STILLWATER, Okla. — Sam Ehlinger threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Moore in overtime, and Joseph Ossai sealed the victory by sacking Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders as Texas knocked off the previously unbeaten and sixth-ranked Cowboys 41-34 on Saturday.
Oklahoma State (4-1, 3-1 Big 12) outgained Texas 530 yards to 287, but the Cowboys turned the ball over four times and saw their hopes to reach the College Football Playoff take a major blow.
Same goes for the entire Big 12. After Kansas State’s loss to West Virginia earlier in the day, Oklahoma State entered the game as the only remaining unbeaten team in Big 12 play. Now the race is jumbled, and Texas (4-2, 3-2) is back in the picture to play in the championship game.
Sanders passed for career highs of 400 yards and four touchdowns, but he fumbled twice and threw an interception — turnovers that led to 13 Texas points. Tylan Wallace caught 11 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns, and Chuba Hubbard was held to 72 yards on 25 carries for the Cowboys.
Oklahoma State drove into Texas territory late in the first half with a 24-17 lead, but Ossai stripped Hubbard, and Texas defensive tackle Ta’Quon Graham recovered and returned the ball to the Oklahoma State 20. The Longhorns got just a field goal out of it, and Oklahoma State took a 24-20 lead into the break.
Sanders threw his fourth touchdown pass — a 9-yard toss to a well-covered Wallace — to give Oklahoma State a 31-20 lead. Texas’ D’Shawn Jamison returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. Texas missed the extra point, and Oklahoma State’s lead was 31-26 midway through the third quarter.
Texas appeared to be stopped on its side of the field in the fourth quarter, but a roughing the punter call against Oklahoma State extended the drive. On fourth-and-7 at the Oklahoma State 12, Ehlinger rolled away from pressure and found Jake Smith for a touchdown. Ehlinger connected with Cade Brewer for a 2-point conversion to put the Longhorns up 34-31 with 4:27 remaining.
Oklahoma State got a final shot in regulation, getting the ball back with 1:13 remaining and no timeouts. Sanders completed four of four passes for 62 yards to put the Cowboys in field goal range. Then Alex Hale hit a 34-yard field goal with five seconds remaining to tie the score and force overtime.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Oklahoma State likely will take a steep drop after this loss at home. Texas could find itself back in the top 25.
THE TAKEAWAY
Texas: The Longhorns finally caught some breaks late in a close game. Things didn’t go well late in losses to TCU and Oklahoma, but the Longhorns have won two straight to take some of the heat off coach Tom Herman.
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys dominated nearly every facet of the game and beat themselves with mistakes.
UP NEXT
Texas is scheduled to host West Virginia on Saturday.
Oklahoma State is scheduled to visit Kansas State on Saturday.
