Texas wins its final Big 12 Championship before leaving for SEC, lassoes OSU Cowboys

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Oklahoma Sooners won their final Big 12 Conference game on Black Friday before heading to the Southeastern Conference. Now, the other Big 12 team bolting for the SEC, the Texas Longhorns did likewise.

The ’Horns lassoed the Oklahoma State Cowboys 49-21 in Saturday’s Big 12 Championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the home of the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys.

The Longhorns (12-1) got invited to be a part of the 2023 College Football Playoff, getting a third seed and will meet the second-seeded Washington Huskies in the Sugar Bowl at 7:45 p.m. Jan. 1 at the Mercedes-Benz Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.

The Cowboys (9-4) was invited to the Texas Bowl to meet former Big 12 foe and current SEC member Texas A&M at 7 p.m. Dec. 27 at NRG Stadium in Houston.

The Longhorns broke the ice as Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers hit Adonai Mitchell on a 10-yard touchdown pass. Bert Auburn’s extra point put Texas ahead 7-0 with 12:52 left in the first quarter.

The ‘Horns doubled their advantage as Ewers hit Ja’Tavion Sanders on a 24-yard TD pass. Auburn’s PAT made it 14-0 with 8:34 remaining in the period.

The Cowboys got on the board with 5:36 left in the quarter when OSU quarterback Alan Bowman hit Brennan Presley on a 5-yard touchdown pass. Logan Ward’s extra point cut OSU’s deficit in half at 14-7.

The Longhorns started to pull away from the Pokes as the latter stages of the opening quarter went into the second period.

Ewers made it a hat trick on TD passes as he connected with defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat, who reported as an eligible receiver, on a 2-yard touchdown pass with 1:41 remaining in the period. Auburn’s PAT upped the Texas lead to 21-7 after the first quarter.

“We didn’t get off to a good start,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “I felt like we needed to get off to a really good start to maintain the blows back and forth, but we really didn’t get off to a good start. Then, we got into a multiple-score game, and that made it difficult. They made plays, and we didn’t.”

Texas made it 28-7 on C.J. Baxter’s 10yard run and Auburn’s extra point with 11:40 left before halftime.

It looked like Texas was going to run away with the game as the ‘Horns once again were driving, but Ewers had his pass picked off Nickolas Martin at the Texas 31. He returned it 28 yards to the Texas 3 with 7:06 remaining in the first half.

The short drive was capped by Bowman’s 7-yard TD pass to Rashod Owens. Ward’s extra point cut the Texas lead to 28-14 with 5:50 left in the first half.

Texas responded as Ewers threw his fourth touchdown pass, this one to Jaydon Blue for seven yards. Auburn’s PAT increased the Texas advantage to 3514 with 2:11 remaining before halftime.

Texas almost had some gift points late in the first half. Texas defensive end Ethan Burke recovered a fumble at the OSU 47 with 1:29 left before halftime.

However, the OSU defense stopped the Longhorns at the OSU 26 to force a field goal attempt, but Auburn’s 44-yard attempt went wide left with 26 seconds remaining in the first half. Texas led 35-14 at halftime, in the second-most offensive half for a Big 12 Championship game (49 points).

After each team had a possession in the third quarter, the second Texas drive of the period produced points as Keilan Robinson rambled 57 yards down the OSU sideline, tightroping his way into the end zone. Auburn’s extra point upped the Texas lead to 42-14 with 3:33 left in the third quarter.

After a scoreless third quarter, the ‘Horns put away the game on Robinson’s second TD, an 11-yard run with 10:38 left in the game. Auburn’s PAT increased the Texas lead to 49-14.

The Cowboys did get one last score as Bowman hit Owens on a 3-yard touchdown pass. Ward hit the extra point to cut the OSU deficit to 49-21 with 6:26 remaining to play.

“I told these guys they had a great year,” Gundy said. “What our guys were able to accomplish, we had a great year. I couldn’t be any more proud of what we did and what they accomplished. They deserved to be in this game …We came up short.”

Gundy and the Cowboys can now get ready for the Aggies.

“We’re lucky,” he said.

“We get to play another game. We’ll get to go play again. We’re going to give these guys a week off … This team needs a break. They’re tired. We practiced harder these last eight weeks than I ever have as a head coach in 19 years. I wanted them to know how much I appreciated that and what they brought to the table. There’s nobody taking anything away from this football team as we move forward to a week off and get ready to play in a bowl game.”