Texas has given fans their fair share of disappointing losses over the past four seasons, and Friday’s 27-23 loss to Texas Tech can now be added to the list. As the Longhorns fell in their season finale, the Big 12 had four other conference games in action this weekend. Here’s how they played out:
Kansas State wins last-second stunner
Kansas State is a Big 12 opponent known for providing a tough battle regardless of the opponent, and Saturday’s contest against Iowa State was no different.
As expected, this game turned out to be a defensive battle. Both squads put up strong fronts, facing off against offenses not known for their prolific scoring abilities. Neither offense could find enough momentum to truly pull away in this one. However, Kansas State’s offense would have the last laugh as freshman quarterback Skylar Thompson played the hero for the Wildcats.
Down 19-14 in the fourth quarter, Thompson scrambled around the backfield on the last play of regulation and threw a bullet to the back of the end zone, finding wide receiver Isaiah Zuber with zero seconds on the clock. Thompson finished the game with 152 yards and one touchdown in the one-point victory.
Oklahoma looks towards conference championship
Oklahoma needed one more win to advance to the Big 12 Championship game, and its final opponent on Saturday was West Virginia. And what has become custom in the conference this season, Oklahoma finished Saturday with a comfortable victory.
Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield did not start the game or represent the team as an on-field captain before the game on Saturday. He was disciplined by head coach Lincoln Riley for making an obscene gesture last week while on the sideline against Kansas.
The Sooners would not miss Mayfield’s presence too much, scoring in under a minute on the first drive before Mayfield took the helm. The game would turn into a blowout victory for Oklahoma, setting them up for a conference championship appearance next week. Mayfield did not even play a full three quarters in the game and still managed to rack up 281 passing yards and three touchdowns en route to a dominating 59-31 victory. The Sooners now sit at No. 2 in the AP poll.
TCU dominates Baylor in final game
TCU was a heavy favorite in its Saturday matchup with Baylor. The Bears still have just one win on the season against Kansas, and aside from improved quarterback play, haven’t shown many signs of improvement.
After a stellar start to the season, the latter part of the season did not go as the Horned Frogs had hoped after they lost two conference games. But despite being knocked out of consideration for the College Football Playoff, the Horned Frogs had no trouble finishing the regular season off right.
TCU stomped Baylor 45-22, earning them a chance to face Oklahoma and Heisman front runner Baker Mayfield one more time. Quarterback Kenny Hill threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns in the win, keeping TCU at No. 10 in the AP Poll. The Horned Frogs will face Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship game on Dec. 2.
