Cowboys snap Sooners’ six Big 12 Championship streak
Oklahoma’s winning this season has been in large measure due to the stellar play of true freshman QB Caleb Williams, but experience trumped raw talent as a senior-laden Oklahoma State defense stifled Williams and the Sooners offense in the second half, holding on to a 37-33 win in Bedlam.
The loss knocks the No. 10 Sooners out of the Big 12 Championship game and eliminates them from any college football playoff consideration.
Oklahoma has won the last six Big 12 championships.
Williams was 20 of 39 passing for 252 yards and three touchdowns. And Oklahoma running back Kennedy Brooks carried for 22 runs for 139 yards.
Most of that offensive production occurred in the first half, which ended in a 24-24 tie. The underdog Oklahoma carried momentum into the locker room at the half.
But the Sooner offense was shut out in the second half. Oklahoma only scored on a muffed punt recovery and a safety.
Oklahoma had 12 penalties for 74 yards. But it was two no-calls by the Big 12 officials in the fourth quarter that had major impact on the play, including a personal foul flag that was picked up by officials which would have continued a Sooner drive, and a later apparent pass interference call in the end zone which wen unnoticed by officials, but not by ABC-ESPN’s former official commentator, who said the Cowboys caught breaks.
Oklahoma State’s defense, which leads the Big 12, sacked Williams six times. They forced the Sooners to punt the ball seven times, the most of the season.
The Sooners had a 33-24 lead until 8:54 in the fourth quarter, but a muffed punt by Eric Gray set up red-zone possession for the Cowboys that enabled what became the winning score on a 1-yard Jaylen Warren run to give OSU a 37-33 lead.
Oklahoma showed some late-game promise when Williams took off 56 yards late in the fourth quarter, setting up a throw into the end zone with 10 seconds remaining. But, OSU defender Collin Oliver grabbed Williams’ ankles and sacked him on the ensuing fourth down to preserve the Oklahoma State victory.
The Cowboys advance to the Big 12 Championship game in Arlington, Texas next week to play No. 8 Baylor. It will be OSU’s first championship appearance in the conference championship game.
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