CBS Sports: Oklahoma hands No. 6 Baylor its first loss, looks like a playoff team

[milesl]

Oklahoma hands No. 6 Baylor its first loss, looks like a playoff team


By Chip Patterson | Staff Writer

November 14, 2015 11:55 pm ET


Baker Mayfield had 4 total TDs against Baylor. (USATSI)

Oklahoma had lost its last two meetings with Baylor by a combined 63 points, but on Saturday night in Waco, the No. 11 Sooners finally got past the No. 6 Bears with a dramatic 44-34 win.

Baker Mayfield was the star of the evening in Waco, playing through visible pain inflicted by Baylor's aggressive and violent defense. The former Texas high school state champion completed 24-of-34 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, adding 76 rushing yards and another score on the ground. Mayfield threw one bad interception but rallied back, earning praise from his head coach after the game.

"[We were] staying the field, making big plays. Baker Mayfield was again incredible," Bob Stoops said. "When you play Baylor, you have to stay on the field and move the ball, and we were able to do that."

Baylor will fall in the College Football Playoff Rankings with the loss and could have trouble fighting its way back into the playoff picture given the team's strength of schedule. The loss also ends a 20-game home winning streak for Art Briles in Waco.

But for Oklahoma? The win makes a playoff appearance look all the more likely. If Ohio State can battle back into the top four on the final weekend of the season in 2014, so can Oklahoma. As the Pac-12 contenders continue to beat each other, the door has opened for the Big 12 to send "one true champion" to the playoff. If that's the Sooners, I like their chances to finish in the committee's top four.

Oklahoma and Notre Dame will each play its final game of the season on Nov. 28, but the Sooners will be facing an Oklahoma State team that is still undefeated while the Irish's matchup with Stanford lacks some sizzle following a home loss to Oregon. That Texas loss is a bad one, but early-season anomalies are more easily dismissed by the selection committee than late-season losses.

A few notes about Oklahoma big win in Waco:

1. Oklahoma's defensive front adjusted early and set the tone in the trenches. After Baylor pushed down the field on the ground with ease on its opening drive, Oklahoma put the Bears' run game in check. The Sooners frequently won battles on first and second down that made it easy to succeed on third down and get off the field. The defensive front caused all kinds of problems in the backfield (8 tackles for loss) and contributed pressure that led to two interceptions from Stidham in his second career start.

2. Oklahoma has three legitimate stars to power its offense when they need a big play. Mayfield and Samaje Perine combined for 242 rushing yards to power the Sooners offense, with Sterling Shepard falling one catch short of tying the single-game school record with 14 catches (on 16 targets) for 177 and two touchdowns. Some combination of the Mayfield-Perine-Shepard trio accounted for in all six Oklahoma touchdowns and all three players contributed to the Sooners' 10-play clock-eating touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.

3. Baker Mayfield wasn't the only quarterback playing hurt. Baylor freshman quarterback Jarrett Stidham "is in pain right now," according to Art Briles, after taking a beating from the Sooners' front in the loss. Stidham got no favors from his offensive line in the game and it reached a point where there was only but so much to expect from a true freshman trying to play from behind in a game of this magnitude. The Bears' quarterback hung in the game though, giving everyone some joy with a touchdown pass to LaQuan McGowan.

[SoCalBigRed]

Stanford, LSU, Utah... and BU. All teams ahead of us, got beat.

Hope to see us sitting at #8, when they release the new rankings. Beating TCU and osu, should make us a playoff team, or this system is a joke. Especially with 2 other 1 loss teams in the Top 4. ND has BC and Stanford left. 'bama has CHSO (????) and Aurburn left. We should have 'bama's spot we win out. And ND better demolish Stanford.

But that still puts us in, if we win out, I think.

[SoonerStormchaser]

Beating TCU and osu, should make us a playoff team, or this system is a joke. Especially with 2 other 1 loss teams in the Top 4.

No, losing to Texas is a bigger joke.
If the teams ahead of us (that don't play us or each other) don't lose, we won't move into the top 4...doesn't matter if we beat OSU and TCU by 50.

