Offenses Come Alive Late as Black Team Beats Orange Team, 27-19, in OSU Spring Game

Offenses Come Alive Late as Black Team Beats Orange Team, 27-19, in OSU Spring Game

April 24, 2021 | Cowboy Football

PHOTOS

STILLWATER – Led by two touchdown catches from receiver Jaden Bray and a pair of touchdown passes from Shane Illingworth, the Black team held off a late comeback attempt from the Orange team to secure a 27-19 victory in the Oklahoma State spring game on Saturday.

The Cowboys played two live 20-minute halves after a short 7-on-7 period to start the day in front of an estimated crowd of 17,000 at Boone Pickens Stadium.

"I think we had a great day," head coach Mike Gundy said. "I'm appreciative of all the fans who were here, we had a great crowd and we had great effort from the players. I feel like it was an exciting day and an end to an unbelievable spring practice."

Spencer Sanders led the Orange team on an early 57-yard drive to open the scoring on its first drive of the game, which was capped off by one of four Brady Pohl field goals.

After a fumble recovery by junior college transfer Nathan Latu gave the ball back to the Orange team at its own 40-yard line, Sanders led his second scoring drive of the game that gave the Orange team a 6-0 lead.

With under one minute until halftime, Illingworth led an impressive drive through the air, connecting with Braydon Johnson twice for gains of 11 and 27 yards before finding Bray for a 25-yard touchdown strike with 23 seconds left to give the Black team a 7-6 lead.

Several Cowboy newcomers made explosive plays throughout the game, including Bray, running back Zach Middleton, receiver John Paul Richardson and running back Jaylen Warren.

The teams traded field goals midway through the second half as Brady Pohl hit a 48-yarder for his third of the game. On the next possession, freshman Mason Shipley connected on a 48-yard field goal of his own to return the lead to the Black team.

Both kickers added field goals on back-to-back possessions to make the score 13-12 in favor of the Black team. Shipley finished the day 2-for-3 on field goal attempts, while Brady Pohl went 4-for-4 hitting two 48-yard attempts.

Suddenly the offenses came alive as the Cowboys combined for three touchdowns in the last four possessions beginning with Bray's second touchdown of the game on a seven-yard strike just inside the front pylon from Ethan Bullock.

Defensive end Ryan Baker came up with a fumble recovery for the Black team that led to a 61-yard touchdown pass just a few plays later as Illingworth hit Rashod Owens in stride deep down the sideline to put the game out of reach with just over four minutes to go.

The Orange team brought Spencer Sanders and the rest of the offensive starters back into the game for the final drive of the game to simulate the Cowboys' four minute offense. He led the Orange team 70 yards down the field as Brennan Presley found the end zone from nine yards out on a quick pitch from Sanders to make the score 27-19.

The Cowboys now turn their attention to fall camp beginning in August in preparation for the season opener against Missouri State on Sept. 4 in Boone Pickens Stadium.