ARLINGTON, Texas — Oklahoma State didn’t make much sense this season.
Advanced stats hated the Cowboys, so did some traditional ones, yet, they somehow found a way to win nine games and reach the Big 12 Championship Game.
On Saturday, their, call it luck, caught up to them. Texas whooped OSU 49-21 for the conference title. Here are some grades from a not-so competitive championship game.
Halftime Dr. Pepper tuition giveaway contest: A
A tradition of championship weekend is the halftime game between two students to compete to get their tuition paid for. Oh, college football. Using students’ financial woes as entertainment.
The game is simple: throw more footballs into a target five yards away in a certain time limit. At halftime of the Big 12 Championship Game, the two contestants, Ryan and Gavin, competed in a closer race than the football game on the field.
It went to double overtime after two back-and-forth rounds, advancing to a first-to-make-wins. Gavin missed his first attempt, and Ryan took advantage, sinking his first, winning his college payment.
The prime athletes’ class isn’t an A+, as each chest passed. It’s a technique that is tried and tested, but isn’t respected.
Texas’ College Football Playoff case: B
The Big 12 Championship Game ended just in time for Texas to celebrate, then begin watching the SEC Championship Game as Alabama fans.
The Longhorns are on the outside of the playoffs as the No. 7 team, but their chance is getting better. No. 5 Oregon lost to No. 3 Washington on Friday, and No. 6 Ohio State is without a conference championship win. Washington is, without massive controversy, in the playoffs.
No. 2 Michigan plays Iowa, in a game the Wolverines are heavy favorites and with a win are all but in the playoffs. No. 3 Florida State plays Louisville for the ACC crown without its starting quarterback, and potentially its backup. That leaves No. 1 Georgia against No. 8 Alabama.
Texas beat the Tide in Tuscaloosa in Week 2, a win that UT coach Steve Sarkisian said is what helped his team the most this season. If Alabama holds its 17-7 lead at halftime against the No. 1 team, and Florida State loses, Texas is all but in. Even if FSU wins, Texas’ win vs Alabama earlier in the year should be enough for the committee to decide who the better team is and who would get the last spot.
But if there’s one thing we’ve learned, the committee sometimes doesn’t make sense.
The actual game itself: D
If you’re a Texas fan, Saturday was likely one of the best days to root for the Longhorns in the last decade. As a neutral party, though, the game was quite boring.
The Longhorns offense stomped OSU’s defense, setting a record for yards in a Big 12 Championship Game. The Cowboys offense couldn’t match. There wasn’t even an Ollie Gordon II show, as he totaled just 88 yards from scrimmage.
Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat scored a receiving touchdown and there were highlight plays from Texas’ outside playmakers, but other than that, the game wasn’t close and could have been turned off shortly after halftime.
Unless you’re a big Texas, Nelly or WWE fan, attendance wasn’t mandatory.
