Grades: Although Improved, Oklahoma State Fails Again against BYU

As Mike Gundy reiterated in the very early hours of Saturday morning, college football is measured by only a pass and fail depending on the result. And though a valiant and improved effort, the Cowboys failed for the fourth-straight game with a 38-35 loss to No. 13 BYU on Friday night in Provo, Utah.

“College football’s a one-week, pass-fail grade, right?” Gundy said after the disappointing loss. “We prepare, and if you win, you get a pass. If you lose, you get a fail grade. There’s really no in between in college football.”

With that being said, Oklahoma State failed, but here are the Pokes’ grades for each phase of the game.

Offense: B

Outside of playing against an abysmal Tulsa team, Friday night was the Cowboys’ best offensive performance of the season. Kasey Dunn was innovative (see below). Garret Rangel, at least until he was injured, rejuvenated the running game. Ollie Gordon looked like Ollie Gordon again (finally). And with all that, OSU had its best rushing total of the season (269) and surpassed 30 points for the first time this season against a Big 12 defense.

“Bowman the Showman” 🤠

He’s In. Pokes tie it 28-28 to start the 4th quarter.🍿#Big12FB | 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/LK1FGckQ23

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) October 19, 2024

Defense: F

The defense is why the Cowboys failed Friday night. Plain and simple. Dunn’s offense with Alan Bowman at QB marched down the field while eating up 8:26 of clock to score a touchdown and take a four-point lead with 1:13 left in the game. All Bryan Nardo’s group had to do was keep BYU out of the end zone for just over a minute. But they didn’t. Jake Retzlaff chunked it to Darius Lassiter, who slipped off multiple OSU would-be tacklers for a 35-yard TD to give the Cougars the lead with 10 seconds left.

ARE U KIDDING!!?

BYU COMES UP CLUTCH IN THE FINAL SECONDS 😳 pic.twitter.com/TVT3xeRivt

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 19, 2024

And it wasn’t just that play. BYU put up 473 total yards. The Cougars averaged 7.1 yards a carry. BYU running back LJ Martin rushed for 100 yards for the first time in his career. Although OSU picked BYU off three times, Retzlaff still ran for a career-high 81 yards on just nine carries. Opponents’ players continue to have career days against the Cowboys, even before they were missing their three best defenders.

Special Teams: C

Opportunities are limited for the special teams unit, but this group certainly didn’t take advantage of its chances. Logan Ward missed his only field-goal attempt, a 48-yarder. Return men didn’t do anything to dazzle either, with no punt returns and a kick return long of 21 yards.