Oklahoma State couldn’t pull itself out of its own steam en route to its fifth straight loss.

OSU lost 38-28 to Baylor on Saturday at McLane Stadium in Waco and is 3-5 this season. While the Cowboys kept the game competitive and had a chance to win in the second half, they simply couldn’t make plays down the stretch.

OSU’s defense was once again the Cowboys’ downfall, particularly on the ground, allowing 343 rushing yards. In addition to a porous defense, the Cowboys were undisciplined all afternoon, committing 12 penalties for 84 yards.

Sawyer Robertson’s 41-yard drive into the end zone in the fourth quarter extended Baylor’s lead to 11 as he easily escaped a handful of Cowboy defenders. Ollie Gordon’s touchdown and Brennan Presley’s two-point conversion brought the Cowboys within a field goal on the ensuing drive.

But again, the Cowboys defense let Baylor do whatever he wanted. Dawson Pendergrass’ 55-yard touchdown run through some OSU defenders clinched the game.

Cale Cabbiness intercepted a long pass from Alan Bowman early in the third quarter, but a penalty wiped it out and ultimately forced OSU to punt. A few plays later, Baylor regained the lead with an impressive 33-yard touchdown catch by Ashtyn Hawkins.

Trailing 17-10 before halftime, OSU’s Trent Howland converted a fake punt to keep the drive alive. With Brennan Presley downfield, the Cowboys scored a touchdown with 22 seconds left in the first half when Ollie Gordon crossed the goal line.

Presley was the best option for the Cowboys’ offense, especially in the first half. Before halftime, Presley had nine catches for 135 yards and a touchdown on his way to 183 yards.

After an interception gave OSU a chance to take the lead late in the first quarter, the Cowboys pushed deep into Baylor territory. After rushing inside the 5-yard line, Ollie Gordon fumbled, allowing Baylor to recover on its 1st yard.

Dawson Pendergrass exploded near midfield on the first play of the game, gaining 77 yards on two runs on the drive. Hal Presley’s impressive catch in the end zone gave the Bears a 10-3 lead.

The Cowboys responded quickly, however, with Presley catching a screen down the left sideline and staying just inside the field for an acrobatic 33-yard touchdown.

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