Instant Analysis: OU Wins Bedlam, Claims Big 12 Championship

OU claimed the Big 12 championship with a 58-23 win over OSU in Bedlam.

Why Oklahoma won:

- They made big plays on both sides of the ball. On offense Baker Mayfield, Samaje Perine, Sterling Shepard, and Joe Mixon were excellent. Mayfield was great with his legs. By the final quarter, he was up to 74 rushing yards. His career high is 85. After watching his Bedlam performance, including the block he recorded to help Mixon tally a 66-yard score, the Heisman doesn't seem far out of reach.

-Their defense put pressure on Mason Rudolph and J.W. Walsh to keep OSU's productivity to a minimum. OU's blitzes got to J.W. Walsh by sacks, hurries, and disrupting the plays altogether. The secondary also broke up passes and snagged interceptions. Jordan Thomas even ran one to the house from 32-yards out in the second quarter.

Why Oklahoma State lost:

- They lacked a running game.

- Couldn't slow down Oklahoma’s ground game nor passing game. Perine and Mayfield picked OSU’s defense apart.

- Missed tackles

-Turnovers

Although OSU lost, James Washington beat Oklahoma CB Zack Sanchez on a ton of deep balls. He also carried for 169 yards and a score.

Notable happenings:

-The win marked Bob Stoops 9th Big 12 title.

-Perine had a carry in the 4th quarter that put him over 3,000 rushing yards for his career in only 472 attempts, making him the fastest among any running back in Stoops era (Peterson next with 550).

Up Next:

With the win and being ranked No. 3 this week, Oklahoma is almost certainly in the playoffs. It’s just waiting to see what seed. If Clemson beats UNC in the ACC championship, and Alabama beats Florida for the SEC championship, OU will likely be seeded in that third spot.

As far as Oklahoma State, the 10-2 season should lock up a solid bowl game matchup.