Photo credit: BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK
If you can’t win on the road, you won’t be playing in Dallas in December.
Steve Sarkisian was 1-4 in true road games in his first season as head coach at Texas. Then Texas Tech in Lubbock “happened” in the Longhorns’ first Big 12 game this season, dropping that record to 1-5. To say that Texas and Sarkisian needed a win on Saturday in Stillwater would be an understatement. Exorcise the demons, Get the monkey off the back…whatever the cliché is, it was likely applicable to Texas’ challenges related to winning on the road under Sark’s watch.
Unfortunately, that misfortune didn’t change at Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday as the Longhorns lost to Oklahoma State for the second consecutive season, falling to 1-6 on the road under Sarkisian.
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers struggled mightliy, failing to connect with his receivers for the better part of the day. Ewers ended the day with a dismal 19-49 performance that went for 319 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions.
Penalties were also a thorn in the Longhorns’ side all game, as they were hit with 14 of them for a total of 119 yards.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Oklahoma State had zero penalties.
Undisciplined football can paralyze a team and today it reared its ugly head in Stillwater.
While it was mostly gloomy for the ‘Horns, there was a bright spot. All-American running back Bijan Robinson rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries and tallied his sixth consecutive 100+ yard game on the ground. He showed yet again why he’s one of the best to play the position in college football today.
Oklahoma State kept their conference championship hopes very much alive with the come-from-behind win over the Longhorns. Quarterback Spencer Sanders started slow but finished red hot, despite playing with a dinged up shoulder. The redshirt senior threw for 391 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 43 yards.
Cowboy tailback Dominic Richardson rushed four times for 24-yards and three touchdowns to lead the Pokes in scoring.
The loss was a shot to the gut for a Texas team that was hoping to win its fourth straight and keep them in contention for a Big 12 Championship. Those hopes may be on life support now as the team lost its second conference game and appears to be in search of what used to be a once prolific offense.
GAME RECAP
Quinn Ewers threw his third interception of the season on the game’s opening series, giving the Cowboys the ball in Texas territory. The Texas defense held the Pokes to a field goal, giving Oklahoma State an early 3-0 lead.
Bijan Robinson then put Texas on the board with a 42-yard rushing touchdown which capped a four play, 71-yard scoring drive to give Texas a 7-3 lead with 12:01 remaining in the first quarter.
The Cowboys answered on the ensuing possession, marching 75 yards downfield and retaking the lead on Dominic Richardson’s 4-yard rushing touchdown.
Trading a pair of possessions in which Texas turned the ball over on downs and Oklahoma State punted, speedy Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy gave the Longhorns a 14-10 lead following a touchdown pass from Quinn Ewers.
After one quarter of play, Texas held a 14-10 advantage over Oklahoma State.
The Longhorns’ special teams got in on the action when Morice Blackwell blocked Tom Hutton’s punt. Two plays later Bijan Robinson hauled in another Quinn Ewers pass, this time for a 41-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 21-10 in favor of Texas.
Benefitting from an unnecessary roughness call on Texas defensive back Anthony Cook, the Cowboys trimmed the ‘Horns lead to 21-17 with Dominic Richardson’s second rushing touchdown of the game. Richardson’s 1-yard score capped an eight play, 75-yard drive by Oklahoma State.
Following Keilan Robinson’s 38-yard kickoff return, the Longhorns continued to fight the penalty bug (at that point 8 penalties for 60 yards) and were forced to settle for a Bert Auburn 37-yard field goal.
With 8:04 left before halftime, Sarkisian and Texas clung to a 24-17 lead.
Oklahoma State looked to even things up on the next drive and almost did. Spencer Sanders led the Cowboy offense 62-yards downfield before being picked off in the end zone by Texas defensive back Ryan Watts.
With 5:15 left on the halftime clock Ewers and the Longhorns looked to add to their lead. Texas tight end J’Tavion Sanders kept the drive alive with a critical third down reception. On the next play Roschon Johnson took a Ewers handoff 52-yards into the Oklahoma State end zone.
The onslaught of scoring continued, but this time it was the Cowboys’ turn. Jaden Nixon romped downfield for a 51-yard run to setup an eventual Dominic Richardson touchdown, his third of the game.
Oklahoma State ended the half missing a 48-yard field goal attempt which gave Texas a 31-24 lead at the half.
The first points of the second half came at the 2:10 mark in the third quarter with Bert Auburn’s 33-yard field goal, his second of the day. With the three, the Longhorns increased their lead to 34-24.
Oklahoma State kicker Tanner Brown answered Auburn’s field goal with one of his own, this time from 40 yards out.
After three quarters: Texas 34, Oklahoma State 27.
Ewers and the Texas offense continued to sputter, leading way to an impressive Oklahoma State drive that included 12 plays for 66 yards and drained 4:53 off the clock. The drive ended with Spencer Sanders throwing his first touchdown on the day to Brennan Presley to even things up at 34-34.
Oklahoma State took their first lead of the game since the first quarter with a little over three minutes remaining. Bryson Green took a Spencer Sanders pass 41 yards, shaking off Texas defensive backs, into the end zone.
Oklahoma State 41, Texas 34 at that point.
Texas had an opportunity to try and tie things up with a minute left on the game clock but Quinn Ewers was intercepted for the third time in the game, solidifying Oklahoma State’s 41-34 win.
The loss drops Texas to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in Big 12 play and still leaves them a win away from bowl eligibility.
Texas enjoys a bye next week before heading to Manhattan, Kansas to face the Kansas State Wildcats on November 5th.