The Baylor playoff dream all but ended Saturday.
And Oklahoma's might have been reborn.
Visiting OU upset the Bears, 44-34, on Saturday with 511 yards of total offense and just enough defense to stifle Baylor at key points of the second half during a rainstorm in Waco, Texas. It was the first loss of the year for Baylor (8-1), which had been ranked No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings. The Sooners (9-1), by contrast, figure to make a big jump in the CFP standings with the win over the Bears.
Oklahoma won't move ahead of Oklahoma State, which is now the Big 12's only unbeaten team, but Bob Stoops' team can now win the league by closing the season with wins over TCU and OSU.
Five NFL clubs scouted the game, and saw Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield confound the Baylor defense with 24-of-34 passing for 270 yards and three touchdowns, plus another 76 yards on the ground with some nifty scrambles that helped keep the OU chains moving. OU sophomore running back Samaje Perine rushed for 166 yards on 28 carries and two touchdowns in his second-best performance of the season.
Oklahoma receiver Sterling Shepard caught 14 passes for 177 yards, while OU contained Baylor star receiver Corey Coleman (3 catches for 51 yards).
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