A Poke-friendly article that contains some truth, I think.
OSU has itself to blame for frustrating loss at Texas
By Guerin Emig Tulsa World 9 hrs ago
AUSTIN, Texas — Oklahoma State’s 36-30 loss at Texas on Saturday night added plenty of color to the Cowboys’ big picture.
They barrel ahead in Big 12 Conference play feeling better about their quarterback, with Spencer Sanders playing bravely on this sweltering, hostile night at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Longhorns QB Sam Ehlinger recognized as much and embraced his counterpart after finishing a post-game on-field interview with ABC.
The Cowboys feel slightly better about complementary targets besides Tylan Wallace, since Sanders went elsewhere for 14 of his 19 completions. (Note: I might encourage Sanders to steer the ball back toward Wallace next Saturday against Kansas State.)
They feel worse about complementary ball-carriers besides Chuba Hubbard. OSU’s lead back is a horse, but if LD Brown or somebody else can’t take the load off soon, he’s going to be out to pasture by November.
They are stuck with the defense they have. It’s decent, but like so many of Mike Gundy’s teams it’s no difference-maker. Gundy rides his offense into the heart of the Big 12, same as usual.
And that brings us to the smaller details that defined Saturday’s disappointing result.
The Cowboys were either ahead or in position to take the lead the first three times they had the ball in the second half. They drove inside the Texas 10-yard line their first series, to Texas’ 3-yard line their second, and to Texas’ 22 their third.
OSU had a first down from the Longhorns’ 17, a fourth-and-½ yard from the Longhorns’ 3, and second- and third-and-1s from the Horns’ 22 on those respective series.
Grand total of points from those three gilded opportunities: 3. One Matt Ammendola field goal. That’s it.
Explanation for these wasted moments: Depends on the moment.
Discipline, a 2018 OSU bugaboo, bit the Cowboys on their first drive of the second half, trailing 21-20.
Right tackle Teven Jenkins false-started on second-and-5 from the Texas 12. Runs by Hubbard and Sanders put the Pokes on the Horns’ 9, giving Gundy a fourth-and-2 decision. He chose a 27-yard field goal and a 23-21 lead. A conservative but acceptable call at that point in the game.
Worse than the call was Jenkins’ happy feet in a red zone where every inch is precious.
A lack of execution fouled up OSU’s next drive, Texas now ahead 28-23.
The Cowboys put Sanders under center and Hubbard at I-formation tailback on fourth-and-less than a yard from the Texas 3. Hubbard took a deep handoff and tripped over the foot of left guard Marcus Keyes as he accelerated toward the pile.
Hubbard stumbled and fell short of the 3.
Texas took over. Ehlinger threw an interception, and here came OSU’s third shot at glory beginning at the Texas 31.
Hubbard ran wide to the 22. Sanders threw late and incomplete to Wallace. Texas stuffed Hubbard on third-and-1.
OSU staff torpedoed things from here.
Gundy sent out Ammendola for a 39-yard field goal as the play clock ticked away. A timeout should have been in order, to either avoid a flag, settle the kicker or even reconsider the decision to kick.
Instead, OSU took the 5-yard penalty and called a fake that had holder Jake McClure attempt a shovel pass toward Jelani Woods between McClure and snapper Matt Hembrough.
The Cowboys ran it like they’d never practiced it. And even had they practiced it — I assume they had — you typically don’t pick up 6 yards shoveling to a receiver near the point of the snap.
You stand a better shot picking up 6 yards with your offense on the field, which some OSU coach should have figured out after the delay-of-game penalty. Or just have Ammendola connect from 44 yards out to cut the deficit to 28-26.
Instead, Texas accepted the gift, drove 73 yards for a touchdown and 2-point conversion to lead 36-23, and any hope of a sixth straight Cowboys triumph in Austin vanished.
“If we take advantage of our opportunities and not kick field goals, we are going to be in a different situation,” Gundy said.
You could sub “fake” for “kick” in that quote, but the point remained. Either way, it was hard to reconcile headed back home.
Guerin Emig
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@tulsaworld.com
Twitter: @GuerinEmig
