WACO, TEXAS, Sporting Alert – Missed the thrilling Big 12 battle between No. 12 Oklahoma and No. 6 Baylor? No worries. You can watch the video replay on ESPN3 and WatchESPN.
The Sooners came into the game as the underdogs, but left Waco, Texas with a 44-34 victory, which not only sounded a strong the statement to selection committee, but perhaps proved to the rest of their Big 12 rivals that they are the best team in the conference.
But are they a playoff contender?
Head coach Bob Stoops seems to think so.
“Go into their backyard on a night like [Saturday] tonight and play this way, you know, we’re one of those teams that has a chance,” Stoops said.
“Again, you come into an undefeated team ranked that high, waiting on you, and win by 10. It’s got to be a positive.”
Baker Mayfield completed 24 of 34 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for another 76 yards and a score to lead the way for Oklahoma (9-1) in the road win.
Defeat saw the Bears (8-1) falling for the first time this season, while the Sooners ended their Big 12 rivals’ home win streak of 20 games – handing Baylor its first defeat in Waco, since October 2012 — which will likely end the hosts’ college football playoff chances.
Sterling Shepard had 14 catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns, while Samaje Perine ran for 166 yards and two scores on 28 carries for Oklahoma, which won five in a row since the upsetting defeat to Texas earlier this season.
But while the Sooners will be celebrating on their trip back to Norman, they will know their win was not only a damaging defeat for Baylor, but one in which hurt the Big 12 college football playoff chances even more.
The odds have certainly dropped for this league with only Oklahoma State left with an ideal chance of breaking into the top four.
The Cowboys stayed undefeated on Saturday after rallying from a 17-point deficit to steal a 35-31 victory over Iowa State and they will need to win the rest of its remaining fixtures and hope that something crazy happens in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, for Baylor, Jarrett Stidham passed for 257 yards and two touchdowns and Shock Linwood ran 21 times for 103 yards in the defeat.
In other Big 12 college football scores, No. 15 TCU survived a late rally by Kansas to pick up a 23-17 win, but quarterback Trevone Boykin left the game early with an injury.
The defeat also saw the Jayhawks stayed winless after 10 games this season.
BIG 12 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCORES
WEEK 11, NOV. 14
NO. 12 OKLAHOMA 44, NO. 6 BAYLOR 34
NO. 8 OKLAHOMA STATE 35, IOWA STATE 31
NO. 15 TCU 23, KANSAS 17
WEST VIRGINIA 38, TEXAS 20
TEXAS TECH 59, KANSAS STATE 44
