Oklahoma State football survives Arkansas in 2OT as Cowboys' defense denies Razorbacks

Oklahoma State football survives Arkansas in 2OT as Cowboys’ defense denies Razorbacks

Posted by Admin September 7, 2024 Football

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STILLWATER — Ollie Gordon II kept the Cardiac Cowboys’ hearts pumping.

Gordon’s otherwise silent day ended with a touchdown run, then a reception for a two-point conversion that was the deciding score in 17th-ranked Oklahoma State’s 39-31 double-overtime victory against Arkansas on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium.

After Gordon’s 12-yard touchdown run in the second overtime, Arkansas threatened to score a touchdown for a chance at tying the game, but OSU linebacker Kendal Daniels exploded into the running gap for the clinching fourth-down tackle.

Arkansas controlled the majority of the first half and led 21-7 at the break and had a yardage advantage 351-77.

But OSU shocked itself back to life with sharp offense, defensive takeaways and some unexpected stars.

Here are five takeaways from the game:

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Ollie Gordon II contained, but passing game heats up

Gordon had one of the worst rushing performances of his career with 49 yards on 17 carries.

And in the first half, quarterback Alan Bowman had his own struggles, completing just 9 of his first 18 passes with one interception.

The OSU offense didn’t produce a single point in the first half, but led the rally with 32 points after the break.

Bowman found his rhythm to start the third quarter, finishing 27 of 48 for 326 yards, a touchdown and two crucial two-point conversions.

Five times last season, Oklahoma State won a game in which it trailed in the second half, and that characteristic has carried over to 2024. And three times in the last six games, the Pokes have rallied from a deficit of at least 14.

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Unsung heroes come up big for Cowboys

Though he was the longsnapper for punts as a true freshman last season, Shea Freibaum’s fumble recovery in the fourth quarter probably had Cowboy fans scrambling for the roster in their game program.

The sophomore from Scottsdale, Arizona, fell on a muffed punt by Arkansas’ Isaiah Sategna at the Hogs’ 25-yard line. OSU scored its first offensive touchdown of the game two plays later, then tied the game with a two-point conversion with 9:37 to play.

After forcing a turnover on downs, the OSU offense drove 86 yards for the go-ahead touchdown, getting two big receptions from little-used players.

First came a 63-yard pass to super-senior fullback Jake Schultz. Bowman handed the ball to Gordon II, who handed to Brennan Presley on a reverse, who tossed back to Bowman for a flea-flicker.

Schultz had snuck out of the backfield and was wide open, catching the pass and rumbling into the red zone.

Moments later, true freshman Josh Ford caught a pass and was initially ruled to have scored a touchdown. However, video review ruled he had stepped out at the 3. Presley scored on the next play

WATCH: Oklahoma State football’s Kale Smith returns interception for TD vs Arkansas

Penalties wipe out offensive momentum

The Oklahoma State offense showed its first consistent signs of life on its opening possession of the third quarter, and the momentum seemed to be rising.

However, an illegal block call against Schultz wiped a Presley touchdown off the board. Then a false start penalty on Jake Springfield moved the offense back another 5 yards.

After a pair of incomplete passes, the Cowboys were forced to take a field goal, with Logan Ward hitting from 45 yards.

The Cowboy defense reignited the orange momentum with a fumble recovery on the following possession, but another penalty on the ensuing drive stalled the offense again.

Receiver Rashod Owens was flagged for offensive pass interference when he illegally blocked the defender who was covering Presley — the intended receiver on the pass.

That left OSU in a third-and-long, ultimately leading to a 35-yard field goal for Ward.

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OSU’s Kale Smith gets first career interception, touchdown

For a team in need of a boost of energy, cornerback Kale Smith delivered.

The redshirt junior cornerback ran in front of a floating pass from Arkansas’ Taylen Green and went untouched for a 73-yard interception return.

It was the first career interception for the Midwest City native, who became a regular piece of the cornerback rotation last season.

The Cowboys have two interceptions this season, both by cornerbacks, after Korie Black picked off a pass last week.

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Collin Oliver leaves with foot injury

On the OSU defense’s biggest play of the first half, it lost one of its most important players.

Edge rusher Collin Oliver, who pressured the quarterback on the pass that was intercepted by Smith and returned for a touchdown, suffered what was reported as a foot injury.

No information was known about the severity of Oliver’s injury, though he returned to the sideline on crutches, wearing a walking boot on his right foot..

Obi Ezeigbo, the super-senior transfer from Division II Gannon University, replaced Oliver on the Cowboys’ four-man defensive front.

The Cowboys were once again without backup middle linebacker Justin Wright, who has not played this season.

More: Collin Oliver injury update: Oklahoma State football DE out vs Arkansas