Texas Debriefing: OSU Worse for Wear after Stealing One from Texas

The Cowboys somehow survived and won a hideous contest on the road. For their trouble they get to stay alive in the Big 12 race (and more) and get to own a chunk of college football history — the only program to win five straight at Darrell K. Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium.

The Short Story

Oklahoma State faced a tough defense that had a solid game plan — and it worked. The team that led all Power 5 schools in scoring and all FBS schools in points per drive looked impotent for most of the game.

This was the lowest scoring output by Oklahoma State since Texas in 2014 — the game Daxx Garman was sacked seven times in Stillwater and apparently suffered a concussion. That ultimately became the reason that Mason Rudolph is a senior now and not a redshirt junior.

See? There’s plenty of reason to still hate Texas, even if that was the last time the ‘Horns beat OSU.

Who earned a Marshal badge?

Offense: J.D. King

I’m going to have to go with King here. Justice Hill was the workhorse and is probably one of the best three running backs in college football, and definitely in the Big 12 to this point.

But Hill did have the costly fumble in the red zone and the true freshman made the most of his carries. Plus, King led all Cowboy rushers with 3.9 yards per carry and scored the Cowboys’ only offensive TD.

Defense: Jordan Brailford

This was tough because the defensive line as a whole was pretty great at shutting down the Longhorn’s rushing attack and pressuring Sam Ehlinger. And even though his eyes were bigger than his hands — that would-be scoop-and-score on the Ehlinger fumble he should have just covered up — Brailford was everywhere and active.

Six total tackles (four solo) and a team-leading 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Brailford made a habit of eating UT tackles’ lunch.

“It feels good.” said Brailford after the game. “It always feels good when we can step up and make a play for the team. The offense always comes through for us so it’s always a good feeling to come through for them.”

It was over when

On the last play.

.@KylePorterCBS sums up today's game in one photo. pic.twitter.com/l5bp5zaI2V

— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguys) October 21, 2017

Leave it to Oklahoma State to blow out a lesser Baylor team by 40 one week just to barely beat a less lesser team on a last-play interception in OT the next. I joked about it on Twitter but I think Ramon called an errant “tails” on-purpose just so he could win another game with an INT. Even though he said that he didn’t know the game was over with that pick.

By the way, bonus Marshal Badge goes to Ramon for being Ramon and missing a costly tackle or two (probably) because he was planning on hauling in the game-winner all along.

Questions for Week 8

Offensive Line depth/health

This is not the first time this question has come up and, unfortunately, it probably won’t be the last. Two more offensive lineman went down and left the game with injury this week. That brings the count to five.

Starting right guard Larry Williams is done for the year. Four-year starting center Brad Lundblade has been out for a month. Johnny Wilson took over for Williams in the TCU game and then had to take over for Lundblade at center. Teven Jenkins is a redshirt freshman who has seen time at both right tackle and right guard due to injury and he left the game himself on Saturday.

Lemaefe Galea’i came in for Jenkins at tackle. Deionte Noel had to come in for starting left guard Marcus Keyes. Oh yeah, and Zach Crabtree has been playing through a turf toe for over a month. If Oklahoma State doesn’t start getting some of these guys back, Mike Gundy might hold open tryouts.

@mark_cooperjr next OSU offensive lineman, joked Gundy referring to battered group.

— Kendrick Marshall (@KD_Marshall) October 21, 2017

Gundy talked about that postgame.

“It’s like Gene Hackman on Hoosiers when he started looking on the bench for a replacement player, and there was nobody there, that’s kind of what happens for us now when you are looking for an “O” linemen,” said Gundy. “Turn around, there’s nobody there. Those guys are going to have to find a way to make a play.”

Kicking Game Concerns

Matt Ammendola missed another field goal he should have made and the faux-Heisman candidate Zach Sinor was one-upped by an actual Ray Guy Award candidate, Michael Dickson. Maybe it’s just a question of reps. Maybe not.

Sinor who had only punted nine times heading into this game, punted nine more this weekend but only planted two inside Texas’ 20-yard line. Dickson, who leads the Big 12 in average punt yardage had punted 27 times before Saturday. He landed five of his 11 punts inside OSU’s 20.

Mike Gundy summed it up pretty well after the game, “Every time we punted they started out in good field position, every time they punted we started out in bad field position.”