1988 SeaWorld Holiday Bowl Recap

Friday, December 30

San Diego, CA

Oklahoma State University

Wyoming

December 30, 1988 | Cowboy Football

SAN DIEGO -- 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, 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-American Hart Lee Dykes and Mike Gundy joined forces for the last time in front of a crowd of 60,718 at Jack Murphy Stadium.

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 bowl 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. OSU'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.