Michigan

Oklahoma State holds out in double overtime and avoids an upset against Arkansas

Caradoc Wyn September 7, 2024

It’s better to win ugly than lose beautifully, and that was certainly the case for Oklahoma State on Saturday.

The No. 16 Cowboys beat the Arkansas Razorbacks 39-31, but they had to come back in the second half and endure two overtimes to avoid the upset.

The Razorbacks got out of the starting blocks quickly and led 14-0 in the first quarter. The Cowboys scored their first points of the day with a 73-yard pick-six by Kale Smith.

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Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II celebrates with Preston Wilson after a touchdown in the second overtime against Arkansas at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. (PICTURE)

Oklahoma State didn’t score its first offensive points until nine minutes before the end of the third quarter, when kicker Logan Ward made a 45-yard field goal to make the game 21-10.

The Cowboys had the chance they needed with about 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Trailing 21-13 and with their offense still faltering, Razorbacks punt returner Isaiah Sategna dropped the punt and the Cowboys recovered it at the Arkansas 25-yard line.

Two plays later, quarterback Alan Bowman found wide receiver Brennan Presley for a seven-yard touchdown. Bowman then hit De’Zhaun Stribling for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 21-21.

After making a defensive stop, the Cowboys resorted to a trick to jumpstart the offense. With a flea flicker, Bowman found the completely free Jake Schultz, who took him 63 yards into the red zone.

A few plays later, the Cowboys got creative and deployed Presley out of the backfield for a jet sweep that scored a three-yard touchdown and gave the Cowboys a 28-21 lead.

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Ollie Gordon II (center) and Brennan Presley (80) of Oklahoma State celebrate with the fans after the game. (PICTURE)

The Razorbacks responded quickly with a three-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 43-yard touchdown pass from Luke Hasz to Taylen Green, tying the game at 28-28 with just over four minutes left in the game.

Bowman led the Cowboys 55 yards to the Arkansas 20-yard line in three minutes, setting up Ward’s 38-yard field goal that put the Cowboys back in the lead, 31-28.

With no timeout and 55 seconds left on the clock, Green went to work.

The Razorbacks quarterback went under the ball after a pass and made only minor gains, then threw the ball and completed a 33-yard pass to Andrew Armstrong, bringing the offense to the Oklahoma State 27-yard line.

Arkansas kicker Kyle Ramsey made a 42-meter field goal attempt just wide of the right post, tying the game at 31:31 as time expired and sending the game into overtime.

The Razorbacks had the ball first to start, but fell behind in overtime after a crucial 12-yard loss on a third-down sack by Obi Ezeigbo of Green, pushing Arkansas back to the Oklahoma 28-yard line.

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Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green passes the ball in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma State. (William Purnell-Imagn Images)

Ramsey was good from 45 yards to send the game into overtime, but he was not good from 46 yards in overtime as he pulled his kick to the left and gave Oklahoma State’s offense a chance to win.

However, Oklahoma State’s offense was not much better than Arkansas’ in overtime.

They gained one yard total and had to settle for a 41-yard field goal chance from Ward to win the game.

He missed wide to the right.

Both teams missed their shots and the score remained 31:31 when the game went into the second overtime.

The Razorbacks held Heisman candidate Ollie Gordon II at bay for most of the game, but the star running back found the end zone on a 10-yard run in the second overtime and then caught the two-point conversion that gave the Cowboys a 39-31 lead.

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