Cowboys come up inches short
Baylor wins Big 12 with 4th-down stop
ARLINGTON, Texas — Dezmon Jackson came up inches short on a desperate, fourthdown dive in the final seconds for Oklahoma State, knocking the fifth-ranked Cowboys out of contention for a spot in the fourteam playoff.
“Just heartbreak,” Cowboys guard Josh Sills said.
Baylor safety Jairon McVea knocked Jackson out of bounds without letting him reach the pylon with 24 seconds remaining in the Big 12 championship game Saturday, preserving a 21-16 victory for ninth-ranked Baylor.
The Bears’ win came a year after they went 2-7 in coach Dave Aranda’s debut last season.
Blake Shapen, starting again for injured Gerry Bohanon (right hamstring), threw three TDs while completing his first 17 passes as Baylor (11-2, College Football Playoff No. 9) took a 21-3 lead in the first half.
But the Cowboys (11-2, CFP No. 5) rallied back, then went 89 yards on 17 plays on that final drive before their Big 12 and national championship hopes wound up just shy.
After having first-and-goal from 2 following a pass interference penalty, Jackson gained a yard and was held for no gain before an incomplete pass by Spencer Sanders.
On fourth down from the 1, Jackson tried to sweep wide left, but with McVea in pursuit, he barely missed while trying to reach the pylon in the front corner of the end zone.
SEC: In Atlanta, Bryce Young threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as Alabama (12-1, No. 3 CFP) rolled over No. 1 Georgia 41-24. Young set SEC championship records with 421 yards passing and 461 yards total offense against a Georgia (12-1, No. 1 CFP) team that was barely challenged the past two months.
BIG TEN: In Indianapolis, Hassan Haskins ran for two secondhalf touchdowns and broke a school record while running back Donavan Edwards threw a 75-yard TD pass to help Michigan rout Iowa 42-3 and capture its first Big Ten title in 17 years and a probable playoff berth.
Resurgent Michigan (12-1, No. 2 CFP) has won five straight and if it reaches the playoff, as expected, would need one more win to return to Indianapolis to play for its first national championship since 1997.
ACC: In Charlotte, N.C., Kenny Pickett accounted for three touchdowns and Erick Hallett II returned one of Pittsburgh’s four interceptions for a touchdown to help the Panthers beat Wake Forest 45-21 in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.
AAC: In Cincinnati, Jerome Ford rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns and Desmond Ridder threw three touchdown passes as Cincinnati broke open a close game in the third quarter and rolled past Houston 35-20.
MOUNTAIN WEST: In Carson, Calif., Brandon Bowling caught two touchdown passes from Logan Bonner during the decisive third quarter, and Utah State (10-3) won its first league title over the Aztecs (11-2). Bonner passed for 318 yards and four TDs.
SUN BELT: In Lafayette, La., Levi Lewis scored on a careerhigh 56-yard run and passed for another touchdown, and Louisiana-Lafayette capped off soon-tobe Florida coach Billy Napier’s time with the Ragin’ Cajuns by defeating Appalachian State 24-16 in the championship game.
SWAC: In Jackson, Miss., Jackson State (11-1) capped off an impressive championship season for “Coach Prime” Deion Sanders, scoring touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams in a 27-10 win over Prairie View A&M (7-5).
MAC: In Detroit, quarterback Rocky Lombardi ran for three touchdowns and Jay Ducker ran for 146 yards on 29 carries to power Northern Illinois (9-4) to a 41-23 victory over Kent State (7-6). It is the Huskies’ (9-4) sixth MAC title in the last 11 years.
NOTES: Mississippi and Lane Kiffin have agreed to a new contract after the program’s first 10-win regular season.