Mayfield leads Sooners to Big 12 championship
ARLINGTON, Texas — Baker Mayfield and No. 3 Oklahoma never fretted the potential consequences of having to play in the revived Big 12 championship game.
The Sooners just went out and proved how deserving they are of that playoff berth coming their way by dominating TCU again, 41-17 on Saturday in the second top-10 matchup in four weeks between the Big 12’s top two teams.
“I’m really proud of our group for not listening to the entire narrative across the country that we shouldn’t be playing this championship game and all that mess,” coach Lincoln Riley said.
“We knew there was going to be a championship game and that was just going to be part of our journey if we wanted to get to this place.”
Mayfield, the Heisman Trophy front-runner, threw four touchdown passes as Oklahoma (12-1) won its record 11th Big 12 title.
“The reason I came back was to play for a national title,” Mayfield said. “The most exciting thing about today is we control our destiny. That’s all out in front of us.”
The Sooners are a lock Sunday to be in the College Football Playoff for the second time in three seasons.
Oklahoma jumped out to a quick 17-0 lead, including Caleb Kelly’s 18-yard fumble return for a touchdown after running back Kyle Hicks’ turnover on the first offensive play by TCU (10-3, No. 11).
Kenny Hill threw two TD passes to get the Horned Frogs within 24-17 at halftime, but Oklahoma was in total control after scoring twice on its first three offensive plays after the break.
“Big plays, we gave up a couple. Two plays basically in the second half,” TCU coach Gary Patterson said. “The worst thing that could happen in the third quarter happened.” Lane Kiffin has won much bigger games. He’s got national championships, Southeastern Conference titles, victories before more than 100,000 fans and with millions more watching on television.
This one wasn’t like those. It still mattered plenty.
Kiffin is a league champion yet again, and FAU is one for the first time. Kiffin’s first season at FAU delivered a Conference USA title, as the Owls (10-3) defeated North Texas 41-17 for the league crown on Saturday. And Kiffin savored the moment more than many of the big wins he’s been part of in the past.
“It’s a cool story,” Kiffin said after beating the Mean Green (9-4). “The Christmas present that you give to the kid that has nothing, they’ll appreciate it compared to the kid that gets them all the time. And so that locker room in there, it’s pretty neat.”
Devin Singletary had 26 carries for 164 yards and three touchdowns for the Owls, who extended their unbeaten streak to nine games and finished undefeated against C-USA opponents this season. Jason Driskel completed 15 of 27 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown for FAU, and Kalib Woods had a schoolrecord 208 receiving yards.
“Words can’t explain it,” Singletary said. “It’s one of the best feelings ever.”
Brett Rypien threw for 246 yards and led a fourthquarter comeback to help host Boise State beat No. 25 Fresno State 17-14 on Saturday night in the Mountain West championship game. Boise State (10-3), which lost 28-17 to the Bulldogs (9-4) a week ago in Fresno in the regular-season finale, won its second conference title in four years.
Fresno State, which hasn't won in Boise since 1984, still completed one of the best turnarounds in college history under firstyear coach Jeff Tedford after going 1-11 a year ago.
It was the fourth time in the past five years that the title game was decided by seven points or less.