Superlatives: Game MVPs, Top Plays and More from Oklahoma State’s Loss to Baylor

The Cowboys further solidified their place at the bottom of the Big 12 with a 38-28 loss to Baylor on the road. It was a game they needed to win and a game that they, seemingly, had the chance to do so late. But once again, Oklahoma State’s demons came to haunt it and a late comeback lurch fell too short.

But let’s go down a level and look at some of the individual performances and key talking points from OSU’s loss in Waco.

Offensive MVP: Brennan Presley

It’s hard for OSU fans to come out appreciating much after another disappointing loss, but they should appreciate Brennan Presley while he’s still a Cowboy. Presley did almost as much to keep the Pokes in this as any of the head-scratching mishaps and penalties did to keep them out.

Presley tied his career high with 15 receptions on 17 targets for 183 yards. That’s also just six shy of his career high in receiving yards. What’s more impressive is that 122 of those 183 came after the catch. He could pad his career highlights with plays from this game. There was the 33-yard sideline score, replete with its broken tackles, the 26-yard run, the huge fourth-down grab and then the tip drill to himself on the two-point conversion to pull OSU within three with less than five minutes to go.

Presley has only a few games left as a Cowboy. Such a special talent. Enjoy him while you can, Pokes fans.

Honorable Mentions: Dawson Pendergrass, Sawyer Robertson

Defensive MVP: Dylan Smith

The young DB was another one of the bright spots for the Cowboys on Saturday. Smith missed last week’s road game at BYU with injury, but the sophomore had started all six games up to that point. He returned with a career-high six tackles, leading OSU.

Honorable Mentions: Kobe Hylton, Jeff Roberson

Breakout Performance: Dawson Pendergrass (Baylor)

The Bears’ sophomore running back had a career game against the Pokes, which might be their new calling card. The getting obliterated by an emerging QB trope might now be extended to include RBs.

In 18 career games, Pendergrass had rushed for 100 yards or more once. On Saturday, he nearly doubled up Ollie Gordon.  (A masochistic OSU fan could look up how many opposing RBs have out-rushed last year’s leading rusher in head-to-head meetings.)

Pendergrass took just six handoffs, but three of them were back-to-back carries for 48 and 39 yards and one for 55 yards. The latter was the coffin spike that ended the Cowboys’ hopes once and for all. He finished with a career-high 142 yards and averaged 23.7 (!!!)  yards per carry.

Stat of the Game: 12/84

There was the ineligible man down field that rolled back the big play between Alan Bowman and Cade Cabiness, the offsides on third-and-1 at its own 6 that set up an easy TD, or the frustrating delay-of-game penalty that cost OSU four points on third-and-1 at Baylor’s 2-yard line. Or the other nine penalties OSU was flagged for. Add those up with the huge chunk-yardage plays allowed, and it’s a wonder the Cowboys were as close as they were at the end — even against a not-so-great Bears squad.

Those 12 fouls were the most OSU has been guilty of this season and all the way back to 2018 in another tough loss to the Bears in Waco.

Play of the Game: Presley Wouldn’t Be Denied

I try to end these things on a positive note. Remember to appreciate this guy while you have him. One of the great OSU receivers.

In a play reminiscent to the Tylan Wallace broken tackle then stiff-arm at Iowa State, BP shed more defenders than jetted up the left sideline, punished a couple more Bears and then hit pay dirt.

Brennan Presley made magic happen pic.twitter.com/ZdRKBWCgQ2

— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) October 26, 2024