Dillon Stoner Turns in Career Performance in Upset Win Over West Virginia

Dillon Stoner brought Oklahoma State fans moments of anger, moments of joy and he was oh, so close on three occasions to scoring a touchdown, but somehow didn’t get one.

In OSU’s 45-41 victory against West Virginia, Stoner lead the Cowboys in receiving yards with 127 on nine receptions, both were career-highs. Stoner became the Cowboys fourth different receiver to have a 100-yard game this season.

Getting the bad out of the way, Stoner was the source of one of four OSU turnovers after he muffed a punt late in the third quarter. After watching the ball bounce in front of him, Stoner attempted to grab itl to give the Cowboys better field possession when it all went horribly wrong.

“Stoner is so reliable in everything he does,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “… I saw him turn to look right when he was gonna grab the ball. I’ll joke with him tomorrow, there were three guys there, so I don’t know where he thinks he was going. He shoulda just hugged the ball and jumped on the ground, but he’s trying to make a play. He’s competitive. That’s what he does.”

Stoner showed that competitiveness later in the game, and it payed off. Stoner evaded five Mountaineer defenders on this play on his way to a first down.

He was a steady pair of hands for quarterback Taylor Cornelius all game. Stoner was targeted 11 times and caught nine balls, and he was on the verge of scoring all night, starting with a 23-yard reception in the third quarter. Stoner made a nice swim move on West Virginia safety Toyous Avery before curling in space. After catching the pass Stoner made Kenny Robinson miss before Avery wrapped up his left leg inside the 5.

On the Cowboys’ next possession, Stoner had a 26-yard reception, his longest of the day. After the catch Stoner made a move and had one West Virginia defender to beat, but the grass monsters got him, as his leg gave out and he skidded to the 16-yard line.

Stoners final near-score came in the fourth quarter on a four-man jump ball, where he got dropped on his head and thus dropped the football. The jump ball was one of Stoner’s three targets on that drive. He caught the other two for a combined 31 yards.

Stoner, a redshirt sophomore after receiving a medical redshirt in 2016, has 505 receiving yards this season with one touchdown. In 2017 Stoner had 576 receiving yards for six scores.