ARLINGTON, Texas — In a Big 12 championship game filled with big plays, Travis Lewis’ choice for the biggest was one that didn’t seem that huge at the time.
“The field goal that made it 23-20 was the biggest play of the game,” the Oklahoma linebacker said. “All I know is that we had more points at the end of the game, and that’s all that matters.”
Interesting choice coming from a player who made more than his share of memorable plays in the Sooners’ 23-20, come-from-behind victory over Nebraska.
Lewis recovered two fumbles and picked off a pass by Husker quarterback Taylor Martinez midway through the second quarter that helped keep at least a bit of momentum in Oklahoma’s corner.
The Huskers led 17-7 and were driving toward their third touchdown when Martinez threw the ball into the end zone on third and goal from the OU 8-yard line. Problem was, there were five players in the vicinity of the pass, and three of them were Oklahoma defenders.
Lewis said he set up Martinez to make what turned out to be a poor decision because the ball went right to OU’s junior linebacker.
“They were running some crossing routes. I kind of baited him into throwing it,” Lewis said. “I can’t believe he threw it. He threw it, and I picked it off. These hands ain’t what they used to be, but I caught it.”
Those hands were still good enough to scoop up two of Nebraska’s three lost fumbles. The first, by running back Roy Helu, led to the touchdown that allowed Oklahoma to erase the last of Nebraska’s 17-0 lead with a two-play drive.
Lewis’ second fumble recovery came on Nebraska’s opening drive of the second half as a result of one of Pryce Macon’s five tackles for loss. Macon knocked the ball from Martinez’s hands, and Lewis was there to pounce on it.
“We never hung our heads,” Macon said. “This team has been through a lot all year. This team does not have any quit in them.”
Sooners coach Bob Stoops said he never doubted that his team would rally from its 17-point deficit. Neither did any of his players.
“(I was) just really proud of our players, the way they stepped up and made plays,” Stoops said. “They answered the bell. We were down 17-0 and kept playing ball. It was really exciting to see the maturity of us being down, no one being rattled, just keep working it.”
Stoops cared more about winning a seventh Big 12 championships than sending Nebraska to the Big Ten Conference next season with a loss. But the second part wasn’t lost on the team.
“We sent them out in a good way, right,” Lewis asked. “They’re leaving the Big 12. What better way to send them out than this way?”
Wide receiver Kenny Stills, whose catches produced one touchdown and set up another, said the end of the NU-OU series was a big topic of discussion.
“We talked about it the whole week, being the last game of the Big 12 Conference and being the last time we play Nebraska,” Stills said. “It’s huge for us to come out on top.”
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