Cox’s Notebook: Reliving OSU’s 50-44 Win over Texas Tech

The Cowboys survived a zany high-scoring home finale against Texas Tech to stay alive in the Big 12 title race for one more week.

I’ve already laid out my 10 Thoughts on OSU’s sixth win, here are the rest of my notes from the game.

• OSU stalls in the red zone (again). And Brady Pohl misses a 32-yarder. Not a good start for the Cowboys who have been abysmal in the red zone this year.

• Malcolm Rodriguez just ended someone’s life on that third down stop. 

• Texas Tech faces fourth-and-1 from its own 29-yard line and Matt Wells goes for it (RIP Mike Gundy’s mentions).

• Tech gets another fourth-and-1 three plays later, goes for it and SaRodorick Thompson rips off a 59-yard TD (RIP Jim Knowles’ mentions). Tech up 7-0.

• Sanders came up limping on previous hit. No Shane Illingworth (COVID). On first play of the drive, Sanders doubles down and with a 5-yard keeper. Looks ok.

• Nice run by Sanders extended thanks to a defensive hold. No. 3 goes deep to No. 2 a couple plays later and a PI moves the Cowboys up. Sanders finds Braydon Johnson then Tylan Wallace to get to the 9-yard line. Another defensive hold.

• Dez Jackson scores his first college TD. Could get a preview of OSU’s RB1 for 2021.

• Tech gets to fourth-and-a-long yard at its own 31. Wells decides to punt this time. The first three-and-out forced by the Pokes.

• “Jaguar! Jaguar! Jaguar!” That apparently means a play to the right per Mark Helfrich. It definitely means a first down for Dez Jackson.

• Not a bad first quarter for Sanders: 9-of-11 for 99 yards.

• Weird stat: OSU’s rushers after one.

• On first play of the second half, Jackson’s false start puts OSU in a deep hole. Sanders gets sacked for another eight yards back. Drive sunk by a pair of offensive penalties.

• Bowman throws one across his body to the middle of the field. Christian Holmes was painfully close to a pick-6.

• Kolby Harvell-Peel with a nasty open-field tackle to force another three-and-out. Let’s see if OSU’s offense came reward its defense with some points. (That could be OSU’s 2020 anthem.)

• Another nice run from Jackson, picks up 8 yards on a second effort.

• OMG, Tylan. Gonna miss watching this on the reg.

• And there’s TD No. 2 for No. 27.

• Bowman stepped up and got shoooook on that throw. Hangs in there and hits his man for 15 to get out of this own goal post.

• Just as the crew is praising OSU’s ridiculous third-down defense numbers this year, Bowman hits Erik Ezukanma for 43 yards on the sideline — on third-and-10.

• Don’t look now, Thompson just cut back on a third-and-7 for a 24-yard TD. 14-all. So much for that third-down D???

• Bradens helping Braydons. No. 8 fumbled the kickoff return but Braden Cassity jumps on it. You love to see it.

• Dez Jackson with another tough run, this time for 15. Then Dez is available on the bootleg. Lots of No. 27 today. Cowboys trucking down the field.

• Spencer turns on the jets and just makes the first down. Another nice run. If he’s not 100 percent, he’s hiding it well.

• Put up the statue. In his first start, Jackson has all three of the Cowboys’ first half TDs.

• Classic 2020:

Chuba Hubbard has five TD runs this season. Dezmon Jackson has three this half.

— John Helsley (@jjhelsley) November 28, 2020

• OSU’s defense turns in three-and-outs before I can even insert tweets.

• Freshman Dominic Richardson takes his second handoff seven yards and then is stripped and loses the ball. Tech ball at the OSU 32.

• The Pokes’ defense flexes and holds the Raiders to a field goal.

• Braydon Johnson fumbled on a previous KO return and then comes out of the end zone on this one when he should’ve taken a knee. Cowboys start drive at the 13 with 2:23 in the half.

