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Baylor makes statement, routs Oklahoma

Nov 8, 2013 - 6:27 AM Waco, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Statement made.

And fifth-ranked Baylor showed it can play a little defense too.

Bryce Petty threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more as Baylor routed No. 12 Oklahoma, 41-12, to move to 8-0 for the first time in school history.

The Bears scored 28 unanswered points after the Sooners took a 5-3 lead following a safety and a field goal early in the second quarter and never looked back.

"It was a little lopsided, but we didn't play as well as we wanted to. We started strong and ended strong, so that was good. The best part of this offense is we know its all about the next drive. Momentum is huge in this game, so when we could get a stop and swing back our way, that makes it easy for us," said Petty.

Baylor outgained Oklahoma, 459-237, and ran for 255 yards on 54 carries.

It's been quite the turnaround for the Bears, who were the laughing stock of the Big 12 prior to head coach Art Briles' arrival to Waco six years ago.

Robert Griffin III revived the football program and lifted them to national prominence in 2011 when he won the Heisman and guided Baylor to a 9-3 mark, but those Griffin-led teams were never part of the national title discussion.

This year's squad now is.

Baylor came into the contest leading the nation in scoring (64 ppg) and total offense (718 ypg), but this was the Bears' first true test after they had racked up seven wins against unranked opponents.

They passed with flying colors.

Petty was 13-of-26 for 204 yards while adding 45 yards on the ground for the Bears (8-0, 5-0 Big 12), who have won 12 straight games dating back to last season.

Antwan Goodley had six receptions for 80 yards and two scores and Levi Norwood added 78 yards and a touchdown on four catches. Shock Linwood, filling in for an injured Lache Seastrunk, who exited in the first half with a groin injury, carried the ball 23 times for 182 yards in the triumph.

Blake Bell completed just 15-of-35 passes for 150 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Oklahoma (7-2, 4-2), which had won back-to-back games following its 36-20 loss to Texas in the Red River Rivalry.

"I thought overall they played great. Defensively they were all over us. We had our moments. We had a tight game with four minutes to go in the first half, but we just had too many penalties. We didn't play near smart enough, overall they outplayed and outcoached us. They're a great football team," said Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops.

The Sooners still lead the all-time series 21-2.

Bell was stuffed on a 4th-and-goal from the Baylor 1-yard line early in the second quarter, but Oklahoma linebacker Dominique Alexander sacked Petty in the end zone for a safety two plays later.

Jalen Saunders returned the ensuing free kick 54 yards down the right sideline to the Baylor 12 and Michael Hunnicutt drilled a 22-yard field goal four snaps later for OU's 5-3 spread with 12:09 left in the second.

After both teams traded missed field goals, Baylor, which hadn't tallied a touchdown on each of its first five possessions, got into the end zone four times over its next five touches.

Linwood and Petty both ran for 20 yards before Petty kept if himself for a 5- yard score to cap a brisk five-play, 69-yard sequence. Following a Sooners punt, Petty concluded an elongated 10-play, 93-yard march with a 1-yard TD plunge with 1:00 left in the half.

Linebacker Eddie Lackey intercepted Bell on the first play of Oklahoma's next drive and Petty found a wide open Goodley in the back right corner of the end zone with 13 ticks left to give the Bears a 24-5 advantage heading into the locker room.

Petty's 17-yard strike to Norwood finished off Baylor's second touch of the second half before the Sooners finally crossed the goal line when Bell swung a pass in the flat on a 4th-and-3 to Roy Finch for a 10-yard touchdown, which made it 31-12 in favor of the host late in the third.

Aaron Jones booted through a 40-yard field goal on the Bears' next offensive sequence and Goodley's 25-yard TD catch early in the fourth concluded the scoring.

Earlier, Jones' 29-yard field goal started the scoring midway through the first.

The Bears were penalized 38 yards on one play late in the first quarter, including a targeting penalty on K.J. Morton and two unsportsmanlike conduct infractions on Ahmad Dixon, to move the ball to the Baylor 7-yard line.

Morton was flagged for a vicious hit, which laid out Oklahoma wide receiver Sterling Sheppard. Morton was originally ejected, but came back into the game following a review.

Morton then made the crucial tackle on Bell on 4th-and-goal.

Game Notes

Baylor's leading receiver Tevin Reese injured his wrist and spent the second half with his arm in a sling ... Baylor was 5-of-15 on third down, while Oklahoma finished 4-of-17.