Baker Mayfield Tops Bryce Love, Wins 2017 AP College Football Player of the Year

The Associated Press named Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield the AP College Football Player of the Year on Thursday.

Mayfield earned 51 of a possible 56 first-place votes with Stanford running back Bryce Love finishing second, Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson placing third and Penn State running back Saquon Barkley coming in fourth.

Mayfield was named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy along with Love and Jackson, and he is a 1-150 (minus-15,000) favorite to win the award, per OddsShark.

The senior from Austin, Texas, enjoyed a huge season for the Sooners in completing 71.0 percent of his passes for 4,340 yards, 41 touchdowns and five interceptions. Mayfield also produced with his legs by rushing for 310 yards and five scores.

The 12-1 Sooners are the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoff as the Big 12 champions.

Since its establishment in 1998, Mayfield became the fourth Oklahoma player to win the AP College Football Player of the Year award, joining quarterbacks Josh Heupel, Jason White and Sam Bradford.

In winning the award, Mayfield prevented Jackson from becoming the first two-time AP College Football Player of the Year.

A quarterback has now won the award in seven of the past eight years with Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey standing as the only exception in 2015.