Norman, Okla. ? Chris Brown started out three spots behind Adrian Peterson on Oklahoma’s depth chart at running back. He never thought he’d be the key to a big win down the stretch.
Brown, the fourth-string tailback, ran for two fourth-quarter scores, and Paul Thompson threw for a career-high 309 yards and two touchdowns as the No. 17 Sooners rallied to beat Texas Tech, 34-24, on Saturday night.
“The things we’ve gone through, whoever’s in there we’re going to win with them,” Thompson said. “That’s our mind-set. We’ve got confidence. If something happens no one’s freaking out.”
With their top two tailbacks injured, the Sooners’ 15-game streak with a 100-yard rusher – the longest in the nation – was snapped. But Brown still gave them plenty of pop on the ground.
He broke through two tacklers, spun and then cut toward the middle of the field for a 40-yard score that put Oklahoma up 27-24 with 12:51 left. He then added a two-yard plunge with 2:21 remaining that iced the game and provided sweet revenge for the Sooners (8-2, 5-1 Big 12), who lost at Tech last season on a disputed two-yard run by Taurean Henderson as time expired.
Texas Tech (6-5, 3-4) missed a pair of field goals in the fourth quarter to aid Oklahoma’s comeback.
The win kept Oklahoma in the race for the Big 12 title. Following Texas’ loss at Kansas State on Saturday, the Sooners need to win out and have the Longhorns lose at Texas A&M to claim the Big 12 South.
“We’re not out of it,” Thompson said. “There’s some things that have got to happen but we’re not out of it.”
Oklahoma State 66, Baylor 24
Stillwater, Okla. – Keith Toston rushed for 92 yards and two touchdowns and the Cowboys capitalized on six Baylor turnovers.
Bobby Reid hit tight end Brandon Pettigrew for two first-half touchdowns as Oklahoma State (6-4, 3-3 Big 12 Conference) qualified for its fourth bowl in the last five seasons and its first under second-year coach Mike Gundy.
Oklahoma State’s point total was its highest since beating Southern Illinois 70-7 on Sept. 29, 1973, and the Cowboys’ best for a conference game, topping the 63 scored against Baylor on Nov. 23, 2002.
Blake Szymanski passed for 262 yards for the Bears (4-7, 3-4), but was intercepted three times and lost a fumble. The loss eliminated Baylor from bowl consideration. The Bears have not been to a bowl since 1994.
The Cowboys took control early, scoring 49 unanswered points to take a 52-3 lead early in the third quarter. Five Oklahoma State touchdowns came after Baylor turnovers.
Colorado 33, Iowa State 16
Boulder, Colo. – Bernard Jackson threw two touchdown passes and ran for another as the Buffaloes rolled past Iowa State in the Cyclones’ first game since coach Dan McCarney resigned.
McCarney, the longest tenured coach in the Big 12, stepped down Wednesday after 12 years with the Cyclones (3-8, 0-7 Big 12). He’ll wrap up his Iowa State career at home against Missouri on Saturday.
Jackson was 13-of-19 for 200 yards. He also ran for 69 yards, including a five-yard touchdown sneak in the second quarter. Colorado’s Mell Holliday rushed for a career-high 126 yards in his final home game.
The Buffaloes (2-9, 2-5 Big 12) entered the contest with the worst scoring offense (14.9) in the Big 12, but scored on their first seven possessions. Colorado had a season-high 463 yards of offense.