It is rarely easy against Iowa State no. 6, but in the end, No. 10 Oklahoma made another piece needed to capture the sixth consecutive Big 12 championship and the fourth straight victory in the conference championship game, while Sooners defeated the Cyclones 27-21. Brown’s interception by Cyclones quarterback Brock Purdy at the last minute of the game ended the deal, and now Sooners will be heading for a game with 6 New Year’s bowls – maybe Cotton Bowl.
Sooners had a 17-point lead twice, including a 24-7 lead at the break. But, as usual with Matt Campbell’s team, Iowa State came out in the second half proving they weren’t finished. Iowa’s defense held Oklahoma to three points in the second half and forced five points. Meanwhile, the offense, which had started slowly, came up with two long scoring units spanning the third and fourth quarters, totaling 21 games and 177 yards.
It just wasn’t enough in the end. Purdy threw three picks that day, tying the worst total of the season. And while the Breece Hall runner scored two touchdowns, he totaled only 79 meters on 23 carries. Oklahoma’s defensive front determined him throughout the game and kept his big games to a minimum. It’s hard to overstate the work that defensive coordinator Alex Grinch did in Norman in just two seasons; Sooners went from being a defensive responsibility to being able to win with it. The front was great, and Brown and Tre Norwood had nice games on the back. This is a defense that flies the ball and plays with confidence. Even though it wore out late as Iowa grew, it made huge pieces when needed.
Offensively, Sooners defender Spencer Rattler was sharp, throwing for 272 meters and a touchdown while playing some spectacular games on the run. Rhamondre Stevenson had 97 yards on the ground, while Marvin Mims hit 101 yards and received a touchdown – his eighth of the season, the most for any widening in OU history.
But Oklahoma’s defense was the difference, especially up front. Oklahoma fired Purdy three times and put him under duress all afternoon. This pressure has led to the turnover that has become the difference in the game.
Here’s what I learned from Saturday’s Big 12 championship game:
Iowa’s defense has played its part
You can’t say the cyclones didn’t do well defensively to win. Besides allowing only three points in the second half, they played better than the indicated score – which is pretty incredible in itself. Consider the other three touchdown units in Oklahoma:
- The first, which went up 7-0, came on the first unit of the game after the ball was kicked out of bounds. Cyclones DB Isheem Young, one of the team’s best players, was sent off for targeting the second piece of the game.
- The second touchdown was a 45-meter bomb from Spencer Rattler to Marvin Mims. Players play games, and a now healthy Mims can fly.
- The third, which went up 24-7 just before the break, came on a short field due to the great return of Brown.
Otherwise, the state of Iowa forced seven points and four three and exits. Oklahoma also scored zero points out of three Iowa turnovers. The first two possessions were three and outings, while the other ended the game. Iowa’s defense staff did an excellent job of putting pressure on Rattler and giving him a different look at the process. There were few pieces that allowed the job to gain early descents in the second half was remarkable.
A more conservative Lincoln Riley this year
Riley has been visibly less aggressive in his situational games this season. There are several reasons for this. The first is, as mentioned above, the defense plays much better. It can rely on that group to maintain its position or to come to a halt in a way that was simply not possible a few years ago. The other reason is that, although the offensive has players, it is not as consistent as last year. Mims, Theo Wease, Rhamondre Stevenson and Co. are all great players playing jaw games, but the overall consistency in the movement of the ball was not there on Saturday. A few showcases during the game were beautiful, but the state of Iowa made its own adjustments in defense.
On Saturday, on several occasions, Riley chose to throw in no man’s land and fix the cyclones deep, rather than go for her in fourth place. It worked in his favor, but it’s not something we’re used to seeing. Situationally, Riley plays to different strengths with this team. It’s not something we usually see, but after another Big 12 title, it’s hard to argue with the results, even if Iowa State is almost back.