Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: Bruce Waterfield
Ten Reasons Why The Win At Texas Tech Mattered
November 01, 2015 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State was a 70-53 winner over Texas Tech in Lubbock yesterday. With the win, OSU moved to 8-0 overall and remains firmly in the hunt for the Big 12 title and for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The Cowboys overcame a 17-point deficit three times in the contest, matching the second-largest comeback in school history and the eighth time of the Mike Gundy era that the Cowboys have overcome a deficit of at least two touchdowns to win a game.
Here are eight more reasons why the win mattered.
The Oklahoma State Win...
• Improved the Cowboys to 8-0, marking just the third time in school history that the Cowboys are undefeated after eight games. The previous occasions came as part of the two most successful seasons in school history - 1945 and 2011. The 1945 squad finished 9-0 and won the Sugar Bowl and the 2011 squad finished 12-1 and won the Big 12 championship and the Fiesta Bowl.
• Was the Cowboys' 10th consecutive, dating back to last season, marking OSU's longest win streak since the Pokes rattled off 11 straight wins from Dec. 29, 2010 to Nov. 18, 2011. Ten straight wins stands as the third-longest winning streak in school history. OSU won 13 straight from 1944-46 and 11 from 2010-11.
• Brought the Cowboys to 4-0 on the road this season and marked OSU's fifth straight road victory dating back to 2014. Five straight road wins stand alone as the third-longest road win streak in school history. The Cowboys won 11 straight on the road from 1943-45 and won 10 straight on the road from 2010-11.
• Marked the Cowboys' seventh straight over Texas Tech.
• Improved the Cowboys to 25-6 in their last 31 games played against teams from the state of Texas, dating back to 2009.
• Improved the Cowboys to 45-5 in their last 50 games against unranked opponents, dating back to 2010.
There were several standout performers in the contest, but here are some from each phase of the game:
Offense
James Washington
Receiver | 6-0 | 200 | Sophomore | Stamford, Texas
Not only did Oklahoma State receiver James Washington turn in a top-10 single-game receiving performance at OSU as part of the Cowboys' win at Texas Tech, but he did the bulk of his damage when his team needed it the most. He finished the game with four catches for 200 yards, with 148 of those yards coming in the fourth quarter. Washington gashed the Red Raiders with touchdowns of 75 and 73 yards on consecutive fourth-quarter drives. Washington became the first Cowboy since Justin Blackmon in 2011 to go over the 200-yard receiving mark in a game and joined Dez Bryant and Blackmon as the only OSU underclassmen to eclipse 200 receiving yards in a game.
Defense
Emmanuel Ogbah
Defensive End | 6-4 | 275 | R-Junior | Houston, Texas
Going against a first-team All-Big 12 left tackle who is projected to be a high selection in the upcoming NFL Draft, Emmanuel Ogbah made a case for himself as the best defensive player in the Big 12 by racking up seven tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries as part of Oklahoma State's win over Texas Tech in Lubbock. Ogbah went head-to-head with Red Raider standout left tackle Le'Raven Clark for most of the game and still turned in the kind of performance that has led to him leading the Big 12 and ranking fourth nationally in sacks per game and also ranking in the top 10 nationally in tackles for loss per game.
Special Teams
Jalen McCleskey
Punt Returner | 5-10 | 156 | Freshman | Covington, La.
After showing promise ever since stepping foot on campus this summer, freshman Jalen McCleskey enjoyed a breakthrough moment when he returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter to swing momentum in favor of Oklahoma State in the Cowboys' win at Texas Tech. OSU trailed by 10 at the time of his touchdown. The punt landed in front of him and took a kangaroo hop that forced him to leave his feet just to catch it and save it from rolling well down field, but not only did McCleskey jump to go get the ball at its highest point after the bounce, but he also kept his composure, made the first man miss, then hit a hole and took off down the sideline for the Cowboys' first punt return touchdown of the season.
The Cowboys overcame a 17-point deficit three times in the contest, matching the second-largest comeback in school history and the eighth time of the Mike Gundy era that the Cowboys have overcome a deficit of at least two touchdowns to win a game.
Here are eight more reasons why the win mattered.
The Oklahoma State Win...
• Improved the Cowboys to 8-0, marking just the third time in school history that the Cowboys are undefeated after eight games. The previous occasions came as part of the two most successful seasons in school history - 1945 and 2011. The 1945 squad finished 9-0 and won the Sugar Bowl and the 2011 squad finished 12-1 and won the Big 12 championship and the Fiesta Bowl.
• Was the Cowboys' 10th consecutive, dating back to last season, marking OSU's longest win streak since the Pokes rattled off 11 straight wins from Dec. 29, 2010 to Nov. 18, 2011. Ten straight wins stands as the third-longest winning streak in school history. OSU won 13 straight from 1944-46 and 11 from 2010-11.
• Brought the Cowboys to 4-0 on the road this season and marked OSU's fifth straight road victory dating back to 2014. Five straight road wins stand alone as the third-longest road win streak in school history. The Cowboys won 11 straight on the road from 1943-45 and won 10 straight on the road from 2010-11.
• Marked the Cowboys' seventh straight over Texas Tech.
• Improved the Cowboys to 25-6 in their last 31 games played against teams from the state of Texas, dating back to 2009.
• Improved the Cowboys to 45-5 in their last 50 games against unranked opponents, dating back to 2010.
There were several standout performers in the contest, but here are some from each phase of the game:
Offense
James Washington
Receiver | 6-0 | 200 | Sophomore | Stamford, Texas
Not only did Oklahoma State receiver James Washington turn in a top-10 single-game receiving performance at OSU as part of the Cowboys' win at Texas Tech, but he did the bulk of his damage when his team needed it the most. He finished the game with four catches for 200 yards, with 148 of those yards coming in the fourth quarter. Washington gashed the Red Raiders with touchdowns of 75 and 73 yards on consecutive fourth-quarter drives. Washington became the first Cowboy since Justin Blackmon in 2011 to go over the 200-yard receiving mark in a game and joined Dez Bryant and Blackmon as the only OSU underclassmen to eclipse 200 receiving yards in a game.
Defense
Emmanuel Ogbah
Defensive End | 6-4 | 275 | R-Junior | Houston, Texas
Going against a first-team All-Big 12 left tackle who is projected to be a high selection in the upcoming NFL Draft, Emmanuel Ogbah made a case for himself as the best defensive player in the Big 12 by racking up seven tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries as part of Oklahoma State's win over Texas Tech in Lubbock. Ogbah went head-to-head with Red Raider standout left tackle Le'Raven Clark for most of the game and still turned in the kind of performance that has led to him leading the Big 12 and ranking fourth nationally in sacks per game and also ranking in the top 10 nationally in tackles for loss per game.
Special Teams
Jalen McCleskey
Punt Returner | 5-10 | 156 | Freshman | Covington, La.
After showing promise ever since stepping foot on campus this summer, freshman Jalen McCleskey enjoyed a breakthrough moment when he returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter to swing momentum in favor of Oklahoma State in the Cowboys' win at Texas Tech. OSU trailed by 10 at the time of his touchdown. The punt landed in front of him and took a kangaroo hop that forced him to leave his feet just to catch it and save it from rolling well down field, but not only did McCleskey jump to go get the ball at its highest point after the bounce, but he also kept his composure, made the first man miss, then hit a hole and took off down the sideline for the Cowboys' first punt return touchdown of the season.
Players Mentioned
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