Baylor vs. Oklahoma State: Score, Highlights and Twitter Reaction

Baylor third-string quarterback Chris Johnson threw for 138 yards and two touchdowns in relief for the injured Jarrett Stidham, as the No. 10 Bears (9-1, 6-1 Big 12) handed the No. 6 Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-1, 7-1 Big 12) their first loss on the year, 45-35, Saturday night in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

It was the Bears’ first win at Oklahoma State since 1939, per the team's game guide. Baylor has now won back-to-back contests against the Cowboys for the first time since it won nine straight from 1915 to 1942.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, had a chance to start 11-0 for the first time in school history but saw their 12-game winning streak—dating back to last year—snapped by the Bears’ backup to the backup. This loss also put a damper on Oklahoma State’s chances at not only making the College Football Playoff but also its Big 12 title hopes.

In the first Top 10 matchup held at Boone Pickens Stadium since 1985, it was nothing but a scoreboard tilt in the beginning.

Baylor scored on its first two possessions—which took 2:09 combined—to take a 14-0 lead with 11:56 remaining in the first quarter. Stidham found a wide-open KD Cannon for a 59-yard touchdown on the second score, and the rout seemed to be on.

Coming into the contest, Baylor led the nation in points per game, but it can be surprising at times to see the Bears put up points in such a hurry, as CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd pointed out:

But the Cowboys began to counter the Bears by playing at their tempo.

Oklahoma State responded with a 10-play, 77-yard drive capped by a three-yard touchdown pass from J.W. Walsh to Jalen McCleskey to get the Cowboys on the board. Less than two minutes later, the Cowboys only needed two plays to tie the game.

Mason Rudolph hit James Washington down the sideline for a 39-yard touchdown to tie it at 14-14, but it took a bit of luck to make that happen. The Big 12 Conference provided a clip of the insane catch:

After the fireworks settled, it became a rare Big 12 chess match. The tempo slowed and both defenses made plays, but it was Baylor that took advantage of its opportunities on both sides of the ball. Bears running back Devin Chafin capped a 13-play, 83-yard drive three seconds into the second quarter with a one-yard touchdown.

Baylor's defense began to silence the high-scoring Oklahoma State offense. After tying the game early in the first quarter, the Cowboys ended their next seven possessions with punts—five of the drives were three-and-outs. The Bears outgained Oklahoma State 439-188 in the first half.

Things got interesting at the start of the second half. Stidham did not begin the third quarter due to back issues and a heavily taped right ankle. The third-string quarterback, Johnson, came in and the Baylor offense didn't miss a beat. It took 11 plays for Baylor to take a 31-14 lead, but Johnson delivered a perfect pass to Jay Lee for a 39-yard touchdown.

On the next drive, Johnson tossed a 71-yard touchdown pass to Cannon with 6:24 to go in the third quarter that made a potential Oklahoma State comeback nearly impossible.

B/R's Adam Kramer had this to say on Baylor's quarterback situation:

It didn't seem to matter who was throwing the ball for Baylor on Saturday night. Both Stidham and Johnson carved up the Oklahoma State defense. Fox Sports' Stewart Mandel thought a random person off the street could do what they did:

The Big 12 is a topsy-turvy conference that could be decided on the very last week of the regular season. Oklahoma State had a chance to make it a two-team race, but the Big 12 is wide open once again.

Postgame Reaction

This is how the Big 12 can be won:

Team	Record	Can win the Big 12 if...
Oklahoma	10-1 (7-1)	Win vs. Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State	10-1 (7-1)	Win vs. Oklahoma AND Baylor loss
Baylor	9-1 (6-1)	Wins over TCU and Texas AND Oklahoma loss

Baylor has found life in this race. Albeit those two final games are winnable, asking Oklahoma State to beat Oklahoma may be a tall task, considering the deflating loss the Bears just handed the Cowboys.

But for the first time all season, a Big 12 defense showed up at the perfect time. Baylor's once-24-point lead with a third-string quarterback was more than comfortable enough to prevent any magical Oklahoma State comeback.

Paul Myerberg of USA Today thinks Baylor did enough to play its way back into the College Football Playoff discussion:

"

Baylor can now imagine its Playoff scenario. Beat reeling TCU and Texas to end the regular season. Have Oklahoma State beat rival Oklahoma. It wouldn't hurt to have Stanford defeat Notre Dame. It's not too far out of the realm of possibility: Baylor is right in the mix. The Bears might even be in good shape, in fact.

"

Myerberg is right. When Seth Russell went down with the neck injury that ended his season, it seemed carrying the passing attack would be too much for Stidham.

After Saturday, the lesson is clear: It doesn't matter who Baylor puts at quarterback. Whether it be Stidham or Johnson starting at TCU on Friday, the Bears have shown there are enough pieces in place to win any big game. Just ask Baylor head coach Art Briles, per Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News:

While 430 yards and three touchdowns from Rudolph would normally be more than enough for Oklahoma State, the lack of a running game (eight yards) proved crucial for the Cowboys, according to head coach Mike Gundy, per Carson Cunningham of KOCO 5:

For at least one night, Johnson is the big man on campus, per freelance journalist David Ubben:

When Russell went down, Baylor wasn't expected to be in this situation. The Bears have had to play resilient football over the last three weeks to get here. All they need is two more wins, along with some help, and they could be playing for more than just a Big 12 title.