Oklahoma State Rallies Late for 39-32 Win over No. 23 Kansas

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State rallied late with a six-yard Brennan Presley touchdown and a field goal from Alex Hale to get past No. 23 Kansas, 39-32.

With the win, the Cowboys moved to 4-2 on the season and 2-1 in Big 12 play.

“We knew going in that [Kansas] was going to be even more difficult than what we faced last week based on what they do offensively,” Mike Gundy said after the game. “I think that their coach and their coordinators and staff coaches as good as anybody in college football. [Our] players in the last four weeks have practiced really, really hard and we forced them to grind. Our practices have been physical, we’ve been tackling. We had a choice of which way to go, and the team chose to practice hard and just go play. They’re learning to rely on each other. Our offensive line is playing better now than they have, they’re covering guys up and not getting negative yardage plays. We’re rushing the ball, our backs are getting downhill. We sacked [Jason Bean] four times, they sacked [Alan Bowman] once.”

While the Pokes scored 39 points, the most since the 41-34 win over Texas last season, the defense came in clutch in several instances. They forced two interceptions, two turnovers-on-downs, seven tackles for a loss and three sacks, including a sack from Nick Martin to end the game.

Martin finished with nine total tackles, a sack, a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble. Collin Oliver also had a great game as he finished with seven tackles, 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss and two pass deflections.

It was a fitting day on the ground for the Pokes as they rushed for 218 yards the day legendary OSU running back Terry Miller was inducted into the OSU Ring of Honor.

Ollie Gordon led the way with 29 carries for 168 yards a touchdown, as well as six receptions for 116 yards and one touchdown. With his performance, Gordon became the first OSU running back with 100+ rushing yards and 100+ receiving yards in the same game since Gerald Hudson did so, fittingly, against Kansas on Nov.4, 1989.

Quarterback Alan Bowman had his best game as a Cowboy as he went 28-of-41 for 336 yards and two touchdowns.

Following a huge turnover-on-downs and trailing 32-30 with just over six minutes left in the game, the Cowboys needed some offensive juice as they hadn’t gotten in the end zone since late in the second quarter.

Nearly four minutes, nine plays and 50 yards later, receiver Brennan Presley got into the end zone for the second time in the game, this time coming on a six-yard jet sweep, to give the Pokes the lead, 36-32. It marked their first lead since their 24-19 lead with 2:52 left in the first half.

The Jayhawks, whose offense had been electric all day, had a chance to take the lead back as they got the ball back with 2:33 left. However, the Poke defense had other things in mind. After a nine-yard run from Devin Neal resulting in a 4th and 1, Collin Oliver recorded a huge pass deflection to force a second-straight turnover-on-downs.

It marked the fourth-straight failed KU drive as Kendal Daniels recorded an interception, following by a pick from Dylan Smith, then two-straight turnover-on-downs.

The game, however, wasn’t over yet as Alex Hale made it a seven-point game, 39-32, with :15 remaining in the game.

Hale finished the game going 4-for-5 on field goals.