WACO -- There aren’t many more painful ways to lose a football game – and really, lose a signature moment for the young program – than what happened on Saturday night on the banks of the Brazos River.

No. 13 Baylor was well on its way to silencing the doubters and making a legitimate College Football Playoff case. The Bears scored 31 points in the first half against No. 10 Oklahoma, doubling their mark against any other Big 12 opponent this season. A dominant win on ABC was the perfect way to cap off a day that started with ESPN’s College GameDay back on campus for the first time since 2015. 

Matt Rhule-coached teams won 38 straight games when either tied or leading heading into the fourth quarter. Oklahoma had never come back from more than 21 points down in program history. No 9-0 team had given up a comeback of more than 17 points since 1937. 

One by one, all of the promising trends came crashing down. Oklahoma imposed its will with consecutive drives of 5:44, 3:27, 4:59 and 6:01. Baylor held the ball for just 5:40 in the entire second half. The Bears still had a chance to go down the field and win the game. Alas, Charlie Brewer threw an interception on a mistimed out to ice the game, a heartbreaking 34-31 loss to the visiting Sooners. 

Reporters asked Baylor lineman Sam Tecklenburg after the game whether the team takes any solace in going from 1-11 just two years ago to giving Oklahoma everything it could handle, and forcing the Sooners to accomplish historic feats. 

“No,” Tecklenburg said flatly. “We’re here to win. We know we’re good.” 

For any remaining doubters, Saturday was proof. Oklahoma is the standard-bearer in the Big 12, and one of the best programs in college football. This is a team that has been in the playoff three times in the past four years, and as quality a measuring stick as you will find for a program still in year three of a major rebuild. 

And at the end of it, Baylor was just a few plays away from winning just its fourth game over Oklahoma, ever. If Baylor gets a third down stop, if JaMycal Hasty doesn’t fumble in the third quarter or if Brewer doesn’t throw the interception, maybe this game looks different. That was obvious – painfully obvious – to anyone watching the broadcast. 

“We’re close,” said a visibly frustrated Brewer, who acknowledged the difficulty of getting in an offensive rhythm after running just four third-quarter plays. “Obviously, I would have liked for us to have gotten the win. This isn’t enough. You can put that on my shoulders. We have to find a way to win.” 

Regardless of the result, Saturday was a tremendous showcase opportunity for Baylor and Waco. The Baylor sideline reached its recruiting capacity, and had to turn away more at the door. The fans set a McLane Stadium record, eclipsing 50,000 fans for the first time ever. Listed capacity is 45,000. A day like this was everything College GameDay had in mind when the producers chose Waco. 

“To be candid, I think the perception after everything that happened with the end of the Briles era was you can win there, but if you do you have to walk on the edge, step over the edge, get questionable people,” said College GameDay host Rece Davis when asked why the show came to Waco. “It proved to not be the case. Matt has come in here not only changed the culture and established a winning football program, but he’s done so in conjunction with the values of this university. Because of that, I think it makes that a really great story to tell.”

And it’s a story that is still being written. Baylor is only in Year 3 of the Rhule era. Left tackle Connor Galvin came back for his first performance after injury. The Bears debuted a different offensive line look with a freshman and sophomore. Several underclassmen had to get in on defense after injuries. All of that will get better, even just over the next few weeks. This is all part of the process. 

“We should be really disappointed,” Rhule said. “But at the end of the day, I believe we had to learn, first, how not to lose. Then we have to learn how to win consistently. Now we have to learn how to win in November.” 

Even in loss, though, Baylor proved something to America. This team is good enough to compete with the Oklahomas of the world. They’re good enough to win the Big 12, to win on the highest stage, to play in major bowl games. One or two balls going the wrong way against a really good team doesn’t change that. The Bears are way ahead of schedule. 

Brewer had a strong showing with 259 total yards and four total touchdowns. Wide receiver Denzel Mims added 92 yards and two scores.

Sophomore linebacker Terrel Bernard posted 15 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack, while safety Chris Miller added 13 tackles in his first game back after a targeting suspension. Potential All-American defensive end James Lynch dominated the game without dominating the box score. Perhaps the biggest boon to Baylor’s defense is that Oklahoma had to dust off 10 different receivers – five blue-chips – to find creases. 

“I give Baylor credit,” Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said. “They’re as good as we thought they were coming in.” 

Baylor will hear plenty of jokes about 28-3 for the next few weeks. That's just part of the deal. The Atlanta Falcons social media accounts have already poked fun. The Bears will likely fall in the rankings, well outside of the playoff picture and national contention. Still, this is just one page in the book. There’s plenty left to write. 

The Bears, picked seventh in the Big 12, are just a win away from the Big 12 championship game. They only have to beat one of Texas or Kansas to get there, where Baylor will likely rematch with Oklahoma – only with CeeDee Lamb, this time. Riley has never lost a Big 12 title, either as a coordinator or head coach. 

“I’m disappointed in the result, but I’m extremely proud of everything this meant,” Rhule said. “We had this national stage. We performed well at times on it...we’ll either play them again next year or in a couple of weeks. Hopefully, we can learn from that.” 

Baylor will have a second shot at a signature win next week against the rival Texas Longhorns. The game starts at 2:30 p.m. at McLane Stadium.

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