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Oklahoma State Football

Oklahoma State Stalls Out in Second Half, Losses to TCU 43-40 in Double Overtime

October 15, 2022
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Despite holding a 14-point lead early in the fourth quarter, Oklahoma State lost to TCU in double overtime, 43-40.

It marks the Pokes first loss of the season, moving them to 5-1 on the season and 2-1 in Big 12 play.

The Cowboys are 1-5 in overtime games under head coach Mike Gundy, with three of those losses coming with OSU ranked in the top 10 and marking their first loss of the season; Iowa State in the 2011 season, Texas in the 2020 season and now TCU in 2022.

“We had a 14-point lead multiple times and just never could put it away,” head coach Mike Gundy told the Cowboy Radio Network. “We had opportunities in different areas; we could not rush the football effective enough to balance our offense in the second half. [TCU] made some good calls coaching-wise in the fourth quarter and they made some plays. So, you have to give them credit for that. They’re a good football team, we know that. The tough part, for me, is we played well enough to win the game. We played better defensively than I thought we would against them playing here. They’re pretty high-powered right now.”

Rumors were all over the place on social media on Saturday ahead of the game regarding starting quarterback Spencer Sanders’ status. There were questions about him dealing with a rolled ankle, as well as him still dealing with a shoulder injury he sustained in the 41-31 win over Texas Tech last weekend.

Well, you could tell the shoulder wasn’t an issue early on as Spencer started the game with three passes on the Pokes’ opening drive and capped it with a 29-yard rush for a touchdown.

He threw six passes on the ensuing drive for 61 yards and had two carries for 13 yards, eight of which came at the end of the drive for a touchdown.

Spencer finished the first half going 8-of-17 for 129 yards and one touchdown through the air and four carries for 51 yards and two touchdowns.

The Cowboy offense combined for 211 yards in the first half, 129 coming through the air.

The second half was a bit of a different story. The Pokes combined for 118 yards in the third quarter, 84 of which came through the air, but they were held to two field goals. The positive is the Cowboys held TCU to just 80-yards of total offense and three points.

The Cowboy offense stalled out in the fourth quarter as they failed to score, while the Horned Frogs scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, with the second one coming on a 94-yard drive to score with less than two minutes left in the game, tying the game at 30 apiece.

TCU scored first and fast in the first overtime period, getting into the end zone on the second play of the period.

The Cowboys entered the overtime period having not scored a touchdown since the 12:56 mark of the second quarter. After three-straight busted plays, a one-yard rush and two incomplete passes, the Cowboys needed a miracle on 4th and nine. Going into the fourth down play, Spencer Sanders had gone just 1-of-9 passing before hitting Braydon Johnson for 23-yards down to the one-yard line. Dominic Richardson got into the end zone one play later to tie the game up at 37.

While the offensive line struggled late, especially in the overtime periods, it’s possible Spencer’s shoulder was bothering him as threw three-straight incomplete passes, leading to an impressive 52-yard field goal by Tanner Brown, a career-high, to give the Pokes a 40-37 lead.

As he had most of the second half, TCU quarterback Max Duggan led the Horned Frogs down to the two-yard line, leading to a two-yard score by running back Kendre Miller.

In the fourth quarter alone, the Cowboys combined for just 43-yards of total offense, 23 coming on the ground, and zero points. Spencer finished the game going 16-of-36 for 245 yards and one touchdown with one interception. He also had 11 carries for 68 yards and two touchdowns. Dominic Ricardson led the way on the ground with 22 yards for 72 yards and one touchdown.

The Cowboys will face Texas next Saturday, Oct. 22, for a 2:30 p.m. CT kick on ABC for homecoming.

Discussion from...

