Oklahoma State Roars Back for 41-34 Win Over No. 20 Texas
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State, having trailed most of the game, took the lead late in the fourth quarter, scoring 17-unanswered points to beat No. 20 Texas, 41-34.
With the win, the Cowboys move to 6-1 on the season and 3-1 in Big 12 play. The Cowboys travel to Manhattan, KS, on Oct. 29 for a top-20 showdown with Kansas State.
The drive of the game for the Cowboys came with just under five minutes left in the fourth quarter. Texas kicker Bert Auburn pushed a 46-yard field goal attempt wide-left to give the Pokes the ball back with 4:57 left in the game.
On 3rd and six, Spencer Sanders hit John Paul Richardson across the middle for nine yards and the first down, a rather impressive grab for the sophomore. That was followed up by a 14-yard completion from Sanders to freshman Ollie Gordon. After a four-yard gain by Gordon, Sanders hit sophomore Bryson Green across the middle, who broke a few tackles and scampered 41-yards into the end zone to give the Pokes their first lead since early in the first quarter, 41-34.
“It was a great play call,” Bryson Green said. “I just ran my route the best I could. Caught the ball, and I wasn’t even focused on the guy behind me, I was just focused on the guy in front of me and making him miss. Once I popped off, I could look at the big screen and saw nobody was behind me, so I might as well go for the touchdown.”
After an interception from Jason Taylor II, his second of the game, the Cowboys’ offense stalled with 1:04 remaining, giving the Longhorns the ball on their own 24-yard line. With less than 20 seconds left, Kendal Daniels interception a tipped pass to end the game for the Pokes.
Quarterback Spencer Sanders had one of his best games as a Cowboy. He went 34-of-57 for 391 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, while rushing the ball 11 times for 43 yards.
Freshman Stephon Johnson Jr. and sophomore Bryson Green were brigh spots for the Cowboy offense as Johnson posted six receptions for 90 yards and Green five receptions for 133 yards and one touchdown.
“His days are in front of him,” Dunn said of Johnson. “I think he’s not in shock at all about the big stage. Obviously, we saw that tonight. I feel comfortable with him being out there and playing. Sometimes guys can get a little nervous or wide eyed… he just doesn’t seem to be phased by it.”
The first half for the Cowboys was a little worrisome as they posted just 80 total yards, with only 15 yards coming on the ground. That’s compared to 173 total yards from the Longhorns, who posted 89-yards on ground.
The bright spot, however, came in the terms of scoring as the Pokes trailed by just four points at the end of one, 14-10.
The second quarter is where things really started to click for the Pokes. They posted an impressive 238 yards, with 145 coming through the air, while the defense held Texas to 178 yards.
After a quick punt to start the second quarter, Quinn Ewers hit Bijan Robinson down the right side for a 41-yard touchdown.
The Cowboys responded on the next drive.
Spencer Sanders picked up 11 yards up the middle on 2nd and 10, followed by a four-yard completion to Stephon Johnson Jr. Sanders picked up nine yards up the right side for another first down and a couple of plays later, Dominic Richardson got into the end zone from one-yard out for the touchdown, getting the game back to four points, 21-17.
Richardson gets back into the end zone a few drives later, his third touchdown of the first half, to get the Cowboys within seven, 31-24
After eight-straight punts between OSU and UT to start the second half, the Cowboys and Horns traded field goals, the only points scored in the quarter.
After forcing another UT punt to start the fourth, OSU went 12 plays, 66 yards and capped it off with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Sanders to Brennan Presley to tie the game up at 34.
“Our offense is built to try to play fast,” said offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn. “For us to be behind by two or three scores, isn’t a scary thing. A harder thing for us is trying to finish it when we’re ahead. We’re not an all up, smashing team. We’re a wide open, aggressive passing team. That’s just who we are, so it’s harder for us to spin it and go the other way. I don’t want to be behind, but it’s easier for us to play from behind.”