Baker Mayfield Says Support of Oklahoma Fans 'Means the World' to Him

Oklahoma Sooners senior quarterback Baker Mayfield expressed gratitude for the reaction he received Saturday during Oklahoma's 59-31 win over West Virginia.

Mayfield served a one-series suspension for making an obscene gesture toward the Kansas sideline last week, and he said he appreciated the Oklahoma fans' support when he entered the game Saturday at Memorial Stadium, according to ESPN.com's Jake Trotter: "The love I got when I first went in is something I'll never forget. Means the world to me. Having that fan support, the moment itself for me. ... It's going to be tough knowing I'm not going to play here anymore. But the thing that gets me through it is we've got three more games."

After taking over for Kyler Murray on Oklahoma's second series, Mayfield threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns to further cement himself as the Heisman Trophy front-runner.

Mayfield was also stripped of his captaincy for the game, but as seen in the following photo courtesy of The Athletic's John Middlekauff, captains Orlando Brown and Dimitri Flowers carried Mayfield's jersey with them during the coin toss:

After showing remorse for his actions last week, Mayfield was treated like a hero by the Sooners fans in Norman, Oklahoma, on Saturday.

They chanted for him throughout the game, and Mayfield felt as though their support helped him focus:

"Having the support of the [fans] made me realize I just needed to settle in and do my job. It's more of a relieving feeling from me knowing they're always going to have my back and it's OK for me to grow and learn and move on. If I'm progressing and becoming a better man in front of their eyes, that's something I'm proud of. I'm proud to show I can learn from my mistakes and move forward."

Not only did Saturday's win bolster Mayfield's Heisman candidacy, it also may have put the Sooners in a win-and-they're-in scenario entering the Big 12 Championship Game.

Oklahoma is fourth in the College Football Playoff rankings, and if the Sooners can beat TCU for the Big 12 title, the selection committee will likely be compelled to place it in the CFP, especially on the heels of losses from No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Miami (Fla.).