STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy didn't even bother trying to downplay the importance of beating Oklahoma on Saturday.
Ollie Gordon II ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns, and Oklahoma State defeated the 10th-ranked Sooners 27-24 in the last scheduled Bedlam rivalry game before the Sooners leave the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference next year.
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“It’s a big game,” Gundy said. “And it’s good for the Oklahoma State people to finish Bedlam with a win. Period.”
Jubilant Oklahoma State fans rushed the field as time ran out and “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled blared over the sound system. They lingered on the field as songs such as “Friends in Low Places” by Oklahoma State graduate Garth Brooks played. They took down the east goalpost and carried pieces in various directions around Boone Pickens Stadium.
Gundy told the players to be proud.
“The one thing they should remember — these are special moments, and the one thing that they can take with them for the rest of their life is the thrill that they gave the fans out here in this game,” he said.
Gundy claimed his 100th Big 12 coaching win, joining Bob Stoops and Bill Snyder as the only league coaches to reach that mark. It was just his fourth victory in 19 tries against the Sooners.
Gordon, who entered the day as the nation's leading rusher, had a career-high 33 carries. It was his sixth straight game rushing for at least 100 yards.
Alan Bowman passed for 334 yards, Rashod Owens had career highs of 10 catches for 136 yards and Brennan Presley caught eight passes for 97 yards for the Cowboys (7-2, 5-1, No. 22 CFP).
The game was about more than bragging rights — both teams started the day as part of a five-way tie for the conference lead.
Dillon Gabriel passed for 344 yards, Drake Stoops had career highs of 12 catches for 134 yards and Gavin Sawchuk ran for a career-high 111 yards and a score for the Sooners (7-2, 4-2, No. 9 CFP).
“I'm really hurt for our guys,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. “They really laid it on the line. We didn't always play great today. We had too many critical mistakes against a good football team. But I loved the fight, the grit of the team, to give ourselves a chance at the end.”
The home crowd chanted Gordon's name before he broke loose for a 20-yard touchdown run on the game's opening drive.
Sawchuk answered with a 64-yard touchdown run on the third play of Oklahoma's opening drive, and the game was tied.
Bowman's 13-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter put Oklahoma State up 14-7, and a field goal by Alex Hale five minutes later made it 17-7.
Stoops' 6-yard touchdown reception cut Oklahoma State's lead to 17-14, a score that held up until halftime. It was the first time Oklahoma trailed at the break this season.
Tawee Walker took off for a 23-yard touchdown run on his first carry of the game to put the Sooners up 21-17 in the third.
Gordon looked to throw early in the fourth quarter, but he floated a ball short towards Owens. Oklahoma's Billy Bowman picked it off and ran it back 39 yards to the Oklahoma 44.
Oklahoma couldn't take advantage, and Gordon made up for his mistake. His 1-yard touchdown run put the Cowboys up 24-21 with 7:59 remaining.
Oklahoma had a low snap on the first play on the next drive, and Gabriel couldn't get a handle on it. Oklahoma State's Kody Walterscheid recovered at the Oklahoma 20, and Hale's 34-yard field goal put the Cowboys up 27-21.
Oklahoma's Zach Schmit made a 36-yard field goal to cut the margin to three with 4:48 to go. The Sooners got the ball back one more time, down 27-24. But Stoops was stopped short after a fourth-down catch near midfield, and they turned it over on downs.
“It hurts and it stings right now, but we’re not going to change our approach,” Stoops said. “We have a process, and we trust our process. We’re going back to work tomorrow, putting the game to bed, getting the film watched and getting ready for our next opponent, which is West Virginia.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Oklahoma: Each of the Sooners' past four games have been decided by five points or fewer. They won the first two, against Texas and Central Florida. They have lost the past two — to Kansas and now Oklahoma State — and now may need to reset their goals.
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys continued to find ways to take advantage of teams overloading to stop Gordon. Bowman fell just short of his season-high yardage total, and the Cowboys finished with 480 total yards.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Oklahoma State will jump into the Top 25. Oklahoma will drop, but likely not too far with a road loss against a hot team.
UP NEXT
Oklahoma: Hosts West Virginia on Saturday.
Oklahoma State: Visits UCF on Saturday.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football