Dec 1, 2018; Arlington, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Kyler Murray (1) celebrates with head coach Lincoln Riley after the game against the Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 Championship game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
December 1, 2018
Kyler Murray threw for 379 yards and three touchdowns, but it was Oklahoma’s defense that helped the No. 5 Sooners keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive with a 39-27 win over No. 14 Texas in the Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday at AT&T Stadium.
Oklahoma has won four consecutive Big 12 Championships, a first for the conference.
The teams now await their bowl fates Sunday, with Oklahoma hoping for a third playoff appearance in four seasons. The Sooners will need to move up one spot after avenging their only loss of the year.
After an Oklahoma turnover with just more than nine minutes remaining gave the Longhorns the ball at their own 7, Sooners cornerback Tre Brown got to Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger in the end zone and bowled him over for the safety to put the Sooners ahead 32-27.
The Sooners (12-1) then ran the clock down with a drive that took more than six minutes off the clock, capped by Grant Calcaterra’s second touchdown catch of the game.
Oklahoma had allowed 40 or more points in four consecutive games coming in, but the Sooners’ defense came up with several crucial stops, including early when Oklahoma’s offense struggled to find much of a rhythm.
Texas led 14-6 early in the second quarter after Ehlinger’s second rushing touchdown.
Oklahoma failed to score a first-quarter touchdown for the first time in 25 games and took awhile to get going in the second, punting after Ehlinger’s score.
But the Sooners’ defense held Texas, with the help of Amani Bledsoe’s third-down sack that forced a punt.
Then Oklahoma’s offense came alive, with Murray hitting CeeDee Lamb for a 42-yard pass on the first play of the ensuing drive and finding Lamb again five plays later for a 28-yard touchdown.
Ehlinger threw for 327 yards and two touchdowns for the Longhorns, who finished with 437 yards of total offense — more than 60 yards less than they had in Texas’ 48-45 win Oct. 6.
Texas receiver Collin Johnson set a Big 12 championship game record with 177 yards receiving on eight catches.
Lamb had six catches for 167 yards and a touchdown for Oklahoma.
–Field Level Media
