Big 12 Roundup and Recap: Bedlam - Defense Is Optional

#6 Oklahoma Sooners (9-1, 6-1) 48, Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-5, 2-5) 47

That. Was. Bedlam. The Oklahoma Sooners narrowly escaped with the 48-47 victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys in another thrilling edition of the Sooner State Series. This game had it all: big plays, lead changes, questionable officiating, and gutsy calls. In the end, the Crimson & Cream prevailed for the 88th time in 113 tries. | Things became dicey when Oklahoma State took the field again. Cornelius battled valiantly, routinely extending drives by converting third downs. With under two minutes to go, the Cowboys’ QB found star receiver Wallace to convert the 4th down and get within a point of tying the game. Mike Gundy elected to go for two and the lead instead of the extra point, but Tre Brown had other plans.

Taylor Cornelius deserves to be celebrated after this performance. He delivered for the Cowboys time and time again. He was accurate, even when he felt the pressure, and he moved well. He completed 34 of his 53 pass attempts for 501 yards, none bigger than a 24 yard pitch to Tylan Wallace to bring the Cowboys within a point with just over one minute left in a back-and-forth Big 12 scorcher that all but guaranteed the Sooners a place in the conference championship.

Wallace’s catch would have knotted the game at 48 a piece had Matt Amendola not missed a PAT earlier in the fourth quarter following a Chuba Hubbard touchdown run. Faced with the choice of going for the win or playing for overtime, Mike Gundy and Mike Yurcich opted to go big. It was the right choice that fit their team’s fighting spirit on the evening. Oklahoma State didn’t look like underdogs tonight and didn’t play like them either. The Cowboys went for two.

#19 Texas Longhorns (7-3, 5-2) 41, Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-5, 3-4) 34

Weird things happen in Lubbock at night? Mack Brown thought so, but the No. 19 Texas Longhorns were able to make the biggest play of the game with the game on the line, as sophomore quarterback Sam Ehlinger hit junior wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey on a 29-yard touchdown pass to win the game with 21 seconds remaining. Ten years after the infamous Michael Crabtree catch. Same end zone. Same sideline.

A wild thriller in Lubbock ends with a win for the Longhorns. The Red Raiders scored 24 4th quarter points to tie the game late, but Sam Ehlinger coolly led the Longhorns down the field and hit LJH for the game-winning TD from 29 yards out with 21 seconds left on the clock.Ehlinger also set the Big 12 record for consecutive games without an interception. He finished 22 of 34 for 312 yards and 4 touchdowns. LJH finished with 8 catches for 159 yards and 2 TDs while Devin Duvernay caught 4-66 and two TDs of his own. Jerrod Heard came off of the bench to add a timely 6 catches for 54 yards.

After the opening drive, Tech’s drives have ended in an interception, a punt, a turnover on downs and a field goal. Duffey’s stats don’t look too bad with 144 yards passing and 56 yards rushing, but it’s obvious Tech is going to have trouble winning this game with the way he’s playing.

#22 Iowa St. Cyclones (6-3, 5-2) 28, Baylor Bears (5-5, 3-4) 14

The part of the game that will catch all the attention started about 5 minutes into the 3rd quarter. David Montgomery was driven out of bounds into the bench and drew a late hit penalty that started an initial scuffle. Later in the drive, Hakeem Butler was dragged in, after he was held on top of a Baylor defender. From there a brawl broke out, with Greg Roberts from Baylor reaching over the referee to take a swing at Montgomery. David retaliated, and both players were ejected from the game.

Baylor couldn’t stop Brock Purdy most of the day. The Cyclones quarterback started 6-of-6 on third down. His elusiveness bothered Baylor all day, which helped him pick up first downs. The Cyclones led 20-0. A fight broke out after Iowa State’s wide receiver stood on a Baylor corner. Greg Roberts then threw a punch at David Montgomery, over a referee. That resulted in his ejection. It also led to an unsportsmanlike penalty for every Bear on the field.

Kansas State Wildcats (4-6, 2-5) 21, Kansas Jayhawks (3-7, 1-6) 17

In the last twenty-five years, Bill Snyder had lost to Kansas Jayhawks once. It took a comedy of errors on the part of the Jayhawks, as well as a heroic effort by Alex Delton, Alex Barnes, and Justin Hughes, to keep that statement relevant. Barnes ran for 123 yards on 22 carries, Delton amassed over 200 yards of offense, and Hughes played the fourth quarter like a man possessed, and Kansas State Wildcats held on for a come-from-behind 21-17 victory at Bill Snyder Family Stadium this afternoon.

In fitting fashion, KSU drove 60 yards for a go ahead touchdown. Things looked bad for the Jayhawks, but Peyton Bender started putting together a nice little two minute drill, moving the ball all the way down to the Wildcats’ 32 yard line with 33 seconds remaining. Unfortunately, Kansas dug deep and figured out the most embarrassing possible way to lose the game. Peyton Bender attempted to throw a screen pass on the next play...without the ball. It slipped right out of his hand as he reached back to throw. KSU fell on it. Game over.

Big 12 Standings

For the tiebreakers and possible scenarios for the Mountaineers to make the Big 12 Championship Game, check out the article that defines the Mountaineers path.