Heisman Trophy 2011: Underdog Image Guides Robert Griffin III to Heisman

Of the top three Heisman finalists on Saturday, Baylor's Robert Griffin III was undoubtedly the underdog of the group.

While Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck and Alabama running back Trent Richardson already had branded their names on the college football landscape, Griffin was largely unnoticed before this season.

And that may have ultimately helped Griffin win the 77th Heisman Trophy.

Let me be clear. Griffin did all of this himself, and he was one of my top two finalists for the award (the other being Richardson).

But...

Richardson, and maybe even Luck, were also deserving. All three candidates had amazing seasons, with Richardson headed to the BCS Championship Game against No. 1 LSU.

Everybody loves an underdog story. It's what makes sports great, when those who garnered little respect prove everyone wrong through sheer determination and will.

That is why, although I believe Richardson deserved the award, it wasn't a surprise for me when Griffin won the Heisman on Saturday. In fact, I was happy about it, and I'm rarely happy when I feel the award ultimately went to the wrong guy.

Of course, some believe Griffin deserved the award outright, and I can certainly understand that sentiment. He was, after all, a huge part of Baylor ending the season ranked No. 12 this season. In some ways, he mirrored Cam Newton's impact with the Auburn Tigers last season.

But I think when you ask most people, if you have to choose between two equally deserving candidates, and one of them rose out of nowhere, people are going to go with the underdog. It's just our general nature, to applaud the ability to defy the odds through hard work.

However, it's safe to say Griffin is not an underdog anymore.