Texas vs. Oklahoma State score: Longhorns cruise to Big 12 title, make emphatic College Football Playoff case

The Longhorns trounced the Cowboys on Saturday as they now await their CFP fate as a one-loss conference champ

ARLINGTON, Texas -- No. 7 Texas steamrolled to a 49-21 win over No. 18 Oklahoma State to capture its first Big 12 championship since 2009 and make a strong case for the College Football Playoff. The Longhorns more than doubled Oklahoma State's yardage, posting 662 yards of offense and 7.6 yards per play in one of the most dominant performances of the season. 

Quarterback Quinn Ewers had a sensational day for the Longhorns, setting career highs with 452 yards and four touchdowns in the win. The yardage mark was a record for the Big 12 Championship Game. More than 350 yards came in the first half as Texas built a 35-14 lead it would never surrender. 

The Longhorns' attention now shifts to the College Football Playoff picture. Texas is a 12-1 conference champion but sits behind at least one undefeated conference champ: No. 3 Washington. No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Michigan and No. 4 Florida State could also enter the field as undefeated champs. The Longhorns need one team ahead of them to lose to have a chance. 

• Texas leaned on its passing game while building a dominant lead. In the first half, Texas threw the ball on 31 of its 47 plays. The Longhorns attacked the edge consistently, allowing their tight ends and running backs to take advantage of space. 
• Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II struggled to create any space against the Longhorns. The nation's leading rusher mustered just 34 yards on 13 rush attempts in the loss. Oklahoma State tried to get him involved in the passing game, but it wasn't enough. 
• Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy went out with an apparent lower ankle injury early in the fourth quarter. He returned to the sideline on crutches. 
• Oklahoma State wide receivers Rashod Owens and Brennan Presley were able to have great days despite the poor performance. The duo combined for 178 of Oklahoma State's 281 total yards and all three touchdowns, including big plays down the sideline. 

Keep it locked here below for takeaways as Texas cruised to a Big 12 title win on Saturday. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 3:58 pm ET · Jerry Palm]

College Football Playoff: Texas does its job

I don't know that Texas had to make a statement in the Big 12 Championship Game, but make one it did. The statement that really mattered was made on Sept. 9 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Longhorns absolutely looked like a College Football Playoff-worthy team in destroying Oklahoma State. Now, Texas waits to see if there is room in the top four.

A loss by any of the three undefeated Power Five teams with a game to play Saturday should open the door for the Longhorns. That includes No. 1 Georgia potentially falling to No. 8 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. The CFP Selection Committee has respected the Longhorns' win at the Crimson Tide all season, and there is no reason to believe that won't still be true come Selection Sunday.

As for whether Texas could get into the playoff without one of those undefeateds losing, the answer is no. Even if No. 4 Florida State -- possibly starting its third-string quarterback -- barely squeaks by No. 14 Louisville in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday night, the committee has never excluded an undefeated Power Five team from the field, and there is no reason to believe it would in that scenario.

College Football Playoff, bowl projections: Scenarios for five contenders in the hunt for four-team field

Jerry Palm

[Dec 2, 2023 at 3:44 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Longhorns leave on top

Texas is one of the most historic programs of all time, but the Longhorns have spent surprisingly little time atop the podium since the Big 12 was formed in 1996. Heading into Saturday, Texas was tied with Kansas State and Baylor with three conference titles, all of which occurred prior to 2010. Former coach Tom Herman got the Longhorns back to the title game in 2018 but was unable to follow through. 

However, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian was able to get the job done. He went just 13-12 in his first two seasons but has now developed one of the great teams in program history. The Big 12 Championship Game was a coronation more than a competition as Texas went up 14-0 and never looked back. The 49-21 final score was not representative of just how dominant the Longhorns were. 

Texas ended its Big 12 tenure by playing longtime conference mates Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. The Longhorns beat those two teams by a combined 106-28. No matter your definition, Texas is back. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 4:00 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Statement made

The Longhorns tried their best to make a convincing statement on the biggest stage, and that they did as they dismantled their top-25 foe in every phase of the game. From the first snap, Oklahoma State appeared hapless. The Cowboys put up some points late, but the Longhorns emerged looking like one of the strongest Big 12 champions in recent memory. 

