Heisman Watch 2017: 3 reasons why Baker Mayfield will take home award

2. Mayfield’s team won Big 12 title to earn spot in College Football Playoff

Winning isn’t everything in the Heisman race. Players like Robert Griffin III, Lamar Jackson, and Tim Tebow have won the award in recent seasons despite failing to get to 10 wins. Dynamic play is dynamic play, no matter where it takes place or how highly ranked one’s team may be in the standings.

But winning certainly helps solidify a Heisman case, and Mayfield has done plenty of maturing over the course of another Big 12 championship season. He will be forgiven for his antics in the win over Kansas, which led to his being benched the following week for the opening drive against West Virginia.

Mayfield was an instrumental cog in Lincoln Riley’s run to the conference title in his first year as a head coach. His play, not just efficient but also voluminous, helped pressure opposing defenses and opened up the field for his skill players.

While winning isn’t the most critical factor in the Heisman vote, it certainly does matter to pundits. With big-time performances week in and week out, Mayfield put Oklahoma in position to play for the national title in his new head coach’s first year at the helm. Like Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota in recent years, Mayfield’s Heisman-level statistical output translated to a conference title and a shot at the national championship.