Oklahoma State University Athletics
Postseason Success in the Desert
December 26, 2014 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER - Oklahoma State is 4-0 in its four bowl trips to the desert, scoring a pair of Fiesta Bowl wins (1974 vs. BYU and 2012 vs. Stanford), an Insight Bowl win over Indiana in 2007 and a Sun Bowl win over West Virginia in 1987. A look at those four games:
2012 Fiesta Bowl | Oklahoma State 41, Stanford 38 (OT)
Game highlights:
GLENDALE, Ariz. - In a thrilling end to the 2011 season, No. 3 Oklahoma State was a 41-38 overtime winner over No. 4 Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl.
The Cowboys never led in the game until the deciding 22-yard field goal from Quinn Sharp split the uprights in overtime, but they continually answered scoring drives from the potent Cardinal offense headlined by a two-time Heisman runner-up in quarterback Andrew Luck to stay within striking range.
Receiver Justin Blackmon earned offensive MVP honors after making nine catches for 186 yards and a Fiesta Bowl-record three touchdown receptions. Perhaps his most important catch of the game was not a touchdown, but rather a 21-yard catch on fourth-and-three late in the game that set up a game-tying touchdown run by Joseph Randle that sent the game into overtime.
The Pokes held Stanford off the scoreboard on its final possession of regulation when Cardinal kicker Jordan Williamson hooked a 35-yard field goal attempt wide left with no time on the clock. Williamson missed from 43 yards out in overtime to set up OSU's winning drive.
Cowboy quarterback Brandon Weeden connected with one-time walk-on Colton Chelf for a 24-yard reception on the second play of OSU's overtime possession and when the officials signaled a touchdown, the Cowboy bench erupted with a mass of bodies spilling onto the field. The call was eventually reversed, sending everyone back to the sideline. Weeden then took a knee in the middle of the field to set up Sharp's game winner.
2007 Insight Bowl | Oklahoma State 49, Indiana 33
Game highlights:
TEMPE, Ariz. -- In a season of full of offensive superlatives, even Oklahoma State fans had to be impressed by the juggernaut the Cowboys put on the field in the Insight Bowl.
OSU scored touchdowns on its first five offensive possessions and generated 322 yards of offense in the first half on its way to a 49-33 victory over Indiana in the Cowboys' second bowl win in two seasons.
Zac Robinson, the game's offensive MVP, ran for 70 yards and passed for 302 in one of the top total offense outputs in Oklahoma State history. Freshman Dez Bryant had 117 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the win.
The Cowboys gouged the Hoosiers with five scoring drives, all less than four minutes in length, to take complete control of the game in the first half.
1987 Sun Bowl | Oklahoma State 35, West Virginia 33
EL PASO. Texas -- 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 tailback Thurman Thomas, who rushed for 157 yards on 33 carries and scored four touchdowns. It was a fitting way for the Cowboy All-American to end his collegiate career. He was named MVP of the bowl and played in front of a national television audience on CBS.
It wasn't easy for OSU, however. The Cowboys scored first on a five-yard run by Thomas, set up by a long Mike Gundy-to-Hart Lee Dykes pass play. West Virginia tied it 7-7 later in the first quarter, but OSU came back to take the lead 14-7 on a nine-yard run by Thomas.
The OSU lead was short-lived, as West Virginia scored two touchdowns and a field goal in the second quarter that sent the Mountaineers into the locker room with a 24-14 halftime lead.
The Cowboys took the lead with 1:43 left in the third quarter on a six-yard pass from Gundy to J.R. Dillard and the successful PAT 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 goal line tackle on the two-point conversion try stopped West Virginia from tying the game in the final minute.
1974 Fiesta Bowl | Oklahoma State 16, BYU 6
TEMPE, Ariz. -- A slow-starting offense aided by a spunky defense lifted Oklahoma State to a 16-6 verdict over Brigham Young, champs of the WAC.
OSU didn't get a first down in the opening quarter as the Cougars posted a pair of field goals. Midway in the second period Charlie Weatherbie pitched to Kenny Walker, who scored from 12 yards out. The Cowboys made three deep drives in the third period but settled for a single field goal, a 42-yarder by Abby Daigle.
After subduing a fourth-quarter Cougar drive at the OSU 28, the Pokes wedged their way past midfield in a time-consuming drive. Leonard Thompson then lofted a halfback pass to split end Gerald Bain for 40 yards and the clinching score.
Phillip Dokes decked Cougar quarterback Gary Shiede late in the first period with a jarring tackle which dampened BYU hopes, but understudy Mark Giles almost bailed the Cougars out of trouble with his fourth-quarter efforts. Dokes picked up the outstanding defensive player trophy and Walker was chosen top offensive player as OSU dominated play in the second half.
