BIG 12: Mayfield leads Sooners past Cowboys
Oklahoma wins Big 12 title after ‘fantastic’ game by Heisman contender Mayfield.
Oklahoma quarterback passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns.
NORMAN, Okla. — With his best receiver sidelined, Baker Mayfield still boosted his Heisman Trophy resume.
Mayfield passed for 288 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 9 Oklahoma defeated No. 10 Oklahoma State, 38-20, on Saturday in a matchup that decided the Big 12 champion and likely guaranteed the Sooners a trip to the Sugar Bowl.
Mayfield performed well throughout, despite finishing the game without Biletnikoff Award finalist Dede Westbrook. The speedster caught four passes for 111 yards before being knocked out of the game in the second quarter on a crushing hit by Oklahoma State safety Jordan Sterns. Mayfield threw two touchdown passes after Westbrook left the game, and the offense didn’t miss a beat, finishing with 629 yards.
“He was just fantastic, he was just exactly what he needed to be,” Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops said of Mayfield.
“He gave our guys chances to make plays, he handled the ball great himself, had a few key runs for us, threw the ball. The guy’s really, really talented. To be able to do what he did, there’s not many guys who could do what he did today.”
Mayfield finished fourth in the Heisman balloting last year, but he didn’t get an invitation to New York for the ceremony. He wants to go this year, and he wants Westbrook to get an invitation, too.
After the game, Mayfield wore a pin from the school with both his and Westbrook’s names on it. Mayfield crossed out his own name with a marker to make sure Westbrook wasn’t forgotten.
“Dede is the best player in the country,” Mayfield said. “I still want to hold Dede’s hand all the way to New York.”
Mayfield should be a Heisman frontrunner heading into next season too. He said after the game that he plans to return for his senior season.
“Coming back, be here for another year,” he said. “Opportunity for a three-peat (Big 12). The ultimate goal is why I came here — to win a national title.”
Samaje Perine rambled for 239 yards on a careerhigh 37 carries and Joe Mixon caught a touchdown pass and busted a 79-yard touchdown run for the Sooners (10-2, 9-0 Big 12).
It was the second straight time the teams met in the regular-season finale to determine the conference champion. Oklahoma beat the Cowboys, 58-23, last season.
In this year’s showdown, Mason Rudolph completed just 11 of 25 passes for 186 yards for Oklahoma State (9-3, 7-2). His top target for the season, James Washington, caught just two passes for 50 yards on eight targets.