Matt Hellman | Lariat Multimedia Producer
Sports Editor
The No. 4 Baylor Bears are perfect no more after the No. 10 Oklahoma State Cowboys upended the Bears 49-17 on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla.
With the score knotted at 0-0 late in the first quarter, the tide of the game swung in Oklahoma State’s direction when Baylor junior quarterback Bryce Petty was racing for what looked like an easy touchdown, instead Petty tripped in the open field and stumbled untouched to the 1-yard line.
Redshirt freshman running back Shock Linwood carried the ball on the next play and while attempting to extend the ball to the goal line, Oklahoma State knocked the ball out of his hands and recovered the fumble at the 1-yard line.
Oklahoma State then proceeded to drive 99 yards in seven plays to take a 7-0 lead when Oklahoma State senior full back Kye Staley rushed two yards for the game’s first score.
Cowboys senior quarterback Clint Chelf started the game in perfect fashion by completing all 11 of his first pass attempts for 234 yards.
Chelf fired a 12-yard scoring strike to senior receiver Charlie Moore over the middle of the field to put Oklahoma State up 14-0 in the second quarter.
With only 13 seconds remaining in the first half, Baylor senior placekicker Aaron Jones pushed a 29-yard field goal through the uprights to give Baylor a score before the half and cut into Oklahoma State’s 14-3 lead.
Oklahoma started the second half firing on all cylinders offensively. Chelf found senior wide receiver Tracy Moore down the sideline and Baylor senior cornerback Demetri Goodson lost his balance and stumbled to the ground, so Moore raced down the field for a 56-yard touchdown.
The score gave Oklahoma State a 21-3 lead, and officially created Baylor’s largest defecit of the season at 18 points. That would not stand as Baylor’s largest defect for long, as the Cowboys continued to pour on the points.
As the Bears were facing desperate times, Baylor resorted to desperate measures. Facing fourth down and four yards to go from OSU’s 20-yard line, the Bears ran an option play where Petty pitched to Linwood and the Cowboys defense strung out the play and forced Linwood out of bounds for no gain and to turn the ball over on downs.
Oklahoma State resorted to trickery on the next drive.
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy rolled the dice with a throwback pass play. Josh Stewart caught a quick screen pass and then threw the ball backwards across the field to Chelf who had a legion of blockers in front of him. Chelf raced 48 yards to the Baylor 5-yard line.
Staley pounded the rock once more into the end zone from 1-yard out and propelled the Cowboys to a 28-3 lead.
Hampered by injuries and playing without crucial starters, Baylor’s offense was flustered by the Cowboys prepared and aggressive defense.
The Bears fumbled the ball three times and Oklahoma State recovered all three fumbles to force Baylor to commit three turnovers. Oklahoma State did not turn the ball over and played clean, ball-control offense to boost the No. 10 Cowboys to the resounding upset win over No. 4 Baylor.
Chelf ran the ball in from four yards out to deliver another Oklahoma State score to give the Cowboys a 32-point lead, 35-3.
Baylor broke through with its first touchdown of the contest early in the fourth quarter when Petty tossed a scoring strike to junior receiver Antwan Goodley to put Baylor within 25 points, 35-10.
Just as it seemed like Baylor was gaining momentum for a possible turnover, Oklahoma delivered the proverbial knockout punch to put the Cowboys upset win on ice.
With Baylor inside the red zone and facing third down and goal from the 2-yard line, an errant snap went screaming past Petty in the back field and as Petty attempted to dive on the loose ball, the ball squirted away and was picked up by Oklahoma State sophomore cornerback Tyler Patmon. Patmon scooped up the ball and was off to the races with a 78-yard fumble recovery touchdown.
The emphatic score was the exclamation point of the game and handed OSU a commanding 42-10 lead that completely diminished any hope of a Baylor comeback.
The Bears were forced to a three-and-out on the next drive and Oklahoma State once again found the end zone. Chelf lofted a pass high into the air for redshirt freshman receiver Jhajuan Seales who reeled in the ball for a 33-yard touchdown.
The route was officially on as Oklahoma State held a convincing 49-10 lead with five minutes to play in the contest.
With under two minutes to play, Petty found junior receiver Levi Norwood for a 32-yard touchdown to help ease the pain of the scoreboard, 49-17.
Oklahoma State went into victory formation and Chelf took a few knees to officially end the game.
With the win, Oklahoma State now controls its own Big 12 destiny, while Baylor must hope for Oklahoma to defeat Oklahoma State in order to have a chance at the Big 12 title and at a BCS bid to the Fiesta Bowl.
The Bears must win out against TCU and Texas in order to have a chance at bringing home the Big 12 title if Oklahoma State were to fall to Oklahoma.
Any hopes Baylor had of advancing into the BCS national championship game at the Rose Bowl were squashed by the 32-point loss to Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma State outgained the Bears 594 yards to 453 yards. The Cowboys also won the time of possession battle by nearly 11 minutes. Oklahoma State passed for 440 yards, while Baylor was limited to 359 yards. The Cowboys also won the rushing battle 154 to 94.
Baylor was 0-3 on fourth downs and simply could not make the plays necessary to win.
Petty was 28-of-48 for 359 yards and two touchdowns. Petty was also the leading rusher for the Bears with 46 yards on 11 carries.
Baylor’s offense could not find a rhythm against Oklahoma State’s defense, part of that, might be a result of injuries. The Bears were playing without starting sophomore left tackle Spencer Drango and were without two primary running backs, junior Lache Seastrunk and senior Glasco Martin.
Baylor’s rushing attack struggled without the two lead backs. Linwood was held to 29 yards on 14 carries and freshman running back Devin Chafin rushed the ball seven times for 33 yards. Coming into the game, Baylor averaged over 300 yards rushing per game on the season.
Defensively, the Bears were also plagued by injuries with the loss of junior linebacker Bryce Hager to injury. Senior safety Ahmad Dixon was forced to play some linebacker in Hager’s place.
Oklahoma State’s Chelf ended up 19-of-25 for 370 yards and three touchdowns to lift the Cowboys to the win.
The Bears (9-1, 6-1) will play next on the road against TCU on Nov. 30.