[SoCalBigRed]

No, losing to Texas is a bigger joke.
If the teams ahead of us (that don't play us or each other) don't lose, we won't move into the top 4...doesn't matter if we beat OSU and TCU by 50.

Losing a game that historically has thrown out the rankings, is not by any stretch, "a joke." It sucks. It hurts... but that game isn't ever a guarantee.

Stanford losing tonight, threw a BIG wrench in the picture.

[SoonerStormchaser]

Well, it guaranteed that the Pac 12 won't go...but if Stanford still wins the championship after losing to Domer in a few weeks, it's still more for Domer to hang their hat on. Basically, we need to be tree-huggers when they play Domer...which I doubt anyone here will have a problem with.

[SoCalBigRed]

I think Stanford wins that game. At home, they'll be playing for pride and with a huge chip on their shoulders.

ND is ripe for a fall. I don't think they're that good. Who have they beaten, besides Navy who wasn't ranked at the time? GT has collapsed since being ranked in the Top 20. Temple just lost to South Florida.

[BoulderSooner79]

Everyone gets all whiny about the horn loss, but the bottom line is that it wasn't that much of a fluke. We were just not a great team for the first 5 games of the season. Akron(!) man handled our O-line. Tulsa ripped our secondary and ran very effective against our front 7. Fortunately, Akron had no offense and Tulsa had no defense, so we won those games. The Tennessee game was almost a carbon copy of the horn game, but we managed to squeak it out in double OT - mostly because the Vol coaches are stupid. But everyone acts like we were some dominant team steaming along and then suddenly played out of character in Dallas. That just not the way it happened.

I give full credit to the coaches. We have a new OC and a new scheme and I expected it to take a full season to get things in sync. It only took 5 games. We have the same DC, but quite a few changes in the position coaches and it took a while to get that dialed in too. But both units are peaking at the right time. And have to credit Stoops for making these changes - there was no guarantee they would work (just ask Mack Brown). We still have 2 tough games left and it's no lock we win them, but this team is far better than I thought they could ever be this year.

[BoulderSooner79]

I think Stanford wins that game. At home, they'll be playing for pride and with a huge chip on their shoulders.

ND is ripe for a fall. I don't think they're that good. Who have they beaten, besides Navy who wasn't ranked at the time? GT has collapsed since being ranked in the Top 20. Temple just lost to South Florida.

I think the question for Stanford is motivation. The ND game is now somewhat meaningless to them since winning the PAC is now the highest goal they can achieve. But I'll be pulling for them as they are my second favorite team and the color scheme is close

I think there is a good chance North Carolina beats Clemson.

[SoCalBigRed]

I think the question for Stanford is motivation. The ND game is now somewhat meaningless to them since winning the PAC is now the highest goal they can achieve. But I'll be pulling for them as they are my second favorite team and the color scheme is close

I think there is a good chance North Carolina beats Clemson.

Rose Bowl versus not Rose Bowl? Chance to play spoiler?

They'll have plenty of motivation.

[BoulderSooner79]

Rose Bowl versus not Rose Bowl? Chance to play spoiler?

They'll have plenty of motivation.

Losing to ND would not affect winning the PAC and that would get them a BCS bowl. I'm just saying ND will most likely playing for a CFP birth and Stanford will not and their morale could be a bit down because of it. Not saying they would mail it in - it will be a high profile national game and any team would want to win badly. But just a tiny difference in focus and desire can be the difference in big games like that.

[Okie35]

No, losing to Texas is a bigger joke.
If the teams ahead of us (that don't play us or each other) don't lose, we won't move into the top 4...doesn't matter if we beat OSU and TCU by 50.

As much as I hated the loss ... Bama losing AT HOME to an overrated (now) unranked Ole Miss... And Ohio State losing to an awful VT team AT HOME... Were jokes too ... It's a human element if we beat both TCu and ok State as convincingly as we beat Baylor we are in. We will have beaten 6/7 teams with winning records. We will get that "what have you done for me lately" Alabama treatment.

[JLMSOONER]

I just hope we don't have a big game let down next week. Bob needs to keep this group motivated and line out the PFs. Mike should be held accountable.

