Oklahoma vs. Baylor: Game Grades, Analysis for Sooners and Bears

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Baker Mayfield's four total touchdowns propelled the No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners to a 44-34 victory over the sixth-ranked Baylor Bears on Saturday.

The junior quarterback connected with Dimitri Flowers for a game-sealing seven-yard score with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma improved to 9-1, while Baylor fell to 8-1.

Pass Offense: Mayfield started slowly, throwing for just 35 yards in the first quarter. However, Baylor continued single-covering Sterling Shepard, and the duo exploded. Shepard caught 14 passes for 177 yards and two scores. Mayfield finished with 270 yards and three touchdowns through the air.

Run Offense: Oklahoma's balanced attack thrived. Samaje Perine piled up 167 yards and two scores, including a critical 55-yard scamper that helped the Sooners start pulling away. Mayfield added 75 yards and a touchdown.

Pass Defense: While the numbers suggest Oklahoma didn't do an amazing job stopping Jarrett Stidham, the pass defense eliminated the quick-passing game. In addition to Matt Romar and Charles Tapper each recording a sack, Zack Sanchez and Ahmad Thomas each grabbed an interception.

Run Defense: Shock Linwood and Devin Chafin put up good numbers, but the Sooners contained Baylor's rush offense after giving up 76 yards on the first drive. The Bears managed just 83 yards on 38 carries the rest of the way.

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Special Teams: Although Oklahoma botched an extra point and allowed a 58-yard kick return to Ishmael Zamora, the special teams units were more good than bad. Austin Seibert hit a 33-yard field goal and averaged 41.8 yards per punt, receiving excellent coverage from the gunners that surrendered minus-two return yards.

Coaching: Spirited defensive coordinator Mike Stoops called an excellent game. The Sooners played tight coverage on the outside, shut down quick-hitting routes and controlled the line of scrimmage without sacrificing pass defense. Oh, and giving up 511 total offensive yards to Baylor isn't terrible.

Pass Offense: Stidham is going to be a special player. Nevertheless, the true freshman looked exactly like what you'd expect from someone making his second career start. Stidham tallied 257 yards passing and two touchdowns, but his pair of second-half interceptions cost Baylor a chance at a comeback.

Run Offense: Granted, the young quarterback didn't receive much help from his running backs. Though Linwood topped 100 yards and Chafin scored three short touchdowns, the Bears averaged a meager 2.1 yards on designed first-down runs.

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Pass Defense: Baylor couldn't stop Shepard, and the adjustment to shade a safety over the receiver actually opened the running lane for Perine's long touchdown. It was a no-win kind of night for a Bears secondary that had only surrendered more than 172 yards twice.

Run Defense: Excluding Perine's 55-yard run, Baylor did a respectable job containing the Sooners running backs to an even 3.5 yards per carry. But the Perine touchdown happened, and moral victories don't matter. Mayfield's scrambling ability was an issue for the Bears, too.

Special Teams: While Baylor also mishandled an extra point, special teams had a decent night behind Zamora's 58-yard return. Kickoff coverage limited Alex Ross to 22 yards per return, Drew Galitz averaged 39.8 yards on five punts and Chris Callahan buried the four PATs he had a shot to attempt.

Coaching: Art Briles and Co. needed to find ways to help Stidham establish a rhythm but couldn't crack the Sooners defense. Oklahoma thoroughly outperfomed Baylor between the white lines and in the headsets.

Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.