Three Takeaways from the Oklahoma State-Colorado Rewatch

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STILLWATER — After another iffy first half, the Cowboys looked as good as they have in some time (which is rather good) in the second on their way to a blowout homecoming win against Colorado.

Oklahoma State beat the Buffaloes 57-24 on Saturday night. I gave 10 thoughts in the immediate aftermath of the game, but here are three things that stood out in the rewatch.

Justin Bowick Dominated the Second Quarter

Justin Bowick was a man amongst boys in the win, finishing with six catches for 138 yards and a touchdown, but his night didn’t get started until the second quarter — a quarter he dominated.

On a 3rd-and-3 from OSU’s 47 early in the frame, Mestemaker hit Bowick on a tunnel screen. He weaved around a few linemen on his way to a 6-yard gain and a first down.

Before the Cowboys’ next drive, Mestemaker said he told Bowick on the sideline he was going to go to him, and boy did he.

On the second play of the drive, Mestemaker heaved a 52-yard go-ball to Bowick. Bowick blew straight past the Colorado corner, as Mestemaker held the safety in the middle of the field with his eyes to give Bowick time to make his sprint.

Mestemaker said it was probably his best ball of the game.

“I knew this week we had to get J-Bow the ball more,” Mestemaker said. “In the first half, there were a few times where they would, like, blitz, and if they didn’t blitz, I was going J-Bow’s way. But they blitzed, so I had to hand it off.

“So, I told J-Bow, I was like, ‘I’m coming your way this drive.’ Because they were starting to play off on him, and he was like, ‘I’m running by them either way.’ So, they came out in man, just keeping my eyes down the middle and then let it go to them.”

Mestemaker didn’t stop there, though. Two plays later, he hit Bowick on an inbreaking route for a touchdown as he muscled the corner behind him and showed his physicality.

Mestemaker went straight back to Bowick on the first play of the Cowboys’ next drive. It looked to be an RPO, where Mestemaker popped up and threw it Bowick on a skinny post. Bowick created enough separation where he had some room to run, galloping for a gain of 38 before being taken down.

Bowick got past the corner again coming out of the two-minute timeout on a 4th-and-1. Mestemaker got the Buffaloes to jump offsides, and with the free play, Mestemaker ripped another go-ball to Bowick. Having already been ran by for a big gain, the corner just latched himself to Bowick and took the pass interference.

There was not an answer for the Buffaloes, just the mercy of a halftime whistle.

Vehrs’ Two Passes

With the Cowboys up big late, some reverses got to stretch their legs in garbage time.

Freshman quarterback Broderick Vehrs made his second career appearance, getting to throw two passes. He completed both for 24 yards.

On a 3rd-and-8 from the OSU 44, Vehrs rolled to his right and hit a checkdown to a wide open Donovan Green, who had enough room to get forward for a gain of 17.

OSU then got a 3rd-and-7 on the Colorado 25, where Vehrs got to throw again.

Vehrs stayed patient with Colorado sending only a three-man rush. He worked through some progressions and hit Chris Banes for a first down.

Through two appearances, Vehrs is 8-for-8 for 61 yards and a touchdown. He hasn’t been asked to open in up and let loose, but it’s hard to complain about a perfect completion percentage.

Things to Note Late in the Defensive Backfield

With Quinton Hammonds picking up an injury early in the second half, the Cowboys’ secondary is all of a sudden an area of intrigue as it pertains to depth.

Morris didn’t have an update on Hammonds after the game, but the Cowboys have already lost Mose Phillips for the rest of the season.

When the Cowboy defense took the field for its final drive, Markeith Williams, a listed safety, was at a corner spot. Williams is a transfer from Miami and a former four-star recruit who Morris spoke highly of in the offseason, but he hadn’t found a ton of defensive snaps to this point.

Meanwhile Kollin Lewis was at a safety spot. Lewis, a North Texas transfer, had been splitting snaps at corner before LaDainian Fields and Mo Horn played just about all the snaps outside on Saturday.