Oklahoma State Killed By Self-Inflicted Wounds

Despite out-gaining Texas in nearly every single statistical category, Oklahoma State killed any chances it had of beating the Longhorns by self-inflicted wounds, including four turnovers.

Pistols fired throughout a frustrating autumn Saturday inside Boone Pickens Stadium, in the form of fingers pointed at reasons for defeat.

Pointed at the stats, so heavily tilted in OSU’s favor, except for one critical category.

Pointed at the officials, who put themselves in the crosshairs several times late.

Pointed at Mike Gundy, as always.

Pointed at Spencer Sanders, who’s living the love-hate quarterback life.

The Cowboys outgained Texas and outplayed the Longhorns in most aspects for much of 60-minutes plus, yet couldn’t outrun their fatal flaws in a 41-34 overtime loss.

“As I’ve said many times before, disciplined football, special teams and turnovers is what determine games until you get to the latter part of the season,” Mike Gundy said.

“We failed in those areas today.”

No. 6 OSU made plenty of plays to win Saturday. Made plenty to give the game away.

Too many, it turns out.

As a result, the Cowboys surely gave away any College Football Playoff hopes, even in this wacky year of 2020, especially with a national narrative that the Big 12 isn’t deserving if the representative isn’t Oklahoma or Texas.

Time will tell if Saturday’s loss is remembered and regretted for giving away a Big 12 title, too, when OSU looked and seemed like the better team, ready to stamp themselves as CFP worthy and ready to clamp down on Big 12 lead.

But it all unraveled amid mostly unforced errors.

Four turnovers, all leading to Longhorns scores, 20 points in all.

A roughing the punter penalty on a Texas fourth-and-22, extending the Longhorns’ go-ahead, fourth-quarter drive which included two fourth-down conversions, the second on the touchdown to send the Horns ahead.

There was a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown – by Texas, of course, since the Cowboys don’t do those kinds of things anymore.

And a pass interference call, albeit on a highly questionable call, on third down in overtime, extending Texas’ game-winning possession.

And finally an ineligible-man-downfield penalty on tackle Teven Jenkins, wiping out what would have been a touchdown pass to Jelani Woods.

“This is a simple game for us,” Gundy said. “We lost the turnover battle 5-0 (Gundy counted the roughing the kicker penalty as a turnover). And we gave up a kick return for a touchdown.”

And those are just the highlight mistakes, or the lowlights, if you will.

The defense didn’t secure a takeaway for the first time this season, but played well and deserved better. The Cowboys held Texas to 287 yards, 17 first downs and just two conversions on 15 third-down tries.

And while OSU’s offense churned out 530 yards, three of the turnovers occurred at the Cowboys 20 or closer, heaping repeating pressure on the defense.

“We put them in terrible position, time after time, after time, after time, after time,” Gundy said. “They played pretty good, you just can’t put them in that position so many times.”

Sanders posted career highs with 400 passing yards and four touchdown throws, but tossed an interception and lost two fumbles. The sophomore quarterback has been both dynamic and sloppy in his career, which is to be expected of young quarterbacks. But inside a season that held such high-bar hopes, such inconsistent play isn’t easily accepted by fans who are forever longing for their shot at the biggest prizes.

Sanders shouldered more than his share of the blame, too.

“You can bash me, it doesn’t matter,” Sanders said. “I just made too many mistakes and I can’t do that. Just can’t do it…

“The guys around me played great. I just have to pick up my part.”

The truth is, the Cowboys need Sanders quarterbacking this team. They need the dynamic. They need less of the swashbuckling, too, that aim to always make a play, even when openings aren’t there.

The Cowboys made plenty of plays to win Saturday, many by Sanders. Made plenty of mistakes, too.

Now what?

“We’ve just got to win out,” Sanders said. “We’ve got to keep going and stay focused. It’s sad to lose this, but you know you can’t hang your heads. We’re men. So we’re going to keep pushing.

“What’s going to define us is how we handle this.”