KANSAS CITY, Mo., Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Paul Thompson was 19-of-34 for 265 yards and two TDs Saturday as No. 8 Oklahoma beat No. 19 Nebraska, 21-7, for its 40th Big 12 championship.
Malcolm Kelly caught both TD passes from Thompson and finished with 10 catches for 142 yards as the Sooners (11-2, 8-1 Big 12) won the conference for the second time in three years. Oklahoma has won eight straight games, and has secured a Bowl Championship Series appearance.
Zac Taylor was 23-of-50 passing for 282 yards and one TD, but threw three interceptions for the Cornhuskers (9-4, 6-3), who failed in their bid to win their first Big 12 title since 1999.
Oklahoma forced a turnover on the game's first series, when Reggie Smith recovered a fumble and returned it almost 90 yards to Nebraska's two. On first down, Patrick Allen rushed for a touchdown just 48 seconds into the game.
Kelly ran the lead to 14-0 with 5:35 left in the first quarter, hooking up with Thompson on a 66-yard TD pass.
The Cornhuskers cut the lead to 14-7 on Taylor's scoring strike to Hunter Teafatiller with 4:37 left in the first half.
Oklahoma put the game away late in the third quarter when Kelly scored on a three-yard pass from Thompson.
