Rudolph closes record run as Cowboys QB
Cowboys quarterback Mason Rudolph closed his career in fitting fashion, earning the Camping World Bowl Most Valuable Player award.
And he did it piling up even more records in Oklahoma State’s 30-21 win over Virginia Tech on Thursday in Orlando, Florida.
Already in possession of more than 50 OSU records entering the game, Rudolph added on through a 21-of32 passing night, good for 351 yards and two touchdowns.
Rudolph bested Brandon Weeden for two season marks: passing yards in a season (4,904 to 4,727) and yards per game (377.2 to 363.6).
He matched Weeden’s record for touchdown passes in a season at 37.
“Couldn’t have done it without the guys around me,” Rudolph said. “The wide receivers. Justice
Hill. Offensive line made it happen.
“It was cool, man. Great way to go out, three straight 10-win seasons for Oklahoma State. That’s the way the seniors wanted it.”
Rudolph, who leads the nation in passing yards, also helped James
Washington become the school’s all-time leading receiver, fittingly again, on a long bomb for a 65-yard touchdown pass. Rudolph also threaded a throw to
Dillon Stoner for a 17-yard score.
Hill, run game come through
Virginia Tech had allowed just one rusher to hit the 100-yard mark all season.
Make that two, after Hill ran for 120 yards and a score Thursday night, the most yards by an opposing runner against the Hokies in 2017.
“That’s a good feeling,” said senior tackle Zach
Crabtree. “We put a big emphasis on rushing the football. Anytime you can run it pretty consistently, that’s big.”
Hill played closer, too, romping for 31 yards on a third-and-11 from the Tech 49 to set up Matt Ammendola’s third field goal with 2:34 left, pushing OSU’s lead to 30-21.
“That was a heckuva call on third down to ice it,” Crabtree said. “Heckuva call by coach (Mike) Yurcich. Put (No.) 5 in space, he can make some plays.”
Turnover flips momentum
Virginia Tech led 7-3 and stood inches away from going up 14-3 early in the second quarter, after Steven Peoples carried for a first down inside the 1-yard line on a play that went to official review to see if he may have scored.
Instead, Peoples was ruled down.
And on the next play, Hokies quarterback Josh
Jackson fumbled while trying to pull the ball from Peoples’ midsection on an option read. Ramon
Richards recovered for the Cowboys, giving the defense a needed stop.
“All I do is play my game and do what I can do,” Richards said. “God puts me in positions and it’s up to me to make the best of the opportunities.
“Before that, the D-line had a great push. They impacted the play before I could ever get that ball.”
The offense followed with some life, eventually taking a 13-7 halftime lead after the Hokies seemed to own the first half. The Cowboys never trailed again.
Corner conundrum
The Cowboys found themselves in trouble in the secondary, with starting cornerbacks A.J. Green and Rodarius Williams out with injuries for much of the second half.
Green suffered a head injury, while Williams went out early with bruised ribs, before taking a blow to the head himself on the same play that took out Green.
Depleted at the position, the Cowboys turned to Richards, a former corner, and backup Darius Curry, who collected his first career interception.
“Two guys who didn’t play corner, really, all year,” said Cowboys coach
Mike Gundy. “Can’t say enough about Darius. And Ramon battled.”
Cowboy captains
Early in the day, Gundy announced OSU’s captains for the Camping World Bowl — and the season — via Twitter.
The captains were all seniors: Rudolph, Washington, Chad Whitener, Tre Flowers and Kirk Tucker.
Up next: Missouri State
OSU opens the 2018 season at home on Sept. 1 against Missouri State.
The Bears finished this season 3-8 at the FCS level, although they did take on Missouri, losing 72-43 in their opener.
Missouri State is the first of three nonconference games set for Boone Pickens Stadium to open the season and four straight at home overall, with Texas Tech visiting to open Big 12 play.
Quotable
Gundy, looking ahead to replacing 10 senior starters from Thursday night, including several career standouts:
“We’ll be in a little bit of a rebuilding phase next year. But it’ll be fun. That’s what we as coaches like to do.”