Baylor ends Oklahoma State's College Football Playoff hopes, winning Big 12 title game
The Cincinnati Bearcats moved closer to a College Football Playoff semifinal spot by taking care of business with a huge third quarter in the American Athletic Conference Championship game against Houston. And a loss by Oklahoma State in the Big 12 title game earlier in the day certainly didn't hurt.
The Cowboys' CFP semifinal hopes likely vanished with Saturday's loss to the Baylor Bears, which denied OSU on a late goal-line stand - much to the delight of Cincinnati Bearcats fans.
Social media reactions to the Big 12 result:
I was on the field with Cincinnati and AAC officials when one said, 'Why is my phone blowing up?' It was news of Oklahoma State's loss. Mike Aresco's wife called him to describe the goal-line stand. So yeah, everybody here knows the stakes. Cincinnati HAS to be in with a win.
— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) December 4, 2021
As of this moment, the No. 4 spot could come down to a team that lost in its conference championship vs. a team that didn't play in a conference championship.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 4, 2021
Here is Dave Aranda, having the time of his life!
pic.twitter.com/mZ6svPiM2u— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) December 4, 2021
The pylon was unmoved by this moment, but I wasn't. What a finish https://t.co/tyrlQS9beK
— David Ubben (@davidubben) December 4, 2021
Believe it or not, that is only the third time in the CFP era a top-5 team got upset (by Vegas spread) in a conference title game.
2017 Auburn to Georgia
2019 Utah to Oregon
2021 Oklahoma St to Baylor— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 4, 2021
The difference between making and missing the College Football Playoff pic.twitter.com/ZPffqHptm5
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) December 4, 2021
I played out 14 CFP scenarios this week.
You can now scratch half of them (including the first two.)
This could be moot in 3.5 hours, but as of this moment I've got:
1 Georgia vs. 4 Alabama
2 Michigan vs. 3 Cincinnati
Notre Dame first out.https://t.co/Jna9e1rDAB— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 4, 2021
Committee chair Gary Barta told me earlier today that the coaching situation at ND has become a nonfactor in the evaluation of the Irish. They talked about it last night, and the continuity there w/ Freeman and retaining staff makes it moot in discussion.
— Heather Dinich (@CFBHeather) December 4, 2021
everything is breaking Cincinnati’s way
now the Bearcats just need to beat Houston— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) December 4, 2021
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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Baylor likely ends Oklahoma State's College Football Playoff hopes
