Heisman Trophy 2011: Why Robert Griffin III Is More Deserving Than Andrew Luck

One jaw-dropping victory against Landry Jones and Oklahoma allowed Robert Griffin III to come out of nowhere and yank the Heisman from Andrew Luck's grasp.

With Brandon Weeden, Luck, LaMichael James and Kellen Moore all tasting defeat at the hands of underdogs in recent weeks, voters are no longer distracted by unblemished records and one-loss teams are few and far between.

While everyone crumbled, Griffin rose to the occasion.

Luck is an incredible talent, but his limited weapons hinder his skills and he's looked the worst in big games. USC and Oregon gave him fits, and while his 330 yards and three touchdowns against the Trojans look nice with a victory, those who watched the game know that his numbers were inflated by three overtime periods and he was uncomfortable for the majority of the game.

Stanford remained undefeated going into their game against Oregon and would have been a lock for the second spot in the BCS Title Game, but the Stanford offensive line that features future first-round picks David DeCastro and Jonathan Martin couldn't protect Luck.

A multi-pick game proved Luck was human, while the verdict is still out on RGIII.

The reason why Griffin wasn't in the Heisman picture last week was because there was no single game that you could watch and say "that guy is a Heisman Trophy winner."

That all changed on Saturday.

Griffin threw for an astonishing 479 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions and added another 72 yards on the ground. He got involved in a shootout with Jones and outperformed him in every way imaginable, taking over the game and willing Baylor to a victory over a would-be title contender.

It was his shining moment and now he has a signature performance to go along with his body of work. Griffin is a more worthy candidate than Luck.

Here is an excerpt directly out of the Heisman Trust mission statement that outlines why:

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"The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance and hard work."

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Both of them fit that description, but let's not get caught up in Luck's draft stock, his cannon for an arm, his polish or his upside. This isn't a lifetime achievement award.

Griffin now has 3,572 yards and 33 touchdowns, while Luck has 2,937 yards and 31 touchdowns. Statistically, Griffin has the edge, but more importantly, his performance against the Sooners dwarfs any one performance Luck has put forth.

Luck is a better quarterback, but he's been outperformed this season. His future is bright and he has unlimited potential heading into the next level, but voters have to recognize that Griffin is more deserving of the Heisman.