In the SEC, that’s called big boy football.
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– Iowa can clinch the Big Ten West with a victory against Purdue or a Northwestern win at Wisconsin.
It’s the time of year for coaches to make a case to the playoff committee, but after just two punts on Saturday night, Briles elected for a third when asked about what Baylor proved to the 12-person roundtable. The Cowboys got a final TD when Walsh scored on a 2-yard keeper with 1:12 left to play.
If only it were that simple.
If we’ve learned anything from the Big 12’s November to remember, it’s this: the league doesn’t have a respect problem, it has an image problem. While Baylor might have seemed vulnerable, especially with quarterback Jarrett Stidham having sustained an injured back against the Sooners, Baylor was anything but vulnerable Saturday night.
College football’s regular season has three weeks left, including championship weekend.
The temptation is to write off the Big 12. “I think we always have a chip on our shoulder”, Stidham told reporters of the team’s mindset going forward. “We have opportunities, but the only way anything happens for us is if we win this week”.
Chris Johnson went from an aspiring receiver with three catches this season to a quarterback who helped reshape the Big 12 end game. The game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State looks like it could be an elimination game for the conference and the playoff atmosphere, but first the Cowboys need to be focused in this one.
Keep ignoring the facts that can no longer be denied. It’s a high-powered offense and a great defense, so it will be an awesome challenge.
Really weird game here, Ok.
“Tonight, when they told me I had to go in, I thought that was I ready”, Johnson said.
LSU at MS (3:30 p.m., CBS): There aren’t many games of importance in the SEC this week since several teams are playing cupcakes.
Elsewhere, the Big Ten’s game of the year will be played in Columbus, and MI is not invited. “Watch and judge for yourself”. Feels different, looks different, acts different.
From a more immediate standpoint, Baylor (9-1, 6-1) bounced back from a 44-34 home loss to Oklahoma.
Both of these teams have been streaky this college football season.
It’s unclear whether Baylor will be relying on third-teamer Chris Johnson again to quarterback the Bears next Friday against TCU. “It’s the last time to play on Owen Field”. Oklahoma State still can win the Big 12 with a victory over Oklahoma next Saturday.
ISU-Oklahoma State was close. Beating OR and MI will carry more weight than ever, and, of course, going to Columbus and beating the 23-game-win-streak, defending national champion should earn enough points to get ahead of Oklahoma and Notre Dame and into the fun. If they win both of those, you would not be able to deny them entry, likely booting out 9-1 Notre Dame first. We had a few situations where we had them in the backfield a couple of times and they broke tackles. These two teams together are averaging 98.4 points per game, Baylor has the edge at 54.8 but regardless these teams are used to putting points on the board. Their offense is on fire with the running back combination of Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine making life easier on quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has improved throughout the season.
Stidham threw for 258 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game at halftime.
Johnson says he took no repetitions with the first team in practice, and admitted that his best day as a Baylor player before this was one that included a meaningless catch for 20 yards earlier this season against Rice. “Everyone is considered a starter”.
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The Bears rolled to a 24-point, third-quarter lead, finished with 700 total yards and wound up prevailing 45-35 before a Boone Pickens Stadium crowd of 58,669.
