Oklahoma's Lincoln Riley blasts Big 12 officials, Baylor in wake of Sooners' loss
The field-storming celebration had started prematurely Saturday, even before Baylor had finished lighting up the home scoreboard.
Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley took issue with both that element – and the host Bears' 32-yard Isaiah Hankins field goal as time expired.
Final: Baylor 27, No. 8 Oklahoma 14.
“Well, it became a safety issue,” Riley said in his press conference of the end-game sequence. “I care about the safety of my players, and I'm watching David Ugwoegbu just get bum-rushed by three guys. I'm pulling 'em off, he's pulling 'em off.
“I know why Dave tried to kick the field goal. I don't agree with it. I still think above all else there's a code of sportsmanship I believe in; I wouldn't have done it. But that's his decision, that's his football team.”
In that particular moment, Riley felt like the Bears should have been whistled for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty based on the fans flooding the field before the game clock had fully expired.
“How the officials don't give us, don't enforce a 15-yard penalty when you've probably got 5,000 people on the field is unbelievable to me,” Riley said. “So it is what it is. That's his decision. That's the officials decision. Don't agree with it; part of it.”
Baylor coach Dave Aranda, who has his team now 8-2 and with wins against Iowa State, BYU, Texas and now Oklahoma, pointed to the Big 12's rule book as to why he had Hankins attempt the final-play field goal.
Scoring differential is item No. 3 in the Big 12's official tiebreaker procedures, as outlined by the league October 20, 2020.
Riley, who said his team had been frustrated during the game by some uncharacteristic miscues and some missed opportunities, also sounded frustrated in his post-game media session; he revealed he almost pulled the Sooners off the field before the last play.
“Oh, I did tell them that,” said Riley when asked if he told officials he might take his team to the locker room because of the scene with fans on the field. “Maybe I should have done it. I don't believe that situation was handled well by a lot of people.
“At the end of day doing it with class is important to me. And at the end of the day, that's why I decided to bring 11 guys out, even though deep down I damn sure didn't want to.”