Now, Texas heads into the rest of the Saturday slate in need of some chaos. The Longhorns have a head-to-head victory over No. 8 Alabama, who plays No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. Florida State sits ahead as a zero-loss team in the ACC, even though most advanced metrics favor the Longhorns. 

Texas has also been the unfortunate recipient of one of the strongest and most balanced years in recent college football. If chalk holds, there could be four undefeated conference champions, which has never happened in the history of the four-team playoff. Getting left out as a very strong 12-1 Big 12 champion would be an unfortunate way for this run to end. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 4:02 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Playmakers everywhere

While Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers will get the majority of the credit after a 452-yard showing, the depth was the story of the day. The Longhorns kept coming with waves of playmakers, from receiver Adonai Mitchell to running back Keilan Robinson and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders. Every one proved able to take advantage of space and beat Oklahoma State's defenders to the edge. 

If Texas has to go forward without Worthy in the lineup, Steve Sarkisian should feel confident that the Longhorns have all the firepower necessary to win on the biggest stage. Sanders and Mitchell each posted 100-yard receiving games with a touchdown. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 4:05 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Ending with a thud

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy was named Big 12 Coach of the Year after leading the Cowboys to one of the most impressive turnarounds in the conference. After starting 2-2 with a 33-7 loss to South Alabama, the Cowboys won six of seven games to shockingly find their way to Arlington, Texas. The highlight was a 27-24 win in the final Bedlam series over Oklahoma. 

Against Texas, a legitimate national championship contender, the luck ran out. Running back Ollie Gordon II went down multiple times with injuries and struggled to create any space. Unlike against Oklahoma, quarterback Alan Bowman got off to a miserably slow start and was unable to stretch the field. Texas was the best team in the Big 12 this season; Oklahoma State didn't look like they belonged. The Cowboys could fall all the way out of the rankings, which might hurt Texas' strength of schedule. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 3:36 pm ET · Dean Straka]

Arch Manning enters for Texas 

Texas' touted five-star freshman quarterback enters the contest with less than two minutes remaining in regulation as the Longhorns close in on their first Big 12 title since 2009. It's another sight to cheer about for the Texas faithful on a day where just about everything has gone right in Arlington, Texas. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 3:28 pm ET · Dean Straka]

Cowboys end scoring drought 

6:26 4Q: No. 7 Texas 49, Oklahoma State 21

Oklahoma State has its first points since the 5:05 mark in the second quarter, though it won't matter much at this rate with the Cowboys still trailing by four touchdowns with less than seven minutes left in regulation. Quarterback Alan Bowman's 3-yard pass to Rashod Owens does give Bowman his third touchdown pass of the day, but Oklahoma State's offense just hasn't been able to keep pace with Steve Sarkisian's Longhorns offense this afternoon. Texas has racked up more than 600 total yards of offense compared to just 281 for the Cowboys, and the scoreboard shows it. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 3:13 pm ET · Dean Straka]

Xavier Worthy exits with injury 

Longhorns star wide receiver Xavier Worthy was seen headed to the locker room with assistance from trainers after suffering an apparent lower-body injury early in the fourth quarter. Worthy had caught six passes for 86 total yards before going down, and with the blowout underway for Texas, it seems unlikely that he'll be returning to this contest. He certainly isn't a player the Longhorns want to be without as they head to postseason play, especially if Texas sneaks its way into the College Football Playoff.

Xavier Worthy injury: Texas star WR exits 2023 Big 12 Championship Game after hurting lower leg

Shehan Jeyarajah

[Dec 2, 2023 at 3:00 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Ewers shaken up

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers left the field for a play after being tackled awkwardly during the third quarter against Oklahoma State. Ewers scrambled to the sideline on a third down and was hit by an Oklahoma State player while diving. Backup Maalik Murphy came into the game for one running play, but Ewers re-entered in time to return for the fourth quarter. 

