Jalen Hurts, No. 7 Oklahoma Dominate No. 21 Oklahoma State in Bedlam Rivalry

No. 7 Oklahoma will roll into the Big 12 Championship Game off an impressive 34-16 victory over No. 21 Oklahoma State on Saturday in Boone Pickens Stadium.

The Sooners never trailed Saturday as their running game (44 carries, 283 yards, two touchdowns) proved too strong for the Cowboy defense. Running back Kennedy Brooks led that effort with 22 carries, 160 yards and a score.

Brooks' three-yard touchdown run capped off Oklahoma's most impressive drive of the night—an 11-play, 93-yard effort that eventually gave the Sooners a 27-16 lead with 3:22 remaining in the third quarter. The Sooners never looked back in the 18-point win.

OU already clinched a spot in the Big 12 title matchup against Baylor before their road win began. The Sooners and Bears finished their seasons with matching 8-1 conference records.

The game marked the 114th edition of the Bedlam rivalry between the interstate enemies. OU leads the all-time series 89-18-7.

The Sooners end their regular season with an 11-1 record and a four-game win streak after falling to Kansas State 48-41 on the road Oct. 26. Oklahoma State's four-game win streak ended, dropping the Cowboys to 8-4.

Notable Performances

Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts: 13-of-16, 163 passing yards, 1 TD; 16 carries, 61 rushing yards, 1 TD

Oklahoma RB Kennedy Brooks: 22 carries, 160 rushing yards, 1 TD

Oklahoma State QB Dru Brown: 22-of-32, 207 passing yards, 1 INT; 4 carries, 17 rushing yards

Oklahoma State RB Chuba Hubbard: 24 carries, 104 rushing yards, 1 TD; 3 catches, 13 receiving yards

Oklahoma State WR Braydon Johnson: 4 catches, 77 yards

Oklahoma Stops Living on the Edge, Posts Resounding Win

Oklahoma fans have likely been on a roller coaster of emotions over the past month.

The Sooners fell 48-41 to unranked Kansas State on Oct. 26, significantly damaging the team's College Football Playoff hopes but not eliminating them.

Those chances look a lot better, as a few top teams have fallen victim to upsets while the Sooners have survived and advanced each week.

Oklahoma beat Iowa State, Baylor and TCU by a combined eight points, and the Sooners came back from a 28-3 deficit on the road to beat the Bears.

That doesn't exactly pass the eye test for the College Football Playoff committee, but the Sooners meant business Saturday in their strong 34-16 win.

OU outgained Oklahoma State 450-335, held the ball for eight-plus minutes longer and won the turnover battle 2-0. The much-maligned Sooners defense also dominated down the stretch (much like it did against Baylor) when it counted most, holding the Cowboys scoreless for the final 24:19.

The Cowboys were starting a backup quarterback in Dru Brown with Spencer Sanders suffering a right thumb injury, although the second-stringer impressed the week before by going 22-of-29 for 196 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a win over West Virginia. Oklahoma State also still featured star running back Chuba Hubbard, who has 1,936 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on the season.

The Sooners defense slowed him, holding Hubbard to 4.3 yards per carry, far lower than his 6.4-yard average.

Now the Sooners face the task of beating Baylor a second time, and the Bears will undoubtedly look for revenge against the team that spoiled their undefeated season. But if Oklahoma plays like it did Saturday, then the Sooners will be difficult to beat, leaving the CFP committee with a tough choice when considering how to round out the four-team playoff field.

What's Next?

Oklahoma will face Baylor in the Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Kickoff is at noon ET.

A Sooners win would give Oklahoma its fifth straight conference title. The last non-Oklahoma teams to win the Big 12 were Baylor and TCU in 2014.

Oklahoma State is eligible for a bowl game and will wait to hear its destination and opponent.