ARLINGTON, Texas – Oklahoma didn’t need any extra motivation for the Big 12 championship game. Not when it was the Sooners who had lost at Iowa State earlier in the season.

But the rest of the Big 12 coaches, oh did they ever give the defense some. OU didn’t have one player selected to the Big 12 first team Thursday afternoon, and the Sooners defense had that little reminder going through their head the last 48 hours.

In perhaps the only appropriate ending, it was a play made by Alex Grinch’s defense that guaranteed OU’s 27-21 win vs. the Cyclones in the Big 12 championship Saturday afternoon.

“I'm glad they did it. Whoever did it, I need to send them a little gift basket,” head coach Lincoln Riley said. “it's not why we do it, but we were pissed. Disappointed for our players because we had some guys that no doubt should have been on that.

“If you looked at an All-Big 12 team, it's amazing we won the game. So that's a -- I know it was a weird year and some guys didn't play some games and this and that, but yeah, you got the best defense in the league here that doesn't have one guy on the first team, that, that, we missed the boat there.”

The Sooners picked off Brock Purdy three times and sacked him three times in the second half. All the plays culminated in Tre Brown having one more unforgettable moment at AT&T Stadium.

Snubs like Nik Bonitto and Ronnie Perkins played like first-team members. They didn’t earn those selections, but they’re getting another ring.

They’ll take it.

“Most def. Every week, we gotta go out and play like we got something to prove,” Perkins said. “This week, playing this game, and having some guys on the other sideline that was on the first team, kinda upped the stakes for us a little bit. We wanted to go out there and show how we’re the best D-line in the conference.”

Rattler poised, productive

The numbers will say OU quarterback Spencer Rattler has had bigger days. But when the spotlight was at its brightest, Rattler didn’t back down.

Rattler accounted for two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing), and more importantly, once again didn’t turn the ball over.

“I thought he probably played his best game of the year today,” Riley said. “I thought he was poised. I thought he did a great job in the scramble situations, threw some elite throws. I thought he made good decisions with the ball, really. I mean, he was in the right place a lot. I mean his eyes were where he was supposed to be. He went where he was supposed to go.”

Rattler finished 22 of 34 for 272 yards with the two scores.

With OU nursing a 24-21 lead with 5:06 left in the fourth quarter, Rattler led OU on a nine-play, 41-yard drive that ended with a Gabe Brkic field goal to force ISU to need a TD on the final drive.

“It's a great feeling,” said Rattler, who was named the game’s Most Outstanding Player. “I mean, just knowing that you had to fight your butts off to get to this point and that's what we did in the hardest year of college football ever.

“We had the most adversity out of any Oklahoma team ever, and we ended up on top still. So that feeling is great, especially within this year and how everything went. We didn't even know if we were going to play a game and now we're holding trophies and winning rings. So we're happy about that.”

Riley into the bag of tricks

Raise your hand if you had freshman quarterback Chandler Morris scoring the first touchdown of the championship game.

Ha, but he did. Morris came in on a little gadget play and scored from two yards out to give OU the early 7-0 lead.

Rattler faked like he was limping out of the game, and Riley had a plan for Morris. The freshman executed it to perfection.

“It was a play where I'm supposed to fake limp off, just kinda mess with the defense, I guess,” Rattler said. “And then Chandler runs in there and runs the play. I told coach Riley I'm fast enough to get it in, but I guess ... I knew Chandler was a little quicker but nah, he had a good run. It was a good play call and a big play for us to start the game.”

Bridges returns

OU receiver Trejan Bridges was ‘this close’ to erasing 2020 with one play. He made a diving attempt for a touchdown but was unable to corral it.

Bridges, playing in his first game of the season after being suspended by the NCAA, was ruled eligible Friday and saw some playing time.

Rhamondre Stevenson and Ronnie Perkins, who also were suspended with Bridges, were in their fifth game of the season. The trio no doubt went through a lot this season.

“It was huge. Me, Perk and Tre, we all had to go through it. Tre's lasted a little longer,” Stevenson said. “It was a little more rough on him. I was glad to see him back out there.”

Brown’s ‘other’ big plays

Brown’s leaping interception is going to grab all the headlines, but he made his mark in the championship even without that title-clinching pick.

Brown only had two opportunities for kickoff returns, but he made them count with two 43-yard returns that led to 10 OU points.

With all the momentum going to ISU after OU’s 24-7 lead had been cut to 24-21, it was Brown who mounted one last big return to set up the Sooners in great field position and eventually the field goal.

“I thought we fit some of them up really well and he's got such a burst, we were able to get him loose and we ended up scoring after both of those drives,” Riley said. “They were big-time plays and both of them came after Iowa State had some momentum, like you said. So those were important plays and great job by him and our whole kickoff return team.”