Nine Reasons Why OSU's Win Over Iowa State Mattered

STILLWATER - The Oklahoma State football team matched it's second-largest comeback win in school history Saturday, erasing a 17-point deficit to defeat Iowa State, 38-31, at Boone Pickens Stadium. The Cowboys improved to 4-2 on the season and matched the third-highest team sack total in school history with seven. Some other key notes on the win:

The Oklahoma State win…
• Was its fifth straight over Iowa State, dating back to 2011.
• Extended the Cowboys' home win streak over the Cyclones to five. The last time Iowa State claimed victory in Stillwater was in 2000.
• Increased the Cowboys' advantage in the all-time series against Iowa State to 30-18-3. The series dates back to 1926, but didn't get going in earnest until 1960.
• Improved the Cowboys to 17-6-2 all-time against the Cyclones in Stillwater.
• Improved Mike Gundy's record against Iowa State to 7-2.
• Improved the Cowboys to 39-17 in Big 12 Conference games since 2010.
• Improved the Cowboys to 30-7 in their last 37 home games under Mike Gundy.
• Improved the Cowboys to 49-6 in their last 55 games against unranked opponents, dating back to 2010.
• Brought Mike Gundy within two victories of the 100-win mark for his career.

Standout performers included the following:

Offense

Mason Rudolph | Quarterback | 6-5 | 235 | Junior | Rock Hill, S.C.

Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph completed 26 of 44 passes for 351 yards with four touchdowns against zero interceptions in leading Oklahoma State to a 38-31 win over Iowa State. He accounted for three of those touchdowns in the last 18 minutes of play while leading the Cowboys back from a 17-point deficit with 24 unanswered points to close out the game. The comeback matched the second-largest in school history.
Of his 26 completions, 6 went for gains of at least 20 yards and eight went for gains of at least 18 yards, including touchdown passes of 33 and 35 yards.
His 351-yard effort marked the ninth time in his career he's thrown for at least 300 yards and the third time he's done it in the last four games.
It was the seventh time in Rudolph's career that he has led the Cowboys to victory after trailing in the second half.
On the year, Rudolph ranks fourth nationally with 2,039 passing yards on the year.

Oklahoma State defensive tackle DeQuiton Osborne had a game-high and career-high 2.5 sacks in the Cowboys' 38-31 win over Iowa State.
Osborne, who has been a part of the defensive line rotation but has not started, had the biggest game of his Cowboy career thus far, helping lead the team to a season-best 7.0 sack performance against the Cyclones. That effort matches the third-best team sack total in Oklahoma State history.
With time winding down in the second quarter and Iowa State moving the ball into OSU territory, Osborne assisted on a sack with Jarrell Owens for a loss of nine yards to put the Cyclones in their own territory. Two plays later, Osborne recorded another sack for a loss of nine yards on third down to cement the defensive stop and keep ISU's halftime lead at just three points.
With three minutes remaining in the game and the Cowboys clinging to a seven-point lead this time, Osborne came up with another sack on fourth down that helped seal the OSU win and complete a 17-point comeback with 24 unanswered points. Osborne and the rest of the Cowboy defense didn't allow ISU to score a point in the final 20 minutes of play.
In addition to his 2.5 sacks, Osborne also recorded a quarterback hurry on ISU's second drive of the game to help keep the Cyclones out of the end zone after they had driven into OSU territory.

Special Teams

Zach Sinor | Punter | 5-10 | 215 | RSo. | Castroville, Texas

Punter Zach Sinor continued a great season in Oklahoma State's 38-17 win over Iowa State. With the Cowboys searching for a rhythm and trailing by 17 points, Sinor's leg had a big impact in the outcome of the game and helped the Cowboys to their second-biggest comeback in school history.
Sinor punted nine times for an average of 40.4 yards, while five of his punts were downed inside the 20 and two of his punts were longer than 50 yards. Sinor's five punts downed inside the 20 matched the third-best single season effort in school history.
Sinor's nine punts yielded two returns for a total of -9 yards.
He flipped the field with a 53-yard punt on OSU's opening drive and then helped the Cowboys close out the first half by pinning ISU at their own 17 with under 2:00 minutes remaining in the second quarter. His opening punt of the second half was another big kick for 57 yards that yielded a -9 yard return and put ISU at their own 6-yard line.
Three of Sinor's last four punts put the opponent inside their own 15-yard line. With the game on the line and the Cowboys holding a seven-point lead inside the 1:00 mark, Sinor downed ISU at their own 10-yard line and put the Cowboy defense in great position to seal the win.
On the year, Sinor has punted 31 times, with 19 of those downed inside the opponents' 20-yard line (61.3 percent). His 31 punts have yielded a total of only 26 return yards for the opponents.

Oklahoma State University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

DeQuinton Osborne

Jarrell Owens

Mason Rudolph

Zach Sinor

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