The Kansas Jayhawks snubbed Baker Mayfield in the pre-game handshake, so he let them know emphatically why he’s running the 2017 Heisman Trophy race.
One thing that coaches preach what seems like weekly in college football is not to give your opponent bulletin board material. It’s just unwise to add motivation unnecessarily. That’s especially the case, though, when you’re talking about giving a Heisman Trophy candidate who plays with a chip on his shoulder motivation. Yet, the one-win Kansas Jayhawks didn’t shy away from giving Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield proverbial bulletin board material.
As the captains met at midfield, Mayfield held up his duties as a leader and reached across to shake the hands of the Kansas players. They didn’t budge, refusing to do so. In that moment immediately, Mayfield began shaking his head and getting heated up. Not that the Sooners and Mayfield needed an extra boost, but the Jayhawks provided it and were dismantled as a result.
Of course, Mayfield wasn’t the only Heisman Trophy candidate in action on Saturday in Week 12. There were plenty more, and many of them stepped up with big-time performances at a crucial point in the 2017 season as the home-stretch is coming to a close.
Now that we’re heading into the vaunted Week 13 of the season, though, how does the 2017 Heisman Trophy race shake out? Let’s again take a look at the Heisman Watch to see who’s in the running, and why you should definitely shake Baker Mayfield’s hand when he offers it.
5. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
After the first game of the season for the Wisconsin Badgers, it would’ve been hard to guess that 5-foot-11, 214-pound freshman Jonathan Taylor would’ve become the featured part of their offense. Even though they were rolling through Utah State, he still only touched the ball nine times, though he did run for 87 yards and a score. Since then, however, he’s done nothing but earn respect week after week.
However, the question for the Badgers and for Taylor was what would happen when they were faced with true, stiff competition. That question was answered on Saturday as they took on the Michigan Wolverines and a defense that is still one of the better units in the country. Wisconsin won, of course, but Taylor was the driving force for the offense and kept them moving throughout the day as he took 19 carries for 132 yards, his eighth 100-yard rushing game on the season.
Taylor hasn’t just been prolific this season, but he’s been consistent, which that string of 100-yard games undoubtedly showcases. Overall, though, Taylor has 1,657 on 238 carries with 12 trips to the end zone. When you take that and couple it with the 11-0 record for the Badgers and what the freshman running back has meant to that success, it’s hard to see him not getting the nod as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.