Wild game comes down to late TD, defensive stand

STILLWATER -- Ultimately, a crazy Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium was defined by Oklahoma State's defense.

While allowing Texas Tech to roll for 718 total yards -- the most yards ever by any Cowboy opponent -- the OSU defenders made big plays down the stretch and gave their offensive counterparts a chance to win.

Texas Tech was held scoreless on six of its final eight possessions and the Cowboys got the go-ahead touchdown with 1:37 left. Tight end Brandon Pettigrew caught a short pass and and raced for a 54-yard TD.

With 14 seconds left, after the Red Raiders had driven to the OSU 15-yard line, Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell launched a pass that was intended for wide receiver Michael Crabtree in the end zone.

Crabtree had 14 catches. There would not be a 15th.

Cowboy safety Ricky Price got a fingernail on the ball, altering its path. Crabtree got his hands on the ball but could not make the catch.

As the crowd of 37,850 erupted into a wild celebration, the Cowboys escaped with a 49-45, nationally televised triumph in the Big 12

"Our guys made the play at the end," Cowboy coach Mike Gundy said. "So much happened out there. It's hard to actually recollect all that happened."

What happened was an offensive explosion.

During the first half alone, the teams combined for 767 total yards and nine touchdowns. The Red Raiders had a halftime lead of 35-28.

With Zac Robinson making his first home start at quarterback, OSU finished with 610 total yards (366 rushing).

For the first time in school history, three Cowboy players topped the 100-yard mark in rushing -- tailback Dantrell Savage had 130 yards, Robinson had 116 and freshman tailback Kendall Hunter had 113.

Robinson ran for two touchdowns (including a 48-yarder), while Savage and Hunter each scored once.

Savage had missed the two previous games with a groin injury.

Said Savage: "I was tired, but I wanted to be out there. I just had to get into a groove. We needed a little extra spark today, but it was everybody that made it happen."

Early in the fourth period, OSU wide receiver Seth Newton took an end-around handoff, pulled up and fired a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Broadway. The score was 42-42, and Tech answered with a 19-yard field goal by Alex Trlica.

Of great significance was an Oklahoma State defensive stop with less than two minutes remaining. Cowboy cornerback Jacob Lacey's pass breakup forced the Red Raiders to punt from their own 21-yard line, and on the next play Pettigrew scored the game's 13th TD.

For Texas Tech (3-1), Harrell's statistics were outrageous. He was 46-of-67 passing for 646 yards (the fourth-highest total in major-college football history) and five touchdowns.

After the game, both coaches were furious. During his postgame press conference, Gundy refused to take questions specific to the game. Instead, he angrily condemned an Oklahoma City newspaper article, published on Saturday, that Gundy said was unfairly critical of Cowboy backup quarterback Bobby Reid. Minutes later, Gundy did grant a brief interview to the Tulsa World.

In the other locker room, Texas Tech coach Mike Leach was livid that his team failed to capitalize on such a huge offensive performance.

Until Tech erupted for 718 yards on Saturday, the most yardage ever totaled against OSU was 696 by the 1971 Oklahoma Sooners.

Bill Haisten 581-8397
bill.haisten@tulsaworld.com

TOP 5 NCAA SINGLE-GAME PASSING TOTALS

716: David Klinger, Houston (vs. Arizona State), Dec. 2, 1990

690: Matt Vogler, TCU (vs. Houston), Nov. 3, 1990

661: B.J. Symons, Texas Tech (vs. Mississippi), Sept. 27, 2003

646: Graham Harrell, Texas Tech (vs. Oklahoma State), Sept. 22, 2007

643: Cody Hodges, Texas Tech (vs. Kansas State), Oct. 15, 2005