[OUmillenium]

Everyone gets all whiny about the horn loss, but the bottom line is that it wasn't that much of a fluke. We were just not a great team for the first 5 games of the season. Akron(!) man handled our O-line. Tulsa ripped our secondary and ran very effective against our front 7. Fortunately, Akron had no offense and Tulsa had no defense, so we won those games. The Tennessee game was almost a carbon copy of the horn game, but we managed to squeak it out in double OT - mostly because the Vol coaches are stupid. But everyone acts like we were some dominant team steaming along and then suddenly played out of character in Dallas. That just not the way it happened.

I give full credit to the coaches. We have a new OC and a new scheme and I expected it to take a full season to get things in sync. It only took 5 games. We have the same DC, but quite a few changes in the position coaches and it took a while to get that dialed in too. But both units are peaking at the right time. And have to credit Stoops for making these changes - there was no guarantee they would work (just ask Mack Brown). We still have 2 tough games left and it's no lock we win them, but this team is far better than I thought they could ever be this year.

^This. Should be an article. Pages have been written about this team this year and last night but this sums it up in 2 paragraphs.

[tycat947]

One of Iowa or TOSU will lose one, if not more. Gotta hope Stanford can beat ND. Alabama has LOST! Yet ESPiN keeps talking like they are the New York Giants! And it was a bad loss too. They are promoting SEC so much, it's disgusting! They keep bringing up beating LSU and then next week, Arkie, WHO lost to TEXAS TECH at home, beats them into submission in Baton Rouge! I think the SEC is overrated. They play very few out of conference P5 teams. I don't think anyone is unbeatable this year and that includes Alabama!

[Jacie]

Forde's Fab Four: What playoff field looks like after ranking wins of contenders
Pat Forde
Yahoo Sports

ORANGE BOWL: No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 Oklahoma

The Tigers (10-0, 7-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference) had some difficult moments putting away Syracuse on the road Saturday, but their overall résumé is above reproach. They have the best wins of any undefeated team, an average victory ranking of 41. Clemson has two victories over top-15 teams (Notre Dame and Florida State), plus one over a top-35 team (Louisville). Among other unbeaten Power 5 teams, Oklahoma State has won over a top-15 team and two over top-35 opponents; Iowa has zero against top-15 teams and two over the top 35; and Ohio State has no victories over anyone in the top 30. Next: Wake Forest at home Saturday in what should be a walkover prep game for the annual season-ending rivalry game against South Carolina.

Oklahoma (9-1, 6-1 in the Big 12) crashes the Fab Four on the strength of the best win anyone has had this season – a double-digit victory at Baylor that ended the Bears’ 20-game home winning streak. The Sooners were fortunate to face true freshman quarterback Jarrett Stidham making just his second college start, but they were the better team all night and controlled much of the game. That gives Oklahoma a pair of road victories Sagarin loves, the other being the come-from-behind thriller at Tennessee. The glaring blemish on the résumé, of course, is the rivalry-game upset loss to Texas. That’s an issue. But the Sooners’ high-end victories are enough to evict an Ohio State team that is lacking by comparison. That of course will change starting this week, when the Buckeyes close against Michigan State, Michigan and potentially Iowa. But Oklahoma will continue to buttress its own strength of schedule against TCU and unbeaten Oklahoma State. Next: TCU (which like Baylor might be starting a freshman quarterback, if Trevone Boykin’s ankle has not recovered) in Norman on Saturday.

In the same article, he ranks the wins/losses of the 10 potential playoff teams.

Oklahoma has the 1 and 3 highest ranked wins.

[BigTip]

So there!

[SoonerMarkVA]

I think Forde's thinking is right on. Also, fair or not, the OU name will get a psychological nod that kept teams BU and TCU out last year. If OU had been in the same situation last year as either BU or TCU, I think we would have gotten that 4th spot.

OU has to win and look like championship material doing it, just as last year tOSU made a big splash by walloping Wisky. I don't think we necessarily need 3+ TD wins, but we need to look sharp, clean, and competent across the board, and when the game is over leave no one with any doubt that the better team won the game. We do that, and I think we're in at #4.

Edit: and after last year, nothing would give me more satisfaction than taking it to Clemson with the team we have this year. That's a game where every head on the team would be fully focused on redemption and making sure there was a different outcome from last year.