Here lies Baker Mayfield’s Heisman campaign. Born September Sept. 9 against Ohio State. Died Oct. 7 against Iowa State.

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