Baylor Rolls Past Oklahoma

Baylor's quarterback answered question after question after last week's win over Kansas by reiterating that he was ready for Oklahoma. He backed up his swagger by completing 32 of 42 passes for 387 yards and a touchdown to help the 10th-ranked Bears roll past the 16th-ranked Sooners 48-14 on Saturday.

 

"There was something about this game," Petty said. "This game, for me, was circled, dotted, starred, whatever you want to call it on the calendar. I don't like to make that public because every game's a big game, but I really wanted to win this game."

 

It was Baylor's first road win in 12 tries against the Sooners (6-3, 3-3, No. 15 CFP), and the Bears' first road win against a ranked team since Art Briles took over as head coach in 2008.

 

Now, Baylor is looking like the bully on the block. The defending conference champion Bears (8-1, 5-1 Big 12, No. 12 in CFP) have won three of the past four meetings with the Sooners after losing the first 20. Baylor defeated the Sooners 41-12 last year in Waco.

 

"It means everything," Petty said. "The coolest part about it is that it's just the tip of the iceberg for this team. People still say, `Y'all are still Baylor.' And it's like, `Yeah, we are Baylor. This is different."'

 

Corey Coleman set career highs of 15 catches and 224 yards. It was the most receptions ever by a player against the Sooners. Coleman also caught a touchdown pass and ran for another score as the Bears maintained their conference and national title hopes.

 

"We have to control what we can control," Petty said. "If we go out and win these last three games, we put up a fight. But we have to win."

 

Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight was carted off after being sacked in the fourth quarter. The Sooners went for it on fourth down with just over 11 minutes remaining, but Knight was sandwiched between Grant Campbell and Shawn Oakman. He stayed on the field for several minutes before being was carted off. He moved his extremities before he left the field.

 

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops did not offer an update on Knight's condition after the game or specify what the injury was. An Oklahoma spokesman said Knight walked out of the stadium on his own and will continue to be evaluated.

 

The Sooners trailed 41-14 when the injury occurred. Stoops said he had no regrets about leaving Knight in the game.

 

"It's a fair criticism, but again, there's still 10, 11, 12 minutes left in the game," Stoops said. "Who knows? You catch lightning in a bottle, and all of a sudden, you get a couple big plays and you have some momentum. I guess I wasn't ready to give up on it yet. Obviously, that's why he was in there. I can't say that I regret that. In fact, I don't."

 

The Sooners were without star receiver Sterling Shepard, who suffered a groin injury the previous week against Iowa State. They expected him to play, and he was in uniform warming up before it was determined that he couldn't play.

 

Shepard's replacements were fine early. Baylor took a 3-0 lead, but Oklahoma responded with a 64-yard touchdown drive. Knight hurdled a defender on an 18-yard run, then later threw a eight-yard touchdown pass to Michiah Quick. On Oklahoma's next possession, Knight found Durron Neal for a 9-yard touchdown pass as the Sooners took a 14-3 lead.

 

Baylor scored the next 45 points.

 

Petty fired a 33-yard touchdown pass to Coleman that trimmed Oklahoma's lead to 14-10 early in the second quarter. Bryce Hager intercepted Knight and returned it to the Oklahoma 1, and Devin Chafin scored on the next play to put Baylor on top 17-14.

 

After a roughing-the-punter penalty kept a Baylor drive alive, Chafin scored from 2 yards out to bump Baylor's lead to 24-14, a score that held until halftime.

 

Coleman's 5-yard touchdown run three minutes into the second half increased Baylor's advantage to 31-14, and Shock Linwood's 3-yard touchdown run made it 38-14.

 

Oklahoma's defenders backed off Baylor's receivers in the third quarter, and Petty burned the Sooners by completing 16 of 17 passes for 206 yards in the period.

 

"They were playing off trying not to get beat deep, and we took what they gave us," Petty said.

 

Oklahoma has lost two conference home games in a season for the first time in 16 years under Stoops.

 

"I take full responsibility," he said. "It all starts with me. I didn't do a good enough job."