Oklahoma State Comes Alive in Second Half for 27-15 Win Over Arizona State

Oklahoma State overcame a non-existent run game in the first half to beat Arizona State in Tempe, 27-15. It marks the Pokes’ ninth-straight non-conference road game.

With the win, the Cowboys move to 2-0 on the season and will face South Alabama in Stillwater on September 16.

The Cowboys’ defense stepped up big in this game as they forced four turnover-on-downs throughout the game, three of which came in the second half. They also held ASU scoreless in the second half, while giving up just 105 yards of total offense. For the game, the Pokes held ASU to just 277 total yards, 167 through the air and 110 on the ground.

Head coach Mike Gundy and the offensive staff went with the three-quarterback system again, with transfer Alan Bowman getting the nod to start the game. He’d finish the game going 11-of-16 for 113 yards. Gunnar Gundy was next out on the field and finished 5-of-7 for 32 yards and a touchdown.

Garret Rangel, who got the FOX player of the game nod, came in the game as the closer and did just that. He went 6-of-9 for 46 yards and one touchdown.

As an offense, the Cowboys combined for 304 yards of total offense, 191 through the air and 113 on the ground.

While the Cowboys kept it close in the first half, entering the break trailing 15-10, they also entered the break with zero rushing yards on 12 carries between five ball carries. Those numbers include two sacks. Ollie Gordon, however, had other plans to start the second half as he recorded a 31-yard rush on the Pokes’ second play of the half, the longest of the night up to that point.

That’s when things started to turn around for the Pokes as Gunnar Gundy hit De’Zhaun Stribling in the end zone from three yards out to re-take the lead, 17-15. The Pokes went five plays, 60 yards on that drive.

Safety Lyrik Rawls got the Pokes the ball back on the Sun Devil’s next drive as he hauled in his first colligate interception. It didn’t amount to anything as the Cowboys’ offense stalled out, resulting in the fifth punt of the night.

After a couple of stalled drives in the fourth quarter, the Pokes’ defense came up huge forcing a third turnover-on-downs of the night in just four plays to give the Pokes the ball the back on the ASU 33-yard line. Six plays later and the drive’s capped with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Rangel to Brennan Presley to put the Pokes up 12 points, 27-15, with just 2:56 left in the game.

The Cowboys would force yet another turnover-on-downs on the Sun Devils’ next drive to get the ball back and officially put the game away.

The Pokes’ defense pressured ASU quarterback Jaden Rashada quite a bit in this game as they sacked him three times and recorded one interception. It was redshirt sophomore Nick Martin who led the way for the Pokes with 10 total tackles, five of which were solo stops, including one sack, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hurry.