Live Blog Updates: Oklahoma State Heads to Ames for Big 12 Opener against Iowa State

The Cowboys made the long trip to Ames, Iowa with a lot on the line. What could go wrong?

Unlike some of the Oklahoma State’s infamous bouts in Jack Trice, it doesn’t appear that a conference championship is on the line this Saturday. But both teams are looking to rebound from disappointing nonconference losses, and both could want to avoid starting off conference play in the hole.

Keep it here for in-game updates. But until then, here’s some pregame content to get you ready for OSU’s Big 12 opener.

Also, if you’re a PFB+ subscriber, the conversation is already underway.

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LIVE UPDATES

Final: Oklahoma State 27, Iowa State 34

The Cowboys made a show of it. Bowman has a line on a first down on fourth-and-10 but ISU’s TJ Tampa stepped in front of it for the second OSU interception of the day. That will do it.

Pokes will get 2:23 to go 65 yards and no timeouts. Here we go.

Well, it looks like OSU will get another chance. ISU will have to punt it with just 16 seconds going off the clock.

Bowman found De’Zhaun Stribling for 23 yards and then connects with Rashod Owens for a 20-yard TD to pull within 7. The Cowboys have all three timeouts but only 2:46 left. Will they succumb to an 0-1 Big 12 start or bring back the Cardiac Cowboys vibes?

The Cowboys get the ball back, down 14 with 6:34 on the clock. It’s now or never.

It was mostly feast or famine for the Cowboys in the first half, but it’s been mostly famine in the second. The drive sputters and the Pokes punt it, down 14 with just over eight minutes to go.

OSU gets a stop but watches nearly four minutes go off the clock. The Cowboys’ offense will get at least another shot to try to cut into this lead, but you this might be a must-score possession. And by score I mean score a touchdown.

The Cowboys lose that drive on a 17-yard sack. Bowman scrambled and could have gotten ride of it but he got tripped up and ends up taking the huge loss. Iowa State has scored consecutive touchdowns and gets the ball back up two scores.

Scoring Update: Oklahoma State 20, Iowa State 34 | Q4 | 14:54

End of Third

It only took one try, but the Cyclones cap their three-minute drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to go up 14. Cowboys need a TD on this drive.

The Cyclones have been charging down the field and will begin the final period with a first-and-goal from the OSU 6. This somehow ISU’s first red zone attempt.

Scoring Update: Oklahoma State 20, Iowa State 27 | Q3 | 2:54

Bowman completed four straight passes, but the Cowboys came up just short of the first down marker to make it fourth-and-1. Alex Hale nails a career-high 53-yarder to pull the Pokes back to within a score.

Scoring Update: Oklahoma State 17, Iowa State 27 | Q3 | 5:30

More chunk plays. More Cyclone points. Becht finds Abu Sama for 21 yards on a short pass and then hits Daniel Jackson for a 26-yard score on the next snap. Cowboys need to respond in a big way on this next drive.

The Cyclones called a run play on third-and-8 and the Pokes get another stop and keep Bowman’s pick from leading to points the other way.

Bowman gets a little greedy and throws into a tight window and gets picked off. It kills one of the Cowboys’ most sustained drives of the day. At 2:16, it was second only to a 2:24 possession late in the first. The Cyclones take over at their own 35.

Halftime Update

The Cowboys came to life with a handful of chunk-yardage plays but were less than efficient. Bowman was just 10-of-19 for a touchdown but missed several could-be big plays. The Pokes did get some things going on the ground, but most of those were thanks to a 71-yard run by Ollie Gordon.

OSU’s defense had some nice stops but gave up a few too many of those chunk-yardage plays. Nick Martin, Kendal Daniels and Collin Oliver all made their fair share of plays.

After ISU took at 17-14 lead, each team traded field goals to make it 20-17 at the break.

Scoring Update: Oklahoma State 17, Iowa State 20 | End of Q2

The Cowboys back with a end-of-half FG by Alex Hale.

Scoring Update: Oklahoma State 14, Iowa State 20 | Q2 | 0:43

Scoring Update: Oklahoma State 14, Iowa State 17 | Q2 | 7:12

The Cyclones started off that drive, slicing through the OSU defense. But the Pokes hold ISU to a 51-yard field goal which just doinks in.

Scoring Update: Oklahoma State 14, Iowa State 14 | Q2 | 11:01

Nixon one-on-one on a linebacker on the outside. Bowman dials in the deep ball and the Cowboys even things up with a 60-yard TD bomb. Feast or famine so far, but the game is tied and the pressure is back on the Cyclones.

Scoring Update: Oklahoma State 7, Iowa State 14 | Q2 | 12:55

On the other hand, Rocco Becht looks locked in on the deep ball. He completes passes of 32 and 29 yards, the second of which gave the home team its first lead.

And another three-and-out. Bowman needs to dial it in. Has missed strong on a few would-be house calls.

Nick Martin is a man. He’s been all over the place. Has the Cyclones behind the chains and in then the Cowboys get a stop on an all-out blitz. Becht gets rid of it but only for a short gain.

OSU’s fourth drive stalls. Ollie Gordon limped off to the sideline. Jaden Nixon is in. Joe Michalski had a couple of high snaps that Bowman was able to reel in but he was off on both deep ball attempts.

Scoring Update: Oklahoma State 7, Iowa State 7 | Q1 | 3:23

But, ISU went for it on fourth-and-3 and another huge lapse in coverage results in a 38-yard touchdown pass. After four straight punts, each team trades off a touchdown.

Nick Martin leads all tacklers with four stops early. He just had a big stop on third down.

The Cyclones hit on their own chunk play when Rocco Becht finds a squishy part of OSU’s secondary and hits Jaylin Noel for 30 yards.

Scoring Update: Oklahoma State 7, Iowa State 0 | Q1 | 5:40

Ollie Gordon doing things himself. Rattles off a 71-yard sideline run on the first play of this drive. And Bowman pays it off on a 12-yard TD run.

The Cowboys’ defense holds the Cyclones back, forcing its own three-and-out.

Bowman takes his first shot on a reverse and it’s almost picked off. On third down, he dials up Ollie Gordon on the run, but Gordon can’t hold onto it. Another three-and-out for the Pokes.

A delay of game penalty on OSU (defense) negates ISU’s intentional delay of game, taking up their room to punt. Punt goes into the end zone for a touchback. Not sure that was planned, but works out for OSU.

Kendal Daniels makes a nice place to ultimately end the drive. ISU tried to bluff the Pokes on fourth-and-2 near midfield but the Pokes didn’t fall for it.

And that leash ain’t long. That’s a three-and-out after three straight handoffs to Ollie Gordon.

Iowa State wins the toss and defers. Now let’s see what Alan Bowman can do with the reigns and how long his leash is.

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QB Update: According to a report by Dave Hunziker, Alan Bowman is “the guy” and the Cowboys don’t plan to continue the QB rotation.

Also, Justin Wright will return earlier than expected.

Pregame Uni Reveal: Pokes going W-W-B with a Pistol Pete lid for ISU.

Pregame Homework

The PFB staff picked the Pokes to win, but that margin is much thinner than in previous weeks.

Series history, watch info for OSU-ISU.

Listen to Carson and Colby as they preview the matchup on the Pistols Firing Podcast.