Bob Stoops
“Really, it’s kind of, flipped the script at halftime. They were running the football a lot better than we were in the first half. We didn’t play good enough defense against the run, and we couldn’t run in the football. Then, in the second half, it was the complete opposite. We played really well against the run and we ran the football really well. I think that was a big part of the game. Some of it’s just overall execution. Obviously, some adjustments in the game, both sides of the ball. We talked about what the issues were and executed it better, obviously, in the second half. That’s a big part of this game up on the soaked field to be able to run the football, and in the second half, I thought that was a major difference in the game as well as the exceptional running of two great backs. Those guys were incredible: Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon.”
“Then, you’ve got to give it to Baker Mayfield on a wet field, goes 13 of 19, and I bet those six were drops. We had more drops than we’ve ever had, and again, I’ll give the guys a pass today. It rained pretty much the entire time, so wasn’t the easiest to hold on to the football. Baker, again, was just outstanding: scrambling, finding players downfield, making big plays. Just really excited about what he did. Dede (Westbrook) misses a good part of the game and still has 111 yards, four catches and a touchdown.” – On Oklahoma’s offense
“It’s great to win another Big 12 Championship. I say first compliments to assistant coaches for sure; players’ heart, hard work and confidence, keeping it positive through a tough start to the year; a great administration that continues to support us and gives us opportunities to chase championships… We just celebrated in our new locker room, even though it isn’t finished, I wanted the seniors to have a piece of it, a taste of it, what they’ve left behind, so we had a nice celebration in the new locker room—hopefully didn’t damage any walls that need re-done. Anyway, this group of guys, they’ve earned two Big 12, back-to-back championships out of a trailer, so it says a lot about (them), that nobody’s ever belly ached about it and had a negative thing to say about it. Proud of these seniors for their leadership and going out this way.” – On winning the Big 12 championship
Mike Stoops
“We were disappointed that we didn’t play the run better. We had enough people in there that we should’ve played it better. The fits were off, we spilled the wrong way, the mike (linebacker) didn’t get over one time – it was just a lot of missed things. It wasn’t because of a lack of people in there. I just think we fitted better (in the second half) and our linebackers were able to see the run. We were kind of zeroed in on it in the second half and we were able to figure out what they were doing.” – On second half improvements
Lincoln Riley
“Adjustments. We had to make a few adjustments at half and they [the team] came out at half, like everybody, they came out and did a lot of different things in the game than what they had thought. We were able to make some adjustments and I thought early in the second quarter, early in the half, in the throw game, we got the throw game going pretty good there in the second quarter. I think, honestly, the key portion of the game for us what that drive right before half to score points. They had a little bit of momentum. For us to be able to get down, Geno [Lewis] made a clutch play. No doubt that was huge. We made some run game adjustments at half and we jogged into half. We knew we were going to have to run the football better than we did in the first half. Our guys answered the challenge.” – On making adjustments
Jordan Evans
“A lot was happening. A lot of people were asking me, but I don’t really think it hit me until I went to the sidelines where my dad gave me a big hug and told me he was proud of me. That kind of got me there, after the game.” – On his final game in Norman
Dimitri Flowers
“It was awesome. We were just running the play clock down. The tight ends are on the field, and we are just running it down their throat the entire second half. When we can do that as an offense, it just makes things so much easier, because we stay on the field and keep their offense off the field.” – On having fun in the second half
Geno Lewis
“He is the core of this team. We play off of Baker no matter what happens, no matter who goes down, he keeps that same mentality of next man up and let’s keep going, and let’s keep grinding. We follow his lead each and every time, I am just grateful for him and humbled to have him as my quarterback and as a captain.” – On Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield
“The old Bake would have probably try to do too much and make up for not having your best player on offense but I’ve settled in and kind of matured a lot in the past, recently here. I realize I just have to go out there and do my job and get my receivers the ball, who are here at Oklahoma to play football for a reason. They’re playmakers so just get the ball in their hands and they will do the rest.” – On continuing without Dede Westbrook
Steven Parker
“Words cannot describe how happy I am, just for the team and me being a part of the Sooners. It is a dream come true. To have two back-to-back is crazy and so cool.” – On winning the Big 12 championship
Samaje Perine
“What’s the point of scoring? We were already up by two touchdowns with only a few seconds left, so there’s really no need to run up the score. I did what I thought was the right thing to do.” – On taking a knee
Game Notes
- Oklahoma secured its 10th Big 12 title in the last 17 years, all under head coach Bob Stoops
- Oklahoma owns an 86-18-7 (.806) all-time record against Oklahoma State and is 41-9-2 (.808) in the series in Norman.
- The Sooners have now won more Big 12 Championships under Stoops than they have lost home games (nine).
- The 69-yard TD pass from Baker Mayfield to Dede Westbrook, in the second quarter, represented OU’s 20th TD of at least 40 yards this season.
- The Sooners fi nished with a season-high 341 rushing yards (had 316 at West Virginia), their third game to top 300 this season.
- Baker Mayfield has seven games this season of at least three TD passes and has accounted for three or more TDs in 10 games this year, including every conference contest (nine straight).
- Mayfield now has a career-high 38 passing TDs this season, giving him sole possession of fourth place in OU single-season history, passing himself (37 in 2015) and Sam Bradford (37 in 2007).
- Westbrook’s touchdown was a school-record 16th of the season and the 20th of his career (seventh-most in OU history).
- Westbrook has 12 TDs of at least 40 yards this season (the most by any player in the last 18 years), all of which have come in the last nine games. Six of those have gone for 65 or more yards.
- Joe Mixon finished with 201 all-purpose yards, giving him 2,151 this season. He is just the fourth Sooner to surpass the 2,000-yard mark in a single season (DeMarco Murray [twice, 2008 and 2010], Quentin Griffin [2002] and Greg Pruitt [1971]) and he’s only 20 yards off Murray’s single-season school record of 2,171 yards set in 2008 (13 games).
- Samaje Perine’s 37 rushing attempts tied for the 10th most in OU single-game history and were the most since Dewell Brewer had 38 rushes vs. K-State (11/11/1989).
- Perine has rushed for at least 100 yards in all three Bedlam games of his career (151 in 2014, 131 in 2015, 239 in 2016). He is the fourth Sooner to accomplish the feat (fi rst since Mike Gaddis, 1988-1991).