2003 Big 12 Championship Game

The 2003 Big 12 Championship Game was played on December 6, 2003 in Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The game determined the 2003 football champion of the Big 12 Conference. The Oklahoma Sooners, winners of the South division of the Big 12, were upset by the Kansas State Wildcats, who won the North division, by a score of 35–7.^[1] This was the second time the two teams met in the Big 12 Championship Game. The first was the 2000 Big 12 Championship Game, a game in which Oklahoma won 27-24.

Leading up to the game

2003 Big 12 football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
North
#14 Kansas State x$		6	–	2		11	–	4
#19 Nebraska		5	–	3		10	–	3
Missouri		4	–	4		8	–	5
Kansas		3	–	5		6	–	7
Colorado		3	–	5		5	–	7
Iowa State		0	–	8		2	–	10
South
#3 Oklahoma x%		8	–	0		12	–	2
#12 Texas		7	–	1		10	–	3
Oklahoma State		5	–	3		9	–	4
Texas Tech		4	–	4		8	–	5
Texas A&M		2	–	6		4	–	8
Baylor		1	–	7		3	–	9
Championship: Kansas State 35, Oklahoma 7
$ – BCS representative as conference champion % – BCS at-large representative x – Division champion/co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The Sooners came into the game already being called possibly the greatest team in college football history. They were undefeated, boasting a 12–0 record, including 8–0 in conference play. They ranked first in points scored per game (48.3) and points allowed (13.1) per game. They also came in with dominate victories of 65–13 and 77–0 over Texas and Texas A&M, respectively.

The Wildcats came into the game 10–3, with a 6–2 mark in conference play. The Wildcats lost at home to Marshall in September, and followed it up with losses to #13 Texas in Austin, and Oklahoma State in Stillwater. The Wildcats would go on to win six games in a row, including their first win in Lincoln against the Nebraska Cornhuskers since 1968, clinching their third division title, and their third Big 12 Championship Game appearance.

Game summary

In one of the most stunning upsets in national conference championship history, Kansas State upended Oklahoma, consensus No. 1 in the polls for 16 consecutive weeks, 35–7. This was the fourth consecutive win for the North Division champ in an odd-numbered year – Nebraska in 1997 and ’99, Colorado in 2001 and KSU in 2003.

Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder’s squad played fundamental football in the Wildcats’ third trip to the title game, amassing 519 yards of total offense and clutch defense in the red zone to produce victory.

On the first possession of the game, it appeared another Oklahoma rout would take place as Kejuan Jones 42-yard touchdown run just 2:49 into the game gave Oklahoma a 7–0 advantage.

Snyder’s Wildcats then began a 35–0 run almost 15 minutes later in game time as tight end Brian Casey caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ell Roberson. After taking over at their own 27-yard line, the drive lasted four plays and 58 seconds for 73 yards.

The drive was the first of three touchdown drives on the Wildcats’ next four possessions. After the initial score, Oklahoma’s offense went three-and-out and had a missed field goal and an interception during their next five possessions.

Roberson and All-America running back Darren Sproles turned the tide with a 21-point second quarter. Roberson had 30.3 yards per connection and threw three TD passes in the opening half while Sproles rumbled to an eventual championship record of 235 rushing yards.

Two of the nation’s testiest defenses entering the game allowed almost 1,000 yards (917 total), but the Wildcats limited the nation’s No. 1 scoring team (48.3 points per game) to a touchdown and added a defensive score to ice the game with 10:16 left to play. Sophomore linebacker Ted Sims returned an interception 27 yards for the fifth K-State touchdown of the night.

Scoring summary

First Quarter
OU (0–7) - Kejuan Jones 42-yard run (Trey DiCarlo kick); 12:11

Second Quarter
KSU (7–7) - Brian Casey 19-yard pass from Ell Roberson (Joe Rheem kick); 13:57
KSU (14–7) - James Terry 63-yard pass from Roberson (Rheem kick); 11:34
KSU (21–7) - Darren Sproles 60-yard pass from Roberson (Rheem kick); 3:18

Third Quarter
KSU (28–7) - Antoine Polite 10-yard pass from Roberson (Rheem kick); 3:02

Fourth Quarter
KSU (35–7) - Ted Sims 27-yard interception return (Rheem kick); 10:16

After the game

Despite the blowout defeat, the Sooners would only fall to #2 in the BCS rankings and go on to play in the 2004 Sugar Bowl (National Championship game), losing to the LSU Tigers, 21–14.^[2]

Kansas State went on to lose to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2004 Fiesta Bowl, 35–28.^[3]

This was the last Big 12 Championship Game won by a North division team.

References

External links

Recap of game at Big12Sports.com

Big 12 Championship Game

Years	1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Venues	Trans World Dome (1996, 1998) Alamodome (1997, 1999, 2007) Arrowhead Stadium (2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008) Texas Stadium (2001) Reliant Stadium (2002, 2005) Cowboys Stadium (2009, 2010)

Other	Broadcasters

Kansas State Wildcats football

Venues	Ahearn Field (1911–1921) Memorial Stadium (1922–1967) Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium (1968–present)

Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Iowa State Kansas: Sunflower Showdown (Governor's Cup)

Culture & lore	Willie the Wildcat "Wildcat Victory" "Wabash Cannonball" Marching band Timeline of football in Kansas Aggieville riots 1939 Nebraska game

People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders

Seasons	1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Oklahoma Sooners football

Venues	Boyd Field (1905–23) Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (1923–present) Barry Switzer Center

Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Missouri (Tiger–Sooner Peace Pipe) Nebraska Oklahoma State: Bedlam Series Texas: Red River Showdown (Golden Hat)

Culture & lore	Championships T formation Wishbone formation Oklahoma drill Sooner Schooner Boomer and Sooner "Boomer Sooner" Marching band The Kick The Oklahoma Heismen Play Like a Champion Today

People	Head coaches Starting quarterbacks All-Americans NFL draftees Statistical leaders

Seasons	1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

National championship seasons in bold

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