Ewers is in the midst of his best game as a college quarterback, throwing for 402 yards and four touchdowns through three quarters. His mark is the best yardage performance by any quarterback in Big 12 Championship Game history with one quarter remaining. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 2:47 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Robinson with the backbreaker

3Q: Texas 42, Oklahoma State 14

Texas got off to a slow start in the second half, but it only takes one carry to fix it. Running back Keilan Robinson found a hole and raced down the sideline for a breakaway 57-yard touchdown in one of the biggest plays of the game. Robinson has been relegated to a support role in a stacked running back room, but he ranks among the fastest players on the team. He was shot out of a cannon on that score. Texas is so dangerous because of the pure amount of playmakers they have on their roster. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 2:06 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Ewers puts up legendary half

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was electric in the first half of the 2023 Big 12 Championship Game. Ewers completed his first 12 passes to key a 354-yard, four-touchdown half against Oklahoma State. Ewers delivered passes to nine different receivers, including a 2-yard pop pass touchdown to defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat. The 354 yards and four touchdowns ranks as the best overall game of his season with still a half to play. Ewers has not cleared the yardage mark since the 2022 Alamo Bowl against Washington. The four touchdowns matches the best mark of his career set during a 49-0 win over Oklahoma in 2022. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 1:54 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Texas dominating at half

HALF: Texas 35, Oklahoma State 14

Texas is rolling at halftime of the 2023 Big 12 Championship Game, taking a four-score lead into halftime. The Longhorns are obliterating Oklahoma State in every aspect, outgaining the Cowboys 422-157 as Quinn Ewers has thrown for 354 yards in the first half alone. Five different players have at least 30 yards receiving, including three with more than 65 yards as part of a balanced effort. 

Oklahoma State is getting manhandled, rushing for just 2.4 yards per carry. Star running back Ollie Gordon has just 28 yards rushing to go with 36 yards receiving. Wide receiver Rashod Owens has a big 34-yard reception down the sideline to set up a touchdown. The other came on a drive that started at the 3-yard line. 

The 35-14 score is the highest-scoring half in Big 12 title game history. The game has not been decided by more than 24 points since it returned in 2017. The biggest victory in conference championship game history came at the hands of Texas -- a 70-3 victory over Colorado in 2005 behind Vince Young. That was the last time Texas won a national championship. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 1:38 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Ewers isn't rattled

2Q: Texas 35, Oklahoma State 14

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers threw his first interception of the game, but quickly rebounded on the next possession. Ewers completed six-of-eight passes, including including a 20-yard dot to Jordan Whittington and a contested 26-yard pass to Ja'Tavion Sanders. He capped it off with an 8-yard touchdown to Jaydon Blue, his fourth of the first half. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 1:25 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Game-changing pick

2Q: Texas 28, Oklahoma State 14

Texas' offense was putting Oklahoma State in a woodchipper, but linebacker Nickolas Martin made a huge play to swing the drive. The linebacker nabbed a Quinn Ewers pass in the middle of the field and ran it back 27 yards to the Texas 3-yard line. The Cowboys were called for a false start that nearly ruined the gift, but -- who else -- Rashod Owens caught a 7-yard pass in the end zone. Oklahoma State is quietly sticking around. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 1:19 pm ET · Will Backus]

WATCH: Texas star DL T'Vondre Sweat catches TD pass, hits Heisman pose in 2023 Big 12 Championship Game

Will Backus

[Dec 2, 2023 at 1:09 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Bowman throws pick

2Q: Texas 28, Oklahoma State 7

Oklahoma State quarterback Alan Bowman has struggled to hold onto the ball since Bedlam, and it cost the Cowboys again against Texas. Bowman was picked off within the 5-yard line on a wild throw, ending a promising drive for the Pokes. Bowman has now thrown seven interceptions over the past 14 quarters, including three in a terrible 45-3 loss against UCF. 