Oklahoma State Stalls Out in Second Half, Losses to TCU 43-40 in Double Overtime

7,080 Views | 28 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by Crazed_Stallion
missouripoke
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Unfortunately coaching to not lose in the 2nd half is not a recipe for success. Players fought hard. Coaching needs to be better. Still a ton to look forward to. Don't let one loss turn into two. Go Pokes.
Crazed_Stallion
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Stalls out? Lol, more like conservative. Absolutely horrible. Here comes 8-4.
Orangeheart72
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Seemed we were being inventive on offense in 1st half. Never used a couple of those plays again even though they worked well the 1st time and we had obviously spent time practicing them. Dave Rader at TU used to drive OSU crazy when he found a play that worked. He would come back to it until you stopped them by adjusting personnel.
Crazed_Stallion
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Fire coach Dickey.
Pokes4158
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Tell me again how much better our o line is. Tell me again how much depth we have.
CanadianCowboy
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Crazed_Stallion said:

Fire coach Dickey.
This post and the two stars given - 3 of the most idiotic posts / votes ever on this board.

This game exposed some things, confirmed some suspicions...

Depth on O-Line is not yet at the point it needs to be - but each year has gotten a little better than the previous year. Dickey is overcoming the "Henson effect", and is not doing a bad job at it.

A lot of people are parroting the "Gundy goes conservative with a lead". I do think we went conservative, but for reasons - Sanders' shoulder was obviously affecting his performance - he was not able to push the ball downfield nor as accurate in the mid-range as he has been the prior 5 games.

The run game is not "high-octane". We have run-blocking issues up front - Brooks is on the field but not ready for primetime. He needs more development and maturity, but he is having to get it on the field because of the injury-shuffle on the O-Line. Preston Wilson is sorely missed at center, as is Birmingham. DRichardson has great heart and good power - but he's a Chris Carson Lite. Kind of like how Walt Garrison was described way back when ("If you need 3 yards and a cloud of dust, give it to Garrison - he'll get you 3 yards and a cloud of dust. If you need 4 yards and a cloud of dust, Garrison will get you 3 yards and a cloud of dust"). Gordon has good potential, and has shown some flashes of good play, but he's still developing and needs the game to slow down for him so he can see the field and make better decisions. Nixon is kinda the same - he's got speed, but he's got to commit to getting to the cut and get UPFIELD. Make the decision and GO.

The D has it's own problems, but they are developing and maturing rapidly in the back end. Still, some blown assignments in coverage. Correctable, but that doesn't help when the corrections were needed yesterday. The biggest problem with the defense yesterday was the terrible tackling - just one week after an outstanding job at getting the receiver / runner on the ground. And there is a blocking scheme that the last 3 opponents have used very effectively that walls off the D line & LB's to open a lane off-center/guard on the right side. THIS needs some D-line coaching improvement, no doubt.

All that said, I do think that Gundy's decision to go for a tie with a kick in OT instead of the 2-pt conversion was an error. Tramel nailed it in his article - the defense was gassed, Sanders' shoulder was causing his throwing quality to decline rapidly, and the game was fading away from both the O and D. Take the chance while the players still have some fumes in the tank, because it wasn't getting better. My two cents....

On to Homecoming & Texass. Go Pokes - let's go have a Bevo BBQ!

CaliforniaCowboy
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Crazed_Stallion said:

Fire coach Dickey.
I think you meant to say Dunn

Dickey did great considering having to go with 3rd string center Eli Russ.

Crazed_Stallion
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We have zero depth on the OL. We have really no recruits to show for him. Don't give me (not you, just in general) look at the JUCO guys. Yeah, let's look. 1 finally sees the field after over a year in the system. The other "big time" recruit can't see the field because he was waaay to small and and not strong enough. That's directly on Dickey. His inability to sustain recruits (banks) being the most recent, we have zero run game which he is in charge of coming up with that plan along side Dunn. It's just pretty darn bad up front right now. We got pushed all around by TCU in the 4th yesterday.
K.T. Harper
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Unfortunately, the coaching staff played hard to not lose the game offensively. The conservative play calling was the difference between settling for field goals and making TDs. This is a pattern with OSU coaching when OSU jumps out to a big lead in the first half of a game. It's no surprise if you look at the way leads have been blown
CaliforniaCowboy
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I totally and completely disagree, with every single point that you made.

