Fiesta Bowl: Quarter Breakdowns
BY GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
1/03/12 at 6:30 AM
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OSU comes back to beat Stanford in Fiesta Bowl
FIRST QUARTER
| Stanford | 7 | - | 7 |
| Oklahoma State | 0 | - | 0 |
Key play: The only points of the quarter come in classic Stanford form. The Cardinal pound away with tailback Stepfan Taylor behind an overloaded offensive line. Then, just like that, Andrew Luck fakes the handoff and then hits Ty Montgomery for a 53-yard touchdown.
Key stat: Brandon Weeden is 5-of-10 for 26 yards. He's badly out of rhythm, a product of Stanford's defense and four weeks of rust. The Cowboys have run 12 plays for a total of 27 yards.
Number to know: 1. Number of passes Weeden has thrown to Justin Blackmon. On OSU's first play, Weeden rolls out and underthrows Blackmon. Cornerback Terrence Brown has an easy interception, and it's the last time the Biletnikoff winner sees a throw all quarter.
SECOND QUARTER
| Stanford | 7 | 14 | - | 21 |
| Oklahoma State | 0 | 21 | - | 21 |
Key play: The Cowboys are staggering, down 14-0 and showing little spark on offense through four possessions. Then, on second-and-4 from his own 23, Weeden finds Colton Chelf open down the middle in the soft spot of Stanford's D. The play gains 29 yards, and OSU is finally off and running.
Key stat: Weeden goes 8-of-11 for 213 yards in the second quarter, with 2 touchdown passes to Blackmon and his first career rushing score on a third-and-goal quarterback draw. So much for that rust.
Number to know: Blackmon has 4 catches for 139 yards. The first time Weeden throws his way in the quarter, Blackmon hauls in a 43-yard TD. The second, Blackmon sheds a tackle and goes 67 yards for another score.
THIRD QUARTER
| Stanford | 7 | 14 | 7 | - | 28 |
| Oklahoma State | 0 | 21 | 3 | - | 24 |
Key play: A sequence of them. Markelle Martin recovers a fumbled handoff to Stanford fullback Geoff Meinken at the Cardinal 4-yard line midway through the quarter. The Cowboys are poised to re-knot the score, until Joseph Randle is stopped at the 2 and 1, and Kye Staley can't hold Weeden's third-and-goal throw. Needing 7, OSU settles for 3.
Key stat: 183-13. The rushing disparity. The Cowboys didn't figure to outrush Stanford coming in. But they didn't want to be dominated like this. Taylor has helped Luck with 122 yards on 21 tries.
Number to know: 1. Number of times OSU has trailed heading into the fourth quarter. It's happening tonight. What kind of resolve will the Cowboys have?
FOURTH QUARTER
| Stanford | 7 | 14 | 7 | 10 | - | 38 |
| Oklahoma State | 0 | 21 | 3 | 14 | - | 38 |
Key play: Three seconds remain and the Cardinal send out Jordan Williamson to kick a 35-yard field goal to win the game. The Cowboys freeze him with one timeout, then hope he misses. He does, pulling the attempt wide left. He is 13-of-16 on the season, but misses the biggest kick of his life.
Key stat: Weeden's fourth-quarter numbers - 12-of-14 for 123 yards and a touchdown. Once more, he bounces back from a rocky quarter and comes through when OSU has to have him. Facing fourth-and-3 on the game-tying drive, he hits Blackmon for 21. Then Randle for 19. Then Michael Harrison for 16 to set up Randle's TD run.
Number to know: Blackmon is at eight catches for 186 yards and three scores.
OVERTIME
| Stanford | 7 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 0 | - | 38 |
| Oklahoma State | 0 | 21 | 3 | 14 | 3 | - | 41 |
Key play: It's second-and-10 on OSU's first overtime possession. The Cowboys need a first down to feel certain Quinn Sharp is in field-goal range. Instead, Chelf beats safety Delano Howell over the middle, gathers in Weeden's pass, and is initially ruled to have scored the game-winning TD. Replay officials rule Chelf down at the 1. Weeden takes a knee to set up Sharp. The 22-yard field goal wins OSU's first BCS bowl game.
Key stat: Chelf's 5 catches for 97 yards. The walk-on from Enid steps up on a night Tracy Moore is a no-show. Blackmon finishes with those 186 yards. Weeden closes with 399.
Number to know: 1. Tonight represents OSU's first BCS bowl appearance, first BCS bowl victory and first 12-win season.
Associated Images:
OSU's Justin Blackmon hauls in a catch. STEPHEN PINGRY / Tulsa World
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