Facing the NFL’s No. 1-ranked scoring defense was no big deal for Baker Mayfield.

The former Oklahoma star roasted the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at LA’s SoFi Stadium, leading Tampa Bay to a massive 40-17 victory.

Mayfield completed 22-of-27 passes and threw for 288 yards and four touchdowns as the Buccaneers won their fourth game in a row, improved to 8-6 overall and seized control of the NFC South standings.

Mayfield hooked up with Mike Evans nine times for 159 yards and third-quarter touchdowns of 57 yards and 35 yards as the Bucs overcame a three-point halftime deficit with a 17-0 outburst in the third quarter.

It was a big day for Evans — who missed three games earlier this season with a hamstring injury — as the future Hall of Famer now has 103 career receiving TDs.

For Mayfield, his four passing TDs give him a career-high 32 on the season. That total ranks third in the NFL.

The Chargers (8-6) got two touchdown throws from Justin Herbert — one in the first quarter and one in the second — as LA took a 17-10 lead. But in the third quarter, the Bucs defense came down with Herbert’s second interception of the season, ending a streak of 357 consecutive passes without a pick, and Mayfield and the Bucs offense poured it on.

Rookie Jalen McMillan began things with a 26-yard touchdown grab from Mayfield on the game’s opening drive. It was the Bucs’ seventh touchdown on an opening drive this season — tied with Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals for the most in the NFL.

After Mayfield found Evans twice for scores in the third quarter — the first one a long catch and run down the left sideline, the second a deep ball over the top to Evans in the end zone — Mayfield then dropped a check down throw to Rachaad White, who sliced through traffic for an 11-yard touchdown that put the Bucs up 37-17.

While the Tampa defense was holding the Chargers to just 207 total yards, Mayfield and the Bucs offense was compiling 505 yards and coasting to a comfortable victory.

With Atlanta’s four consecutive losses, Tampa has surged to a two-game lead in the NFC South with just three games to play — at Dallas, home versus Carolina and home versus New Orleans — and all three currently have a losing record. The Bucs have won three straight NFC South titles.

Mayfield also came into the week ranked seventh in the NFL with 3,329 passing yards. His performance Sunday gives him 3,617 this season, which stands as the fourth-best total of his career with three games still to play.

Oklahoma State could have its next defensive star.

On Sunday, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported that Akron transfer Bryan McCoy is heading to OSU. The linebacker has spent his first three seasons with the Zips and grown into a star.

In 2024, McCoy finished with 120 tackles, good for the ninth-most in the FBS. Along with being one of the top 10 in college football, that mark was good enough to place him third in the MAC. He also finished his junior campaign with two tackles for loss and earned a spot on the All-MAC second team.

In 2023, McCoy played closer to the line of scrimmage and thrived to earn a spot on the All-MAC third team as a sophomore. He finished that season with 94 tackles, six tackles for loss and a sack. McCoy also forced a fumble and had a scoop and score against Morgan State.

McCoy leaves Akron with career numbers of 237 tackles and eight tackles for loss. As he comes into Stillwater, McCoy could quickly become one of the top members of the OSU defense.

McCoy also marks the first big commitment for OSU’s new defensive coordinator, Todd Grantham. A veteran who has spent decades coaching and spent time at a few big schools, Grantham is the guy OSU trusts to turn the defense around after being one of the worst in the country last season. With McCoy heading to Stillwater, Grantham’s defense has an anchor at linebacker, a position where OSU lost some of college football’s best.

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Sam Godwin walked into the Paycom Center postgame interview room with the Bedlam trophy in hand.

Following last season’s overtime thriller win in Stillwater, the Ada native stole the hardware, thinking it’d be the final meeting between the two in-state rivals. Godwin was forced to return the trophy, which he’d been displaying by his fireplace throughout the year, this past week. 

“Obviously, we play them once this year, so we had one shot to secure the trophy,” Godwin said. “I’m glad we got it done.”

Not only did Godwin get his centerpiece back, he dropped a career-high 20 points on 10 of 14 shooting in a renewed neutral-site Bedlam matchup. Godwin’s career-best performance came inside the arena he frequented as a child watching Oklahoma City Thunder games and in front of 10,300 fans.

Led by Godwin, No. 13 Oklahoma defeated Oklahoma State 80-65 Saturday night at Paycom Center in the 250th all-time meeting between the two programs. With their win, the Sooners moved to 3-0 in their last three Bedlam contests and improved to 10-0 for the second time in as many seasons.

“We practiced here two days ago, it was kind of surreal,” Godwin said. “I’ve been watching Thunder games my whole life, sitting up in the bleachers so just to be on the court playing, it was really special to me so I gave it all I had.”

In addition to his career-high in scoring, Godwin added 14 rebounds for a double-double. He also finished with two blocks and three steals.

Two of Godwin’s points came off an assist from fellow Oklahoman Dayton Forsythe, who found a crashing Godwin for an easy dunk.

When he exited the floor for the final time with over a minute remaining, he was met with a standing ovation and a hug from head coach Porter Moser.

“I’m just happy for him,” Moser said postgame. “In this venue, this rivalry, being an in-state kid. He was just dialed in and it was great to see from him. It was huge for him to see it go in early.”

Now, Godwin can keep his decor. At least until the next Bedlam matchup.

More: How fast-rising NBA draft prospect Jeremiah Fears leads OU basketball into Bedlam

Sooners’ guards shine

Moser wasn’t even aware Kobe Elvis drilled five 3s until his postgame interview.

Elvis couldn’t miss as he finished with 15 points on 5 for 8 shooting from the field.

“Those are huge shots,” Moser said. “And I thought between Duke, Kobe and Fears, those three offensively, you’ve got weapons, because they all can put it on the deck, and they all can knock down a shot.”

Elvis added: “I was able to relax after the first 3. My confidence was up. I was prepared. I felt very confident.”

Fears continued his consistency with 17 points and five assists.

The Sooners’ consistent guard play from Elvis and Fears, as well as Duke Miles and Brycen Goodine on any given night has been a significant reason for their 10-0 start to the season.

“We’ve got some of the most unselfish guards in the country,” Godwin said. “They’re willing to give themselves up and hit the open player. All three of our point guards are capable of scoring in many different ways, so they open up the game and make it so much easier for everybody.”

More: Sorry, Big 12. The SEC is the best conference in men’s college basketball | Mussatto

Suffocating defense limits Cowboys

OU continues to play high-level defense.

The Sooners held the Cowboys to 39% shooting from the field and 28% from 3. They also forced 16 turnovers, finished with four blocks and held OSU to an over eight-minute stretch without a basket.

“They did a great job in transition,” Oklahoma State coach Steve Lutz said postgame. “You’ve got to give them credit, they scored and then they got back and got their defense set. They turned us over 11 times in the first half.”

Oklahoma scored 21 points off turnovers and ranks 49th nationally in KenPom’s defensive rating.

“We had a ton of respect watching them on tape,” Moser said. “And for us, the biggest thing, we were just really trying to not let them get going in transition.”