IMO, you have to have a running back to have a running game........ don't look now, but we don't have one, we have the 4th string guy from last year.

Sanders had plenty of time Saturday, he was seldom rushed or hurried, the OLine was okay considering the new lineup.

We have SEVEN freshman OLinemen on the team now, how many do you think we need? The guys we just brought in, Entienne, Brooks, Webber, Collier all have multiple years of eligibility left.

Our best OLineman missed the entire season.

what in the heck are you even talking about? You have no clue about our team, our personnel, or our needs.
CaliforniaCowboy
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K.T. Harper said:

Unfortunately, the coaching staff played hard to not lose the game offensively. The conservative play calling was the difference between settling for field goals and making TDs. This is a pattern with OSU coaching when OSU jumps out to a big lead in the first half of a game. It's no surprise if you look at the way leads have been blown
I believe all that you said is true, but it's really no surprise when you have a QB that is prone to TOs.... it's down to a crap shoot of whether we lose the game slowly or in one throw. Pick your poison.

When Sanders gets the "sensation" (for lack of a better word) that he needs to do something heroic, then the offense starts to unravel. He gets happy feet, his passes are late or high, he runs when he should pass or throw it away, and he passes into a tight window when he should just take off with it. It's like his brain goes into a freeze and the gears start slipping. One pass in the 4th he threw incomplete over the middle into triple coverage with a guy wide open down the right side.

There are several things we need to work on offensively, getting the OLine starters back in would be a good first start.

Texas is going to eat us alive, both trenches.
Eclectic
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I'm not quite on the fire Coach Dickey bandwagon yet. I think a year or two down the road Z Crabs would be a good addition, however. Has spent some time with Baylor, some time with the pokes, and at USC this year.
# old 56
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Sanders was hurt and Richardson is not strong enough. Why not let the A+M guy play? Why not play Gunner or Rangle (not sure about spelling) for a series? Did any of us not feel like we would lose after 3rd qt.? How about a big tight end and fullback to block and run the ball. To go to (prevent defense) mode you have to run the ball. How about a cowboy back actually carry the ball? I am afraid A+M guy and Rangle will be gone after this year. Rangle is too good to sit and watch Sanders get hammered. I have great deal of respect for Sanders, not many backs can take the abuse he does and still play. I'm not ragging on coaches but if you can't move the ball, try something different.
pokeacola
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Is Iowa State a defensive powerhouse? Good, maybe, but they had UT on the ropes, in Austin. At home, after the TCU game, for Homevoming, we will be ready, we will beat UT. Spencer will be back to normal (hopefully) and we will have a great game plan.
CaliforniaCowboy
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pokeacola said:

Is Iowa State a defensive powerhouse? Good, maybe, but they had UT on the ropes, in Austin. At home, after the TCU game, for Homevoming, we will be ready, we will beat UT. Spencer will be back to normal (hopefully) and we will have a great game plan.

1) yes, ISU is a defensive powerhouse, only 2 teams have scored more than 14 on them.
2) Texas is damned good, and huge, with 1st class QB, WR and RB, and lots of speed. They lost by a couple to Bama, and had Tech beat 10 ways from Sunday, until they fumbled in OT, and that was with their backup QB
3) We never have a great game plan.
4) Texas opens as a 3 point favorite in Stillwater.

I love your enthusiasm, but there are the answers for you.

Gamecast has Texas as 68% winner.

Joe Khatib
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pokeacola said:

Is Iowa State a defensive powerhouse? Good, maybe, but they had UT on the ropes, in Austin. At home, after the TCU game, for Homevoming, we will be ready, we will beat UT. Spencer will be back to normal (hopefully) and we will have a great game plan.

