Instant Recap: Oklahoma State Ends Winning Streak With 45-3 Loss to UCF

Sometimes it pours in the state of Florida.

Oklahoma State’s five-game winning streak and high from a Bedlam win crashed hard Saturday with a 45-3 loss to UCF in the Knights’ annual Space Game– an ode to its Orlando roots. It was as if the calendar didn’t turn from October to November, but back to September when the Cowboys were 2-2.

The Knights blasted off from the first play of the game with a pass from John Rhys Plumlee to Xavier Townsend for a 37-yard gain for UCF. Seven plays later, RJ Harvey was in the end zone and OSU started a game down for the first time since the Week 3 loss to South Alabama.

Then Ollie Gordon fumbled and Plumlee hit Kobe Hudson for a 7-yard touchdown to put UCF up 14-0 only 5:52 into the game. It was the first time the Cowboys trailed by double digits since Iowa State led by 14 Week 4.

Then Alan Bowman threw an interception deep in UCF territory, which the Knights turned into three more points and a 17-0 lead. Both of OSU’s first two turnovers occurred in UCF territory.

Then it really started to pour on the Pokes with a torrential downpour at FBC Mortgage Stadium. With raindrops on the screen of ESPN’s broadcast that most OSU fans were watching through, the Knights made it 24-0 with a 75-yard touchdown pass from Plumlee to Hudson again. Plumlee threw the ball up with a flag on the ground for off-sides and the ensuing penalty seemingly froze the OSU defense long enough to let Hudson free.

In the first half, Heisman candidate Gordon had three rushing yards, game manager Bowman had two interceptions and the staunch defense had given up 320 yards as UCF built a 24-0 lead at halftime.

The first drive of the second half, Bowman was finally able to march his offense far enough to at least get OSU on the board, setting up an Alex Hale 25-yard field goal.

On UCF’s second play of the half, Collin Oliver sacked Plumlee from behind to force a fumble that Xavier Benson recovered on UCF’s 24. There was hope.

But two plays later Bowman threw his third interception of the game. And on the next play, Harvey ran for a 92-yard touchdown, looking as if he refused to share that Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week Award again with the running back on the other sideline.

Harvey finished with 206 rushing yards on 24 carries and three touchdowns. Gordon’s six-game streak of at least 120 rushing yards ended with only 25 yards on 12 carries, averaging 2.1 yards an attempt. Harvey probably won’t have to share the Big 12 honor again this week.

But even with Harvey’s performance, he still wasn’t a shoo-in for the Knights’ player of the game. For UCF’s next points, Plumlee threw Hudson his third touchdown of the game. All three of Plumlee’s touchdown passes went to Hudson, who had three catches for 96 yards.

And as soon as the game ended, just like OSU’s students got to do a week ago, the UCF students who were chanting “Overrated” throughout the game left their seats and covered the field to celebrate an upset. The win was UCF’s second Big 12 win ever, and second straight, improving to 5-5.

The Cowboys’ Big 12 title chances weren’t erased, though. OSU still has to win its next two games and need Iowa State to lose one of its last three games to BYU, No. 7 Texas or No. 25 Kansas State. OSU travels to Houston next week before hosting BYU for the regular-season finale.