By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
It came down to the last 14 seconds in Stillwater, OK. But when Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked by Oklahoma State’s Collin Oliver on 4th down at the OSU 32, Baylor punched its ticket to Saturday’s Big 12 Championship game.
Thanks to Oklahoma State’s 37-33 win in Bedlam, the Bears (10-2, 7-2) clinched the berth because of their 27-14 victory over the Sooners, Nov. 13 at McLane Stadium.
Kickoff at AT&T Stadium in Arlington is set for 11:00 a.m. ABC will carry the television coverage. Baylor put itself in position when it defeated Texas Tech, 27-24, earlier on Saturday. The Bears had withstand Red Raider place-kicker Jonathan Garibay’s game-tying 53-yard field goal attempt on the final play. Garibay hooked it.
“It’s really special. It’s just a great experience,’’ Baylor running back Trestan Ebner said. “I feel like if you win the Big 12 championship it’s remembered forever.”
This is No. 8 Baylor’s second trip to the title game in the last three years. The Bears played Oklahoma in 2019 and lost in overtime, 30-23. No. 7 Oklahoma State (11-1, 8-1) is making its first appearance in the game.
“I think it goes back to the work we put in in the offseason,’’ Baylor linebacker Terrel Bernard said. “Not even just lifting weights all that stuff, but the relationship aspect of it. I think Coach [Dave] Aranda has done a great job building the culture here, just bringing everybody together, and we’re all aligned on the same path with the same goal in mind.”
In the first Bears-Cowboys meeting on Oct. 2 in Stillwater, Oklahoma State won 24-14 in a game it never trailed. Baylor’s defense came up with three interceptions of Cowboy quarterback Spencer Sanders including two inside the OSU 40. However, the Bears could do nothing with them.
Baylor closed to within 17-14 early in the fourth quarter on a Gerry Bohanon 1-yard run. However, the Cowboys put the game away with 2:04 remaining on running back Jaylen Warren’s 4-yard run.
The Bears went 7-0 at McLane Stadium this season and 3-2 on the road. Along with the loss to Oklahoma State, the Bears fell at TCU, 30-28. Oklahoma State’s lone loss was a 24-21 setback in Ames, on Oct. 23.
This game could also have college football playoff implications because of where the Bears and Cowboys are positioned in the latest college football playoff poll.
The Big 12 champion is already slotted to go to the Sugar Bowl to face the SEC Champion. But if the Big 12 champion is in the playoffs, the runner up goes to the Sugar Bowl. That’s what happened to Baylor in 2019 when Oklahoma went to the playoffs.
The latest rankings will be released at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. If neither qualifies for the top four seeds, they both will likely qualify for New Year’s 6 Bowl. Both the Fiesta and Peach Bowls take at-large teams.
Baylor is looking to win its third Big 12 Championship in school history. It won back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014.
“You have the 2013 and 2014 teams on the field house,’’ Ebner said. “And every team after that wants to get on there with them.”
The status of three Bears is unknown for next week. Bohanon didn’t play Saturday because of a right hamstring injury he suffered last week at Kansas State. Safety Christian Morgan and defensive back Kalon Barnes have also missed the last two games with injuries.
Publisher
It came down to the last 14 seconds in Stillwater, OK. But when Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked by Oklahoma State’s Collin Oliver on 4th down at the OSU 32, Baylor punched its ticket to Saturday’s Big 12 Championship game.
Thanks to Oklahoma State’s 37-33 win in Bedlam, the Bears (10-2, 7-2) clinched the berth because of their 27-14 victory over the Sooners, Nov. 13 at McLane Stadium.
Kickoff at AT&T Stadium in Arlington is set for 11:00 a.m. ABC will carry the television coverage. Baylor put itself in position when it defeated Texas Tech, 27-24, earlier on Saturday. The Bears had withstand Red Raider place-kicker Jonathan Garibay’s game-tying 53-yard field goal attempt on the final play. Garibay hooked it.
“It’s really special. It’s just a great experience,’’ Baylor running back Trestan Ebner said. “I feel like if you win the Big 12 championship it’s remembered forever.”
This is No. 8 Baylor’s second trip to the title game in the last three years. The Bears played Oklahoma in 2019 and lost in overtime, 30-23. No. 7 Oklahoma State (11-1, 8-1) is making its first appearance in the game.
“I think it goes back to the work we put in in the offseason,’’ Baylor linebacker Terrel Bernard said. “Not even just lifting weights all that stuff, but the relationship aspect of it. I think Coach [Dave] Aranda has done a great job building the culture here, just bringing everybody together, and we’re all aligned on the same path with the same goal in mind.”
In the first Bears-Cowboys meeting on Oct. 2 in Stillwater, Oklahoma State won 24-14 in a game it never trailed. Baylor’s defense came up with three interceptions of Cowboy quarterback Spencer Sanders including two inside the OSU 40. However, the Bears could do nothing with them.
Baylor closed to within 17-14 early in the fourth quarter on a Gerry Bohanon 1-yard run. However, the Cowboys put the game away with 2:04 remaining on running back Jaylen Warren’s 4-yard run.
The Bears went 7-0 at McLane Stadium this season and 3-2 on the road. Along with the loss to Oklahoma State, the Bears fell at TCU, 30-28. Oklahoma State’s lone loss was a 24-21 setback in Ames, on Oct. 23.
This game could also have college football playoff implications because of where the Bears and Cowboys are positioned in the latest college football playoff poll.
The Big 12 champion is already slotted to go to the Sugar Bowl to face the SEC Champion. But if the Big 12 champion is in the playoffs, the runner up goes to the Sugar Bowl. That’s what happened to Baylor in 2019 when Oklahoma went to the playoffs.
The latest rankings will be released at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. If neither qualifies for the top four seeds, they both will likely qualify for New Year’s 6 Bowl. Both the Fiesta and Peach Bowls take at-large teams.
Baylor is looking to win its third Big 12 Championship in school history. It won back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014.
“You have the 2013 and 2014 teams on the field house,’’ Ebner said. “And every team after that wants to get on there with them.”
The status of three Bears is unknown for next week. Bohanon didn’t play Saturday because of a right hamstring injury he suffered last week at Kansas State. Safety Christian Morgan and defensive back Kalon Barnes have also missed the last two games with injuries.