Naturally, Texas receiver Adonai Mitchell was ready to take advantage. Mitchell has been exceptionally great in championship games during his career at Georgia and Texas, and continued with a huge 62-yard reception down the sideline for Texas on third-and-10 to set up a 10-yard rushing touchdown from CJ Baxter. This game is quickly turning into a blowout. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 1:01 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Texas rolling after 1

End 1Q: Texas 21, Oklahoma State 7

Texas has a dominant advantage through one quarter of the Big 12 Championship Game. The Longhorns posted nearly 200 yards of offense, including 167 through the air from quarterback Quinn Ewers. Texas has heavily utilized the screen and short-throw game, with six completions coming to either running backs, tight ends or a hulking 364-pound defensive tackle. 

The Cowboys went three-and-out on their first two drives but finally started finding some success after taking shots. Wide receiver Rashod Owens made a big play, hauling in a contested 34-yard catch to set up a touchdown. The Cowboys have the ball past midfield and need a score to keep the game within reach. Their defense has been unable to get any stops. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 12:56 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Big Man TD

1Q: Texas 21, Oklahoma State 7

The Longhorns pushed their lead back out to two scores behind a nifty big-boy touchdown from defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat. Sweat is listed at a hefty 6-foot-4, 362 pounds and is a finalist for the Outland Trophy, but the Longhorns lined him up on offense on the goal line. Sweat lined up attached to the line, fake a block from the heavy set and then waltzed into the end zone wide open. He caught a pop pass from Quinn Ewers for the first touchdown of his career and promptly hit the Heisman pose in the end zone. Texas is playing loose and having fun. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 12:47 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

OSU strikes back

1Q: Texas 14, Oklahoma State 7

The Cowboys couldn't get anything going with running back Ollie Gordon II, but receiver Rashod Owens took matters into his own hands. Owens beat star Texas nickelback Jahdae Barron into the field for a contested catch to get the Cowboys into scoring territory. Quarterback Alan Bowman connected with receiver Brennan Presley for a much-needed touchdown, and Oklahoma State is back in business. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 12:45 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Worthy flips field

Texas was backed up in its own territory, but a nifty play from wide receiver Xavier Worthy helped change the game. Worthy took a pass 54 yards after the catch and set up a touchdown pass to tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders to take an early 14-0 lead over the Cowboys. Texas has come out firing on all cylinders. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 12:21 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Longhorns making statement

1Q: Texas 7, Oklahoma State 0

Texas didn't start with the ball yet still managed to get into the end zone just 3:08 into the game. The Longhorns utilized the heavy screen game to stress Oklahoma State outside, and the Cowboys had no answers. Quarterback Quinn Ewers eventually found wide receiver Adonai Mitchell for a 10-yard touchdown just seven plays into the game. Texas similarly jumped on Texas Tech early in a 57-7 victory. The Cowboys have quit on games against South Alabama and UCF earlier this season. Oklahoma State needs to find some offense to have any shot of keeping pace. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 12:17 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Horrendous start

Oklahoma State got the first crack at playing offense, but Texas quickly proved why it entered the game as major favorites. The Cowboys tried to lean on quarterback Alan Bowman to spread the field, but two of hs three dropbacks were under deep pressure. The Cowboys failed to gain a single yard and were lucky to not lose more yards. 

Even on the punt, Texas got a piece of the ball and committed a kick-catch interference. The Longhorns get the ball at the 39-yard line with a chance to quickly take the lead. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 11:30 am ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

The Game -- sort of?

Oklahoma State and Texas both technically boast transfers from the Big Ten at quarterback. However, the pair couldn't be much more different. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is the first perfectly-rated 1.0000 quarterback recruit in the 247Sports Composite Rankings since Vince Young. He spent essentially a gap year at Ohio State before joining Texas and becoming an All-America contender. Oklahoma State's Alan Bowman was a record-breaking quarterback at Texas Tech under Kliff Kingsbury before transferring to Michigan. He struggled to find playing time with the Wolverines before transferring back down to Oklahoma State as a grad transfer. He has been inconsistent, but Bowman faces a legacy opportunity in the Big 12 Championship Game. 

