When No. 5 Oklahoma State and No. 9 Baylor meet in the Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday both programs will be trying to make history by earning their first conference title game victory. The Cowboys, which have not won a conference title since 2011, can likely play their way into the College Football Playoff with a win.
Baylor played a shaky 27-24 game against Texas Tech to close the regular season, but won its previous two games against Oklahoma and Kansas State by a combined 23 points. The Bears have one of the most improved offenses in college football behind star running back Abram Smith.
After Oklahoma State and Baylor beat Oklahoma in the month of November, the Big 12 is guaranteed to have a new champion for the first time since 2014. The Cowboys beat their rival and won Bedlam for the first time since 2014 in the win.
Oklahoma State vs. Baylor: Need to know
New Big 12: Want a new era in the Big 12? This is as new as it gets. The Bears and Cowboys are the No. 1 and No. 2 scoring defense in the conference, along with the teams that rank No. 1 and No. 2 in rushing attempts. The last time these two teams played, it took 58 minutes for a team to clear 20 points. Expect the Saturday matchup to be even more physical. Oklahoma State linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and Baylor safety Jalen Pitre are both All-America candidates.
Star assistants: The Broyles Award named its slate of five finalists, and both teams have a representative on the exclusive list. Baylor offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes was named after taking the Bears from No. 118 to No. 26 in total offense in just one year, while Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has the Cowboys No. 2 nationally in defensive FEI, behind only Georgia. For context, the other…
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