Loss to West Virginia Clouds Oklahoma State's Senior Day
STILLWATER, Okla.– The senior class for the Cowboys has brought leadership, talent, and another winning season to the OSU football program; today was their last time stepping foot in Boone Pickens Stadium. Ending their last season at Oklahoma State with a record of 7-5, the 19-24 loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers looms over this day of recognition.
There are a total of 25 seniors on the OSU football team. A few standout players that have played an integral role in the team’s success this season include QB Spencer Sanders, WR Braydon Johnson, S Jason Taylor II, DE Brock Martin, DE Tyler Lacy, LB Xavier Benson, and K Tanner Brown.
Sanders has played all four seasons with the Oklahoma State Cowboys and still has an extra year left to play thanks to COVID-19. Recently, alleged rumors have been circulating that Sanders will enter the transfer portal and use his final year of play at another university, but nothing has been confirmed.
Playing in a total of 10 games out of the 12, Sanders finished the season with 2,642 passing yards on 212 completions, 17 passing touchdowns, 391 rushing yards on 107 attempts, eight rushing touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
This Oklahoma State quarterback has brought many wins to the program over the last four years. While he didn’t play in today’s West Virginia game, he will go down in OSU history as an exceptional player and leader.
On the defensive side of the ball, S Jason Taylor II has been a leader and walked away from Boone Pickens Stadium one final time with four tackles and an interception on the day.
The standout safety finished the season with 83 tackles and five interceptions.
“Over the course of the years that I’ve been here, it’s been great,” Taylor said of his time at OSU. “We have the best fans and a great environment, it’s been great. I’m blessed to be able to have made it this far.”
Receiver Braydon Johnson finished his senior season as a top receiver for Oklahoma State with 507 yards and three touchdowns through only five games due to injury.
“It was definitely meaningful,” Johnson said as he described Senior Day. “It was my last time in Boone Pickens. Regardless of the elements or any of the circumstances, I just wanted to go out and play as hard as I could for my team, for my guys and my brothers and that’s what I did.”
With one bowl game remaining in the season, the Cowboy seniors will have one more chance to soak everything in before many of them have big decisions to make regarding their futures. A few will hope to declare for the NFL Draft, some will enter the workforce, and others will have to consider what an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19 will look like for them.
All in all, these integral senior players for OSU each have a bright future ahead of them, and several have built a lasting legacy and made a name for themselves in the history books of Oklahoma State Football.