The one piece the pair have in common? Both are from Tarrant County, Texas. Ewers played for Southlake Carroll High School, while Bowman played at Grapevine. Both are within minutes of AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and also in Tarrant County. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 11:00 am ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Pokes faced up-and-down year

Oklahoma State earned its way to the Big 12 Championship Game after beating ranked opponents Oklahoma and Kansas State along the way. That said, the Cowboys have one of the most bizarre resumes in college football. In addition to some great wins, Oklahoma State has a 45-3 loss to UCF and a 33-7 loss to South Alabama on its record. The performances are some of the worst of the year by any Big 12 team. Oklahoma State has stood up to its biggest tests, but keep an eye on the Cowboys' energy early. If things start poorly, things can snowball. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 10:30 am ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Calling in reinforcements

Texas lost starting running back Jonathon Brooks, a potential All-American, to a season-ending ACL tear. In his wake, the Longhorns have turned to a pair of exciting underclassmen. CJ Baxter won the job out of camp as a freshman before Brooks pushed past him in the starting lineup. Jaydon Blue was another freshman that the staff was excited about, but he fell behind the other two. Over the past two weeks, Baxter and Blue have each posted a 100-yard performances. Since Week 3, when Brooks fully took over the starting job, Texas has produced a 100-yard back in eight of 10 games. In two additional games, Brooks ran for 98 and 99 yards. The Longhorns should continue to do work behind a solid offensive line against Oklahoma State. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 10:30 am ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

Strength on strength

Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II has taken the Big 12 by storm since taking over the starting job in Week 4. Gordon leads the nation with 1,580 yards rushing and has cleared 160 yards in five of his last seven games. In a win over rival Oklahoma, Gordon posted 138 tough yards with two touchdowns in a 27-24 victory. 

Texas is the toughest challenge of his career, by far. Defensive tackles T'Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II rate as the No. 1 and 2 interior defenders in the nation, per Pro Football Focus. The Longhorns hold opponents to fewer than three yards per carry. Texas has contained every rusher on its schedule. Can UT shut down Gordon? 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 10:00 am ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

The path for Texas

The Longhorns enter the Big 12 Championship Game just on the outside of the College Football Playoff picture. If chalk holds, the Longhorns are projected to finish No. 5, behind Georgia, the Pac-12 champion, Michigan and Florida State. Texas needs an upset, likely of Florida State, to comfortably get into the field. 

That said, Texas could drastically help its case with a powerful performance against Oklahoma State. During the first College Football Playoff, Ohio State destroyed Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big Ten Championship Game, which was enough to push the Buckeyes up. Style points would help as Texas waits to hear its playoff situation. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 9:30 am ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

End of a series

Texas and Oklahoma State have played every year since the Big Eight merged with the Southwest Conference in 1996. The game was not scheduled to be played in 2023, ending a long run, but the matchup in the conference title game is a fitting finish. Oklahoma State and Texas have both played for titles in recent years, but this is the first time the pair are meeting in a Big 12 Championship Game. Oklahoma State has played well against Texas in recent years, but Texas has an opportunity to leave the conference with a historic victory. The Longhorns hold a 26-11 advantages against the Cowboys all time. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 9:00 am ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

No. 7 Texas faces off against No. 18 Oklahoma State with with the Big 12 championship on the line Saturday. The Longhorns have blown through the league, finishing the regular season in first place for the first time since the league expanded in 2012. The defensive line has been the star of the show, keying a top-five rush defense during the historic run. 

Conversely, Oklahoma State boasts the nation's best running back. Ollie Gordon II has rushed for more than 1,500 yards despite playing sparingly in the first three games. He is the favorite for the Doak Campbell Award and a surefire All-American after leading the nation in rushing. The Cowboys have been far less consistent than Texas, limping to a 9-3 regular season with losses by more than 60 combined points against South Alabama and UCF. But with wins over Oklahoma and Kansas State, the Cowboys have met the moment against better teams. 

Neither program has won a title since the league resurrected the Big 12 Championship Game in 2017. The most recent combined crown for either team came when Oklahoma State won the league in 2011. Texas has not captured the Big 12 since 2009. With a win, the Longhorns can pass Baylor and Kansas State for the second-most Big 12 championships in league history, trailing only Oklahoma. 

Keep it locked here for live updates and analysis from the 2023 Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday.