Six days and counting till the kickoff to the 2022 Oklahoma football season. Today we focus on OU’s most popular No. 6, Baker Mayfield.
After sitting out as a transfer in 2014, Mayfield won the quarterback battle over Trevor Knight to become the Sooner’s starting quarterback, and the rest is history.
What makes Mayfield’s Sooner career more inspiring is that he didn’t tell a single coaching staff member that he was coming. The Texas Tech transfer enrolled at Oklahoma as a student without talking to Head Coach Bob Stoops.
"“I went up to him and shook his hand and said, ‘Coach, I’m Baker Mayfield,’” he said. “He looked at me kind of like, ‘Wow, he really is here.’”"
Head Coach Bob Stoops responded:
Mayfield ranks seventh in FBS in career passing yards with 14,607. His 12,292 career passing yards with Oklahoma ranks second at OU, behind former quarterback Landry Jones. Mayfield threw 119 touchdown passes to only 21 interceptions at Oklahoma and finished with a passing efficiency of 189.39. From a walk-on to a Heisman Trophy winner, let’s look back at the best moments of Baker Mayfield.
The Birth of Baker
We saw Baker grow in front of our eyes on Sept. 12, 2015, in Knoxville. It looked like a sure win for Tennessee through three quarters, but Mayfield and the Sooners stepped on the accelerator in the fourth quarter.
Mayfield rallied his troops from a 17-3 deficient in the fourth quarter, leaving Knoxville with a 31-24 double overtime win. Mayfield finished the evening with 189 passing yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. The stats don’t show Mayfield’s impact and unforgettable plays in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Extending plays is a characteristic Mayfield was flawless at. The Sooners were facing a 3rd down on Tennessee’s two-yard line, and Mayfield found Samaje Perine at the last possible minute in the back of the end zone to pinch the Sooners deficient. Mayfield made a college career delivering in the clutch moments; we’ve seen it time and time again. With 0:40 seconds in the fourth, Mayfield found Sterling Shepard on a corner fade for a touchdown, which tied the game 17-17 and sent it to overtime.
“What a gutsy he’s been in the fourth quarter and overtime,” CBS Sports commentator Brad Nessler said on Mayfield’s quarterback keeper. After Tennessee scored on the opening overtime drive, the Sooners were faced with a 4th down on the one-yard line, and Mayfield kept the ball and dove in for the touchdown.
On the 2nd overtime possession, Mayfield would find Shepard on an out route, and Shepard would do the rest. It would seal the comeback victory for Oklahoma and start the astonishing career of Baker Mayfield.
The Flag Plant at “The Shoe”
If you want to point out the best performance in Mayfield’s career, it’s at “The Horseshoe” against #2 Ohio State. Mayfield was phenomenal vs. the Buckeyes, finishing the evening 27-for-35 for 386 yards and two touchdowns. He had a jaw-dropping 94.1 QBR rating, which is shortly behind perfection.
Mayfield’s big night was the first of many unforgettable moments in his senior season. After the early statement win at Ohio Stadium, Mayfield had College Football in a frenzy with the flag plant at midfield. After jogging around the stadium with the Oklahoma flag, Mayfield was surrounded by all his teammates and planted the flag at the “O” at the 50-yard line. “We too deep, OU. We too deep, OU”, the chants making their way after the flag plant.
The Game Winner to Andrews vs. Texas
Down 23-24 with 7:04 left in the 4th quarter, Mayfield found a wide-open Mark Andrews for a 59-yard touchdown, giving Texas fans a moment of misery. Mayfield finished his final Red River Rivalry 17-for-27, 302 yards, and two touchdowns. Despite blowing a 20-point lead, the 12th-ranked Sooners held on to beat Texas, and Mayfield delivered on the big stage again.
Baker Mayfield has arguably left the most significant impact on Oklahoma Football as a player. No. 6 has given Sooner fans some memorable moments that will never be forgotten.