ARLINGTON, Texas — No. 9 Baylor football (11-2) clinches a Big 12 championship for the first time since 2014 with a 21-16 win over No. 5 Oklahoma State (11-2) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Team, I don't how it happened, but, in year two under Dave Aranda — it happened. Despite an 18-point lead in the first half, Baylor couldn't just make things easy. It’s Baylor. That wouldn’t make sense. Taking the hard way home, though, the Bears simply did not let this one slip.
When the offense could not produce late, it was defensive stand after defensive stand for Terrel Bernard, Jalen Pitre and Aranda. Offense wins games, and defense won Baylor the Big 12 championship.
Let’s hone in on the first half. What the hell was that? Baylor, a touchdown underdog who lost points at the announcement of Shapen starting, fumbled early, went down 3-0 and then proceeded to boat race those dudes. Baylor had no regard for Cowboy life.
Helping the cause, Big 12 first-teamer Spencer Sanders offered Baylor two interceptions — a relatively low mark — and Shapen made him pay. The freshman backup did not log an incompletion in the stat book until the clock read 25 seconds to go in the second quarter.
Shapen was 17-21 for 151 yards and three touchdowns… in the first 30 minutes alone. Tyqan Thornton had six receptions for 71 yards and a score. Couple those with Baylor’s defense not allowing a touchdown, and it was 21-6 at the break.
The second half started slow. Of course, the Bears picked off Sanders to start the third quarter, but a decision to go for fourth and one in their own territory cost Baylor when Shapen had to fire the ball out of bounds. Things got very, very hairy.
Oklahoma State scored quickly and a Trestan Ebner muffed punt early in the fourth quarter gave the ball back to the Cowboys down 21-13 in Baylor territory. But, despite having first and goal at the half-yard line, the Bears held Oklahoma State to just a field goal.
Hindsight is 20/20, and that stop was the difference. If Oklahoma State punches it in, there’s a real chance the game would have been tied. Instead, settling for three did it. A late miraculous stop at the one-yard line on a possible Cowboy game-winning drive ended it. 21-16. Baylor won without scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Bask in this. Playoff? Sugar Bowl? Super bowl? None of that matters. This is a remarkable moment in Baylor sports history — and we’re all alive for it.
