Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
No. 10 Cowboys wrestle ’Horns to ground in OT
NO. 10 OKLAHOMA STATE 13, TEXAS 10, OT
AUSTIN, Texas — Oklahoma State has established a reputation for dynamic offense and so-so defense in 13 seasons under Coach Mike Gundy.
On Saturday, the Cowboys leaned on their defense.
Ramon Richards intercepted Sam Ehlinger’s pass in the end zone in overtime, after Matt Ammendola kicked a field goal, giving No. 10 Oklahoma State a 13-10 victory over Texas.
Oklahoma State beat Texas for the fifth consecutive time in Austin, the most ever by a Longhorns opponent.
Those 13 points were 36 below the Cowboys’ average and their fewest since a 28-7 loss to Texas in 2014. Oklahoma State averaged 611 yards a game before Saturday, best in the nation, and gained 428 against Texas.
The Cowboys (6-1, 3-1) scored the winning points on Ammendola’s 34-yard field goal on the first possession of OT. He missed a 29-yard attempt in the fourth quarter.
Richards didn’t realize the game ended with his play, even though the Cowboys had just kicked a field goal.
“I thought the offense had to come back,” Richards said.
Texas (3-4, 2-2) had a first down on the Oklahoma State 12 after a pass interference penalty against A.J. Green. But on third and 4 from the 6, Ehlinger, a freshman, scrambled and floated a pass to the only player in the area, Richards.
“I thought Jerrod [Heard] was going to circle back up to the back of the end zone for a jump ball,” Ehlinger said. “That’s why I put it up there for him for a chance to win. I just made a mistake.”
Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph passed for 282 yards, failing to reach 300 for the first time in eight games. The Cowboys were without two, sometimes three, injured starting offensive linemen, and Texas dared them to run by dropping defenders into pass coverage.
“Forever around here, it’s been the offense saved us,” Gundy said. “For 6, 8 years defense can’t stop anybody, offense saved ‘em. So today the offense stumbled over their own feet, couldn’t make a play, and the defense did.”
Texas has most of its difficulty on offense, Coach Tom Herman’s specialty as a former offensive coordinator.
“I take a lot of responsibility for that,” Herman said “Monumental effort by our defense. We gotta help them more on offense.”
Running back Justice Hill rushed for 117 yards, his fourth consecutive game exceeding 100 yards. Receivers Marcell Ateman and James Washington gained 87 and 32 yards, respectively, marking the first time in five games both failed to reach 100.