Fansided

3 reasons Baker Mayfield wins the Heisman Trophy

By Nathaniel Reeves

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 2: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates after defeating the TCU Horned Frogs 41-17 in the Big 12 Championship AT&T Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 2: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates after defeating the TCU Horned Frogs 41-17 in the Big 12 Championship AT&T Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) /
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UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – NOVEMBER 18: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions walks off the field after the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on November 18, 2017 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Penn State defeats Nebraska 56-44. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – NOVEMBER 18: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions walks off the field after the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on November 18, 2017 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Penn State defeats Nebraska 56-44. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /

Other Heisman contenders have fallen off

Heisman races can change dramatically in a matter of weeks, and the narrative during the 2017 campaign went in a different direction around the middle of the season.

For much of September and October, the Heisman Trophy looked to be Saquon Barkley’s to lose. The Penn State star was indeed terrific in the early going, including a superhuman 305-yard performance in a dramatic win over Iowa that looked like Barkley’s Heisman moment.

However, Barkley rushed for just 56 yards on 20 carries in the following game against Indiana, and went over the century mark just two more times over the course of the season. Louisville’s Lamar Jackson has gaudy stats again but lost his chance at a repeat title after the Cardinals suffered three bad losses by mid-October, while San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny with a pair of poor performances in defeats against Fresno State and Boise State.

Mayfield set the tone with the performance against Ohio State and was consistent throughout the entire season with at least 250 yards and two touchdowns in every game. While the Heisman race was likely already finished by conference championship week, Mayfield concluded the season on a high note with over 300 yards and four touchdowns in the win over TCU.

That leaves Love as the main competition, as the Stanford star has been terrific all season long but ever so slightly slowed by an ankle problem in recent weeks. Mayfield’s consistency will provide a big boost, and Barkley’s fade from the early season makes him the favorite.

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