Oklahoma State struggled from start to finish out in the desert as they fall to Arizona, 41-13.
With the loss, the Cowboys dropped to 1-4 on the season and have now lost 13-straight games to FBS opponents.
The Cowboys combined for just 158 yards of total offense on the day, with a net of 89 yards on the ground and 69 yards through the air.
Before leaving the game late with an apparent injury, quarterback Zane Flores was 9-of-20 passing for just 47 yards and one interception. Sam Jackson V went 3-of-6 for 27 yards passing and true freshman Banks Bowen went 1-of-2 for negative five yards.
Rodney Fields Jr. led the Pokes in rushing with nine carries for 31 yards. Bowen was second on the stat sheet with three carries for 19 yards.
“If you look at the stat line, [Arizona’s] top 30 in pretty much every defensive statistic in the country,” said OSU’s interim head coach Doug Mecham. “But you watch the film and kind of talk yourself into believing they’re OK and we’ll be fine. They probably were what we thought they were, a pretty good team. They’re not dominant up front, or dominant on the back end, but just a really good defense from top to bottom. They do a good job.”
On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys gave up 478 yards of total offense, just 45 yards on the ground, but 433 yards and five passing touchdowns from Noah Fifita.
The lone touchdown of the game came on a 55-yard pick six by LaDainian Fields midway through the fourth quarter.
Fields spoke with Robert Allen on the Cowboy radio network following the game about his pick six.
“I just seen [UA QB Braedyn Locke] and knew he was going to try me because I haven’t been playing, so I had to stay on my Ps and Qs. But as soon as I seen that ball released, I knew it was mine.”
Kicker Logan Ward went 2-of-3 from field goal range, making a 47-yard field goal in the first quarter, made a 46-yard field goal late in the second quarter. His miss on the day came from 48 yards early in the second quarter.
Despite giving up nearly 500 yards of total offense, the Cowboys recorded six total sacks, 11 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two interceptions, the one from Fields returned 55 yards for the score.
The Cowboys are back in action next Saturday as they play host to Houston for an 11 a.m. CT kick on TNT.
