Bowl History - The Triplets - Oklahoma State University Athletics

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The Triplets

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After South Carolina overcame a 13-point OSU lead, the Cowboys stormed 88 yards to score the decisive touchdown. The final points came on a bruising, 25-yard Rusty Hilger-to-tight end Barry Hanna pass play with slightly more than a minute left in the game to hand OSU a 21-14 victory before a record crowd in the 40th Gator Bowl.

Hanna, who scored his only touchdown of the season on that play, banged off two tacklers and carried a few more into the end zone with him as he tip-toed down the sideline for the game-saving score.

Earlier, the Cowpokes bulled their way to a 13-0 lead. Freshman tailback Thurman Thomas, the game's MVP, leaped over from one yard out at the end of O-State's first possession. Then, early in the second quarter when it appeared the Gamecocks had stalled OSU at the USC six-yard line, Thomas took a Hilger pitch, ran right and suddenly stopped and threw back left to a wide open Hilger for the score. The wide conversion attempt haunted the Pokes until Hanna's heroics.

Carolina regained the lead quickly in the third quarter on aerial bombs of 24 and 57 yards, but the rest of the time the stubborn Cowboy defense kept the Gamecock attack in a fog. When Hilger started the final drive with an 11-yard pass to Terry Wemer, he was probably looking to get kicker Larry Roach within field-goal range.

The Gator Bowl was the only overflow bowl game for the 1984 (85) postseason and it was the largest crowd ever to watch the Cowboys play.

Scoring Summary	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Oklahoma State	7	6	0	8	21
South Carolina	0	0	14	0	14
Scoring Plays OSU - Thomas 1-yard run (Roach kick) OSU - Hilger 6-yard pass from Thomas (kick failed) SCAR - Wade 24-yard pass from Lewis (Hagler kick) SCAR - Hillary 57-yard pass from Hold (Hagler kick) OSU - Hanna 25-yard pass from Hilger (Harris pass from Hilger)

No. 18 Florida State sprinted out to an early 13-point margin before the No. 19 Oklahoma State Cowboys knew what hit them, and despite a third-quarter surge, the Seminole aerial attack was too much as the Cowboys dropped a 34-23 decision in front of a bi-partisan crowd.

In what was touted as an explosive FSU offense versus a stingy OSU defense, FSU head coach Bobby Bowden had decided to go with a freshman quarterback and a third-string senior tailback just two weeks prior to the game. The decision proved effective as the Seminoles exploded for 569 total yards.

Florida State hit OSU with a 45-yard pass on the first play of the game and threw for 214 yards in the opening half. The Seminoles took a 27-3 lead into the middle of the third quarter but OSU put a pair of quick touchdowns on the board to cut the deficit to 27-17.

Following a blocked punt by OSU freshman Milton Cockrell a comeback seemed possible. However, the Cowboys could not mount a drive and were forced to punt.

Scoring Summary	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Florida State	3	10	14	7	34
Oklahoma State	0	0	17	6	23
Scoring Plays FSU - Schmidt 23-yard field goal FSU - Gainer 39-yard pass from Ferguson (Schmidt kick) FSU - Schmit 29-yard field goal OSU - Dennis 33-yard field goal FSU - Jones 3-yard run (Schmidt kick) FSU - Gainer 19-yard pass from Ferguson (Schmidt kick) OSU - Thomas 29-yard pass from Williams (Dennis kick) OSU - Williams 12-yard pass from Thomas (Dennis kick) FSU - Ferguson 1-yard run (Schmidt kick) OSU - Dykes 31-yard pass from Williams (kick failed)

In one of the most entertaining postseason games of the year, Oklahoma State rallied to defeat West Virginia 35-33 in the snow of the 1987 John Hancock Sun Bowl.

The heroes for Oklahoma State were many but the list was topped by bowl MVP Thurman Thomas who rushed for 157 yards on 33 carries and scored four touchdowns.

It wasn't easy for OSU, however as West Virginia scored two touchdowns and a field goal in the second quarter.

O-State's comeback began in the third quarter when Thomas scored from four yards out to pull the Pokes to within three, 24-21. West Virginia answered with a 38-yard field goal to lead 27-21. The Cowboys took the lead with 1:43 left in the third quarter on a six-yard pass from Gundy to Dillard and the successful PAT by Blanchard made it 28-27. The Cowboys took a 35-27 lead in the fourth quarter on a four-yard run by Thomas. O-State had to hold one more time, however, as West Virginia drove for a touchdown with just 1:13 left. OSU defender Shawn Mackey's goalline tackle on the two-point conversion try stopped West Virginia from tying the game in the final minute.

Scoring Summary	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
West Virginia	7	17	3	6	33
Oklahoma State	14	0	14	7	35
Scoring Plays OSU - Thomas 5-yard run (Blanchard kick) WVU - Brown 1-yard run (Baumann kick) OSU - Thomas 9-yard run (Blanchard kick) WVU - Brown 5-yard run (Baumann kick) WVU - Baumann 33-yard field goal WVU - Warren 23-yard interception return (Baumann kick) OSU - Thomas 4-yard run (Blanchard kick) WVU - Baumann 38-yard field goal OSU - Dillard 6-yard pass from Gundy (Blanchard kick) OSU - Thomas 4-yard run (Blanchard kick) WVU - Taylor 6-yard run (2-pt failed)

Touted as one of the great offensive showdowns of the '88 season, Oklahoma State and Wyoming found themselves in a 7-7 deadlock at the conclusion of the first quarter of the Sea World Holiday Bowl. But one set of Cowboys, the group from Stillwater, Oklahoma, forged a 17-7 lead at halftime and broke the contest wide open in the third quarter on their way to a 62-14 romp.

OSU's high-powered offense was as explosive as ever, as the trio of Heisman winner Barry Sanders, All-America Hart Lee Dykes and Mike Gundy joined forces for the last time. Sanders rushed for 222 yards on 29 carries with five touchdowns - all Holiday Bowl records. Dykes broke the Holiday Bowl record for reception yardage, as he caught 10 passes for 163 yards, including a 25-yard strike from Gundy in the fourth quarter. Gundy completed 20-of-24 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 17-yard pass from Sanders to set up another score.

Not only bowls records fell, though. Gundy's 315 yards through the air set a school record, and the Cowboys' 698 yards in total offense was the third-highest output in OSU history. Oklahoma State's defense proved to be the biggest surprise of the contest, however, as they allowed Wyoming only 33 yards rushing and 204 yards in total offense.

Sim Drain, named the Defensive Player of the Game, had four tackles and two sacks and led the OSU defense to its lowest yardage allowance since 1986. After Wyoming punted on its fi rst possession of the game, Sanders took Oklahoma State's sixth play of the series 33 yards for the first score. OSU added a two-yard run from Sanders and a 33-yard field goal from Cary Blanchard to put the score at 17-7 at halftime.

Scoring Summary	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Wyoming	7	0	7	0	14
Oklahoma State	7	10	28	17	62
Scoring Plays OSU - Sanders 33-yard run (Blanchard kick) WYO - Welniak 4-yard run (Fleming kick) OSU - Sanders 2-yard run (Blanchard kick) OSU - Blanchard 33-yard field goal OSU - Parker 12-yard pass from Gundy (Blanchard kick) WYO - Welniak 3-yard run (Fleming kick) OSU - Sanders 67-yard run (Blanchard kick) OSU - Sanders 1-yard run (Blanchard kick) OSU - Sanders 10-yard run (Blanchard kick) OSU - Blanchard 19-yard field goal OSU - Dykes 25-yard pass from Gundy (Blanchard kick) OSU - Smith 5-yard run (Blanchard kick)