Iowa State had that game won except for a couple of late calls by Matt Campbell that still kind of baffle me, the shine is starting to wear off his crown!
Joe Khatib
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# old 56 said:

Sanders was hurt and Richardson is not strong enough. Why not let the A+M guy play? Why not play Gunner or Rangle (not sure about spelling) for a series? Did any of us not feel like we would lose after 3rd qt.? How about a big tight end and fullback to block and run the ball. To go to (prevent defense) mode you have to run the ball. How about a cowboy back actually carry the ball? I am afraid A+M guy and Rangle will be gone after this year. Rangle is too good to sit and watch Sanders get hammered. I have great deal of respect for Sanders, not many backs can take the abuse he does and still play. I'm not ragging on coaches but if you can't move the ball, try something different.
How about turning a couple of those threes into sevens and you win by 10 points! Need to punch the ball in the end zone when you get inside the 20 yard line not settle for threes!
Joe Khatib
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CaliforniaCowboy said:

pokeacola said:

Is Iowa State a defensive powerhouse? Good, maybe, but they had UT on the ropes, in Austin. At home, after the TCU game, for Homevoming, we will be ready, we will beat UT. Spencer will be back to normal (hopefully) and we will have a great game plan.

1) yes, ISU is a defensive powerhouse, only 2 teams have scored more than 14 on them.
2) Texas is damned good, and huge, with 1st class QB, WR and RB, and lots of speed. They lost by a couple to Bama, and had Tech beat 10 ways from Sunday, until they fumbled in OT, and that was with their backup QB
3) We never have a great game plan.
4) Texas opens as a 3 point favorite in Stillwater.

I love your enthusiasm, but there are the answers for you.

Gamecast has Texas as 68% winner.


Thanks Cali, you just put the kiss of death on Texas!!! I kid, I kid LOL
Joe Khatib
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Crazed_Stallion said:

We have zero depth on the OL. We have really no recruits to show for him. Don't give me (not you, just in general) look at the JUCO guys. Yeah, let's look. 1 finally sees the field after over a year in the system. The other "big time" recruit can't see the field because he was waaay to small and and not strong enough. That's directly on Dickey. His inability to sustain recruits (banks) being the most recent, we have zero run game which he is in charge of coming up with that plan along side Dunn. It's just pretty darn bad up front right now. We got pushed all around by TCU in the 4th yesterday.
Would you like me to give you Zach Allen's phone number, offensive line recruiting analyst, and you can vent and scream and rant and rave at him!
Crazed_Stallion
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Sure, I would ask him what the game plan is. All he is going to say is, well weee trying. Trying doesn't cut it if you want to be a big boy. Trying gets you beat. You HAVE TO succeed. Right now in the past decade we have failed in that department.
CaliforniaCowboy
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Joe Khatib said:


Would you like me to give you Zach Allen's phone number, offensive line recruiting analyst, and you can vent and scream and rant and rave at him!
LOL - right over his head... .zinggg
Joe Khatib
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Crazed_Stallion said:

Sure, I would ask him what the game plan is. All he is going to say is, well weee trying. Trying doesn't cut it if you want to be a big boy. Trying gets you beat. You HAVE TO succeed. Right now in the past decade we have failed in that department.
He is a big enough boy that he could put you in your place very quickly!!!
Crazed_Stallion
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Lol, ok.
Vonrocky
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The two right tackles are not ready for Big 12 football. Poor recruiting or poor coaching??
CaliforniaCowboy
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Vonrocky said:

The two right tackles are not ready for Big 12 football. Poor recruiting or poor coaching??
that is certainly an opinion, that's about all it is...

our starting RT is out for the season, those are the "next man up", if you will.

I'll go with poor spectator for $100 Alex.
Crazed_Stallion
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Next man up… a walk on and a kid from, checks notes Vanderbilt.
Joe Khatib
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Crazed_Stallion said:

Next man up… a walk on and a kid from, checks notes Vanderbilt.
You spend way too much time listening to the Sports Animal in OKC, must have a man crush on Jimmy Traber, so you take their FALSE reporting about Spencer and spew that BS all over this site!!!!
Crazed_Stallion
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Lol, can't listen to the sports animal. Can't stand it, but try again.
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