Instacap: Oklahoma State Falls 31-12 to Kansas State as Cowboy Offense Sputters

MANHATTAN, Kan. — This felt like must-win territory. For Oklahoma State, fresh off a demoralizing 48-42 loss at home to Iowa State, it needed a feel-good bounce-back against lowly Kansas State, which entered Saturday with a 2-4 overall record.

Vegas had the Cowboys as a favorite by a score. And yet, Oklahoma State did what it has done all season, shot itself in the foot with penalties, failed to capitalize on opportunities and lacked discipline in a stunning 31-12 road loss.

The offense sputtered its way into 2014 territory in a hurry on Saturday by going nowhere as fast as Chuba Hubbard. For the first time since the 2016 bowl game against Ole Miss, the OSU offense couldn’t muster a touchdown in the first half. At the half, it was 6-3 OSU. Big Ten territory.

The third quarter brought the fireworks, though. Kansas State put up 14 of its 31 total points in the penultimate frame. Oklahoma State, for its part, managed a fantastic drive in the same frame, which it finished off in the opening 40 seconds of the fourth with a Cornelius TD scamper.

That drive ended in a failed two-point attempt, making it 17-12. Kansas State soon answered by adding another score to cushion up its lead.

OSU’s defense allowed four touchdowns on the final four Kansas State drives, but shouldn’t shoulder he majority of the blame. This game was OSU’s for the taking, but the offense simply couldn’t put it all together.

The Pokes’ 12 points and 311 yards of total offense were its lowest output since the Texas game in 2014. Cornelius finished the day with 184 passing yards, connecting on just 17 of his 35 attempts for two interception and no TDs. Justice Hill was MIA for chunks of the game and ended with just 11 carries for 41 yards and saw his streak of 12 games with a rushing TD come to an end. The final coffin nail was a gift-wrapped INT Cornelius threw to Duke Shelley, their second connection of the game.

Skylar Thompson is no Brock Purdy (!) — he completed 11 of his 22 passes for 130 yards — but OSU’s defense did a good job containing the Wildcat offense on the whole. Like Purdy, however, Thompson did the most damage with his legs. He rushed for 80 yards on 12 attempts on the afternoon and finished as Kansas State’s second-leading rusher.

Most of the damage K-State did was on the ground, in fact. Alex Barnes led the way with 181 yards rushing and tied a career high with four touchdowns. He regularly answered the bell when his number was called.

The loss moves OSU to 4-3 on the season and 1-3 in Big 12 play.