No. 3 Oklahoma overcomes Baylor 49-41 for 14th straight win
WACO, TX - SEPTEMBER 23: CeeDee Lamb #9 of the Oklahoma Sooners makes a catch against Grayland Arnold #4 of the Baylor Bears during the first half at McLane Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
WACO, Texas (AP) - Baker Mayfield threw three touchdowns, including the go-ahead score the next snap after his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and third-ranked Oklahoma overcame a feisty Baylor team 49-41 Saturday night to stretch the nation's longest winning streak to 14 games.
Abdul Adams had a 99-yard touchdown for the Sooners (4-0, 1-0 Big 12), his school-record run coming after a botched kickoff return.
Baylor (0-4, 0-1) led 31-28 after Connor Martin's 46-yard field goal late in the third quarter.
Adams, who finished with 11 carries for 164 yards, picked up 33 yards on three consecutive runs on the ensuing drive before the penalty was announced against Mayfield. It wasn't clear what the quarterback did, but on the next play he found Jeff Badet along the left sideline for a 48-yard touchdown.
Trey Sermon ran 13 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns, the freshman getting all of that in the fourth quarter. Sermon's first carries came after the Bears' first three-and-out to start the fourth quarter. He scored on a 34-yard run when he was hit near the 20 and kept his balance. He had a 60-yard run on the next Sooners possession before his 9-yard TD made it 49-31.
Denzel Mims' third TD catch, an acrobatic grab in the back of the end zone, got Baylor within 49-41 with 1:41 left. The Bears then recovered an onside kick but Zach Smith was sacked and fumbled after two incompletions.
Mayfield completed 13 of 19 passes for 283 yards, including TDs on his first two drives, as the Sooners piled up 634 total yards. Smith threw for 463 yards with four TDs, and Mims had 11 catches for 192 yards.
THE TAKEAWAY
Oklahoma: The Sooners may have struggled, but they again found a way to win - now 371 days since their last loss, and 714 days since they last lost a conference game. Their 17 consecutive Big 12 wins matches the longest in school history. They have also won 13 consecutive true road games, the nation's longest active streak.
Baylor: While this game turned into a disappointing loss, the growth by the Bears in four games under new coach Matt Rhule is evident. There are still mistakes, such as having 12 men on the field or having to use timeouts at inopportune times. But hanging in with the Big 12's powerhouse team, and even leading after halftime, is a boost after earlier home losses to two teams that had never before beaten a Power Five opponent.
UP NEXT
Oklahoma: The Sooners have an open date next weekend before their Big 12 home opener Oct. 7 against Iowa State.
Baylor: The Bears, 0-4 for the first time since 1999, play at Kansas State next Saturday.
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