• The crew acting surprised that Gundy isn’t calling a late-half TO is an indictment on their film prep. Jackson forces his hand with a strong run for first down.

• Two seconds from the TTU 36. OSU is up and gets the ball to start the second. If Gundy allows Spencer to throw a Hail Mary! I’ll eat my notepad.

• Sanders able to pad his rushing totals and takes some unnecessary contact. Pokes take a 21-17 lead into intermission.

• Cowboys have the ball to start the third. Landon Wolf fumbles for a loss on the first play, but Dez Jackson gets it all back and then some with another strong run.

• Spencer just threw across his body into a precarious coverage and it is picked off. An ugly start to the second half.

• Malcolm Rodriguez forces a fumble on Tech’s first play after the replay official calls down for stoppage from the booth. OSU is awarded the ball thanks in part to a clear recovery by Tre Sterling.

• Unfortunately, OSU stalls. Three-and-out and a depleted BPS crowd boos the decision to punt on fourth-and-3. Hutton pins Tech at its own 10.

• There haven’t been many of these type of missed tackles for OSU’s defense this year.

• That would be the only first down for Tech’s third drive of the half. Cowboys force a punt in four plays this time. OSU has 22 first downs to Tech’s seven to this point (should be up more than 4).

• And that’s back-to-back three-and-outs on another sluggish OSU drive. How long can the defense continue to hold OSU’s place?

• And just like that, Bowman finds Ezuakanma for a 48-yard score. Pokes down 24-21. Badly need an answer.

• And there’s an answer.

• Well, I guess if your offense can’t get into the end zone you find other ways to score.

• Chunk plays galore. In the last 14 plays we’ve seen four touchdowns. I’ll just try to come out on the other end with the correct score.

• First, here are back-to-back strong runs by No. 27 that can’t be forgotten.

• And here’s Tylan’s final (updated) TD on BPS turf.

• Rare.

• The third comes to a close with the Raiders pushing the ball down the field down 10. Tech will have a second-and-4 at the OSU 46.

• Big time stop by KHP and Christian Holmes makes it fourth down. See if Tech can stay perfect on the

• Dez Jackson for Heisman.

• This game has it all. Fumbles. A pick-6, a kickoff returned TD and now a safety.

• Calvin Bundage flies into the end zone to wrap up Alan Bowman and cause the safety. OSU hits 50 for the first time this year. 50-31 Pokes. Still a lot of time 8:50 on the clock but with it a three-TD this one feels over.

• Tech marching down the field, maybe I spoke too soon.

• Tech RB Tahj Brooks just stumbled out of bounce for a loss with no OSU defender even close to him. To add insult to injury, the clock did not stop.

• Didn’t matter much. Bowman finds Erik Ezukanma for a 32-yard TD, his second of the day. Tech unsuccessful on 2-point attempt. It’s 50-37 with just under four minutes remaining.

• This onside kick was expected but it pops out of the normally surehanded Tylan Wallace. Somehow OSU landed on it to keep things from getting unnecessarily interesting.

• Never mind. Dez Jackson fumbled on the first play of the drive. Tech ball. Here we go.

• wagən-uhr High School. It’s weird hearing people pronounce Oklahoma city names correctly.

• Another fourth down conversion for Tech and Bowman and Co. stay alive, but just barely.

• Welp. That’s a 31-yard TD and it’s a 6-point game with less than a minute left. Tech has all three timeouts. But you gotta think they attempt another onside kick.

• And kick is out of bounds. OSU will start at the Tech 36. Just needs a first down to seal it.

• OSU has lost two fumbles today and I’m nervy. Come on 27.

• Tylan Wallace runs a reverse to pick up 7 and it’s down to a crucial third-and-2.

• That’s 1 yard from Dez and Gundy has a decision to make. Trust your backup kicker who’s missed twice or trust your RB3 who’s had such a huge game but also has a fumble?

• Shades of Chris Carson in 2016, Jackson sealed the deal and did not push his TD total to four.