Baylor clinches share of Big 12 title with 38-27 win over Kansas State

No. 6 Baylor did what it had to do keep alive its chance for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Bryce Petty and company grabbed a share of a second consecutive Big 12 title.

Up next for the Bears is wait and see.

Petty threw for 412 yards, Johnny Jefferson had two touchdown runs and Baylor beat No. 9 Kansas State, 38-27, on Saturday night at Waco, Texas.

Baylor (11-1, 8-1) and Texas Christian (11-1, 8-1) tied for the top spot in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs were ranked higher in the most recent committee poll, but they lost to the Bears, 61-58, on Oct. 11.

“There’s one true champion and it’s the Baylor Bears,” Coach Art Briles screamed to the celebratory crowd after the victory over the Wildcats.

The Bears became the only team with consecutive Big 12 titles other than Oklahoma from 2006-08. They are a sure thing for one of the top six New Year’s bowls, but the new four-team playoff appears to be a longshot.

Petty completed 34 of 40 passes with a touchdown and an interception a week after getting knocked out of the Bears’ last game because of a concussion.

Not medically cleared to play until Friday, Petty showed no ill effects of the concussion. He put his head down and plunged in for a one-yard touchdown run only 1:35 in, capping an opening 81-yard drive that put Baylor ahead to stay.

Oklahoma State 38, No. 20 Oklahoma 35

Tyreek Hill returned a punt 91 yards for a touchdown with 45 seconds remaining to force overtime and Ben Grogan kicked a 21-yard field goal in the extra period to give the Cowboys the upset victory.

On the first overtime possession, Oklahoma’s Michael Hunnicutt missed a 44-yard field goal attempt. Oklahoma State took over and pounded the ball with Desmond Roland to set up the winner.

Mason Rudolph passed for 273 yards and two touchdowns, and Brandon Sheperd caught seven passes for a career-high 156 yards and two touchdowns for the Cowboys (6-6, 4-5 Big 12), who snapped a five-game losing streak to become bowl eligible.

Samaje Perine ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns for Oklahoma (8-4, 5-4), but left the game in the third quarter with a left leg injury and didn’t return. The Sooners led 28-14 when he was injured.

No. 3 Texas Christian 55, Iowa State 3

Trevone Boykin passed for a career-high 460 yards and caught a touchdown pass as Texas Christian earned at least a share of the Big 12 championship and kept its playoff bid alive.

The Horned Frogs (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) came into championship weekend ranked third in the College Football Playoff selection committee’s rankings. TCU was the only playoff contender not playing a ranked team this weekend.

There wasn’t much the Frogs could do help themselves against the Cyclones (2-10, 0-9), but they avoided the type of clunker that could have caused the committee to downgrade them.

Aaron Green scored two touchdowns for TCU and Derrick Kindred returned an interception 44 yards for a score in the third quarter to put the Frogs up 34-3.

No. 22 Boise State 28, Fresno State 14

Grant Hedrick ran for two touchdowns to lead the Broncos to the Mountain West Conference championship.

Boise State (11-2), which claimed a share of the conference title in 2012, won its first outright league championship since joining the Mountain West four years ago. The Broncos preserved their chance to get the lone slot for a team outside the power five conferences in a major New Year’s Day bowl game.

Hedrick was 9 of 16 passing for 155 yards, and had 81 yards rushing with the two scores to earn the game’s offensive MVP honors.

Tanner Vallejo, who had 13 tackles and an interception return for a touchdown, won the defensive MVP award.

After winning the inaugural Mountain West championship game last year, Fresno State (6-7) lost to the Broncos for the second time this season.

Marshall 26, Louisiana Tech 23

Rakeem Cato passed 5 yards to Deon-Tay McManus with 1:50 remaining to lift the Thundering Herd to their first Conference-USA championship.

Cato rolled out to his right and hit McManus in the back corner of the end zone to give Marshall its first lead of the game. On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Neville Hewitt intercepted Cody Sokol and Marshall ran out the clock.

McManus also caught Cato’s other touchdown pass in the second quarter and Justin Haig kicked four field goals for Marshall (12-1), which lost to Rice 41-24 in last year’s title game.

Cato completed 25 of 46 passes for 308 yards with an interception.

Kenneth Dixon ran for 156 yards on 20 carries and three touchdowns for the Bulldogs (8-5), who had six players, including five starters, ruled academically ineligible for the game.

Cincinnati 38, Houston 31

Gunner Kiel threw for a pair of touchdowns before leaving again, and Mike Boone ran for three touchdowns as Cincinnati clinched a share of the American Athletic Conference championship.

Cincinnati (9-3, 7-1) finished in a three-way tie for the title. Memphis clinched part of the title last weekend, and Central Florida made it a split by beating East Carolina 32-30 on Thursday night with a 51-yard desperation pass at the end.

The Bearcats won their last seven games to earn a share of the title for the sixth time in the last eight seasons. Their previous ones came in the Big East.

Greg Ward Jr. ran 40 yards for a touchdown and threw for two more in the second half, but Houston (7-5, 5-3) couldn’t stop Cincinnati’s passing game even after Kiel left early in the third quarter.

Southern Methodist 27, Connecticut 20

SMU quarterback Matt Davis ran for 191 yards and a touchdown and threw for another 145 yards to lead the Mustangs to their only win.

Prescott Line added 90 yards rushing and two second-half touchdowns as SMU (1-11, 1-7 American Athletic Conference) snapped a 13-game losing streak.

Freshman Ron Johnson ran for 101 yard and a touchdown for UConn (2-10, 1-7), which finishes tied with SMU for last place in the conference.

UConn led 20-6 at the half, but SMU scored 21 unanswered points after the Huskies fumbled the second half kickoff, one of five UConn turnovers.