Instacap: OSU Outlasts Texas Tech in Classic Big 12 Shootout

If only for a game, the Big 12 returned to its high-scoring form of yesteryears.

Oklahoma State beat Texas Tech 50-44 on Saturday in Boone Pickens Stadium, and the Cowboys’ offensive production came from an unlikely source.

With Chuba Hubbard and LD Brown both out nursing injuries, Dezmon Jackson ran for 235 yards and three touchdowns in his first start. A junior college transfer from Hutchinson Community College (Kansas), Jackson had only 18 carries for 135 yards at the DI level entering Saturday.

He scored all three of the Cowboys’ first-half touchdowns, starting with a 1-yard run out of the I-formation. It was his first career TD.

Jackson started the second quarter with a 7-yard TD run. He then scored on another 7-yard scamper on the Pokes’ next drive.

As good as he was, Jackson just provided a portion of the Cowboys’ scoring, which came in a variety of ways. OSU scored an onslaught of third-quarter touchdowns, all coming from different phases.

The third started with a Tech touchdown that gave the Red Raiders a field goal lead. Trying to harness the momentum, the Red Raiders attempted a surprise onside kick, and it went about as poorly as possible.

Jason Taylor caught it off a hop and promptly returned it 48 yards for a touchdown. It was OSU’s first kick return score since Tyreek Hill ran one back against Kansas in 2014.

That made it 28-24 Cowboys for a few moments. On Tech’s next possession, Tre Sterling intercepted an Alan Bowman pass and housed it 65 yards the other way.

The Pokes’ last score if the third quarter came off a beautiful ball from Spencer Sanders. Sanders stood in the pocket and took a hit while perfectly placing a 27-yard TD pass into Tylan Wallace’s arms.

Wallace’s big day will probably be overshadowed by the other stuff that went on, but OSU’s senior wide out showed out on Senior Day. He finished with seven catches for 129 yards and the touchdown.

After having a nightmare of a game against the Red Raiders last season, Sanders redeemed himself this year. He finished 19-for-31 for 222 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 78 yards and another score.

Sterling also had an outstanding outing. He had nine total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and the touchdown off the INT.

Defensively, OSU played decently but gave up a ton of chunk plays. The Red Raiders scored touchdowns from 59 yards, 24 yards, 48 yards, 70 yards, 32 yards and 31 yards. Instead of bend but don’t break, OSU’s defense was break but don’t bend.

The Red Raiders certainly made things interesting late, scoring two touchdowns in the final four minutes, but Tech’s final onside kick attempt went out of bounds. From there, Jackson was able to run out the clock.

With the win, OSU’s home schedule is finished, as the Cowboys will be on the road against TCU next weekend before ending the regular season with a trip to Waco.