Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
3-0
Pittsburgh
1-2
Record-Setting First Half Powers Cowboys Past Pitt
September 16, 2017 | Cowboy Football
Updated Season Stats
Postgame Notes
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PITTSBURGH (AP) - Mason Rudolph's message to the rest of the Oklahoma State offense was simple. Playing half a country away from home against a Pittsburgh team that took the Cowboys to the wire a year ago, Rudolph didn't want to leave anything to chance in the rematch.
"We wanted to come out and blow the top off this thing," Rudolph said.
Done. And then some.
Rudolph gave his Heisman Trophy campaign an eye-popping kick start by throwing five touchdown passes during an immaculate first half to help No. 9 Oklahoma State rout the Panthers 59-21 on Saturday.
The Cowboys (3-0) reached the end zone on each of their first seven possessions, piling up 516 yards in the process, a school record for most yards in one half.
"I didn't even pay attention to it," Rudolph said. "I knew we scored a lot."
Rudolph finished 23 of 32 for 497 yards before being pulled in the middle of the third quarter with Oklahoma State up by 42. He did throw his first interception of the season, ending a streak of 216 passes without a pick dating to November. He had 423 yards passing in the first half to break his own school record.
"Mason is a workaholic," Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said. "He prides himself on being the Peyton Manning, the Tom Brady of college football. He prides himself on it and he backs it up."
Rudolph lit up Pitt for 540 yards passing in a tense 45-38 victory in Stillwater last September. A year later, the Panthers were no better at keeping Rudolph in check.
Jalen McCleskey caught seven passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns. James Washington added 124 yards receiving. Marcell Ateman (109) and Dillon Stoner (100) also reached the 100-yard receiving mark, the first time in 12 years a team has had four 100-yard receivers in a game. The Cowboys did it despite missing LSU transfer Tyron Johnson, suspended for the game for a violation of team rules.
As they did last season, Pitt played a significant amount of man coverage, though they did occasionally bring another body to keep tabs on Washington, who had 296 yards receiving last season. All it did was create matchup issues in other places.
"Pretty much everything we wanted was open ... especially Jalen," Rudolph said. "He just had the middle of the field on lock down."
The Panthers did attempt to bring pressure at times, but Rudolph expertly extended plays. He broke away from a potential sack in the first quarter and heaved the ball downfield to Ateman, who sidestepped a defender for a 69-yard touchdown strike to put the Cowboys up three touchdowns before the game was 12 minutes old.
It never got any better for Pitt.
"That's about the worst day you can have at the office," Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi said.
While allowing there are great players all over the country, including Louisville's Lamar Jackson and Southern California's Sam Darnold, Gundy is OK with throwing his quarterback into the Heisman conversation.
"I like our guy," Gundy said. "I like where he's at. I like what he does for Oklahoma State football."
Asked if he considers Rudolph a Heisman candidate, running back Justice Hill just nodded.
"For sure," Hill said. "Top. Top."
The Cowboys have outscored opponents 59-0 in the first quarter this season. Justin Phillips' 10-yard interception return early in the second half gave Oklahoma State defensive scores in each of the first three games.
Oklahoma State's 49 points in the first half were the most given up by Pitt since it allowed 52 in a 72-0 loss to Ohio State in 1996.
Oklahoma State welcomes No. 20 TCU to Boone Pickens Stadium in Big 12 opener on Saturday. Cowboys have won two straight over the Horned Frogs.
Team Stats
OSU 7, UP 0
OSU - Hill, Justice 20 yd run (Ammendola, Matt kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:00
OSU 14, UP 0
OSU - Stoner, Dillon 54 yd pass from Rudolph, Mason (Ammendola, Matt kick) 10 plays, 96 yards, TOP 3:16
OSU 21, UP 0
OSU - Ateman, Marcell 69 yd pass from Rudolph, Mason (Ammendola, Matt kick) 6 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:32
OSU 28, UP 0
OSU - McCleskey,Jalen 8 yd pass from Rudolph, Mason (Ammendola, Matt kick) 6 plays, 54 yards, TOP 1:14
OSU 35, UP 0
OSU - McCleskey,Jalen 40 yd pass from Rudolph, Mason (Ammendola, Matt kick) 3 plays, 65 yards, TOP 0:39
OSU 35, UP 7
UP - Moss, C. 5 yd run (Kessman, A. kick), 4 plays, 87 yards, TOP 1:57
OSU 42, UP 7
OSU - Hill, Justice 15 yd run (Ammendola, Matt kick), 8 plays, 82 yards, TOP 3:10
OSU 49, UP 7
OSU - McCleskey,Jalen 48 yd pass from Rudolph, Mason (Ammendola, Matt kick) 5 plays, 79 yards, TOP 1:49
OSU 49, UP 14
UP - Araujo-Lopes, R 14 yd pass from DiNucci, B. (Kessman, A. kick) 13 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:24
OSU 56, UP 14
OSU - Phillips,Justin 10 yd interception (Ammendola, Matt kick)
OSU 56, UP 21
UP - Pinnock, J. 0 yd fumble recovery (Kessman, A. kick)
OSU 59, UP 21
OSU - Ammendola, Matt 25 yd field goal 10 plays, 57 yards, TOP 5:00
