OSU overcomes 16-point deficit to pull away from Cornhuskers
STILLWATER -- After being jolted by a substantial first-half deficit, Oklahoma State responded with a burst of six touchdowns and savored a come-from-behind victory.
It's one thing for it to happen at Kansas (and it did happen at Kansas on Oct. 14, as the Cowboys rallied from a 17-0 dilemma to prevail 42-32).
It's another thing altogether for it to happen against Nebraska.
After trailing 16-0 during Saturday's second period, the Cowboys zapped 20th-ranked Nebraska with an onslaught driven by quarterback Bobby Reid and tailback Dantrell Savage.
In what could be regarded as their most important home triumph since the 2002 Bedlam win over Oklahoma, the Cowboys defeated Nebraska 41-29 at Boone Pickens Stadium.
The win is historically significant because it was OSU's first victory ever over a nationally ranked Cornhusker squad, the ABC-televised game attracted an audience of 40,108 -- the Cowboys' smallest in four home dates this season.
Now within one win of bowl eligibility at 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the Big 12, the Cowboys rolled up 496 total yards. It was OSU's greatest offensive output ever against Nebraska.
The Huskers still have a commanding 36-4-1 lead in the series, but Nebraska has lost in each of its last two trips to Stillwater (OSU prevailed 24-21 in 2002).
"It's a good day for Oklahoma State," Cowboy coach Mike Gundy said. "As an alum and an ex-player here, it makes me proud to stand up here today and say we got it done."
The Cowboy defense was the subject of considerable scrutiny after OSU blew late leads in Big 12 losses to Kansas State and Texas A&M. During the second half against the Huskers, the O-State defense was outstanding.
During the first half, Nebraska rushed for 159 yards (6.9 per attempt) and had 268 total yards. After halftime, the Huskers averaged only 3.1 yards per rush. Husker I-back Brandon Jackson rushed for 182 yards but got only 58 in the second half. OSU sacked quarterback Zac Taylor five times.
OSU's final touchdown was scored by its defense. With 3:16 left, Cowboy freshman linebacker Patrick Lavine caused Taylor to fumble. OSU end Nathan Peterson recovered and raced to the end zone on a 19-yard return.
With his first touchdown since his ninth-grade season at Tulsa's Union High School, Peterson gave the Cowboys an insurmountable 18-point lead (41-23).
"We knew (the Cowboys) were a great second-half team," Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said. "Our kids knew that. They just did not respond."
Reid passed for 229 yards and two touchdowns (one each to freshman tailback Keith Toston and wide receiver Adarius Bowman). Reid also was responsible for a 56-yard run that led to OSU's first touchdown -- Toston's 16-yard reception that cut the Nebraska lead to 16-6.
Reid's run seemed to blunt Nebraska's momentum, and in the Cowboys' postgame locker room it was universally hailed as the biggest play of the day. And when Nebraska attempted to recapture the momentum, scoring on a Taylor-to-Maurice Purify pass with 56 seconds left before halftime, the Cowboys answered with two important plays. Freshman Perrish Cox had a 39-yard kickoff return, and on the next snap, with 15 seconds remaining in the half, Reid fired a 45-yard touchdown pass to Bowman.
The Huskers led 23-20 at the break, but the Cowboy offense had found its rhythm. Nebraska was doomed.
"(Reid) put us in position to win the football game today," Cowboy offensive coordinator Larry Fedora said.
Said Reid, who played the entire game after having sustained a concussion last week against Texas A&M: "We went into this game expecting to win. We had been thrown up against the wall with the (losses to Kansas State and Texas A&M). Guys are starting to come together. I think this is a turning point for us."
During the first half of the season, Savage spent more time on the bench than on the field. The Cowboy junior has emerged as a ballcarrier with star qualities. After rushing for 134 yards last week against Texas A&M, Savage had a 117-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Huskers.
It was fitting that former Oklahoma State great Barry Sanders was in attendance. Savage popped several runs reminiscent of those Sanders had during his Cowboy career. Among the fastest players on the OSU roster, Savage scored on an 18-yard sprint in the second period. On the second play of the fourth quarter, after Reid passed to wide receiver D'Juan Woods for a gain of 55 yards, Savage had a 20-yard TD run that gave the Cowboys their first lead at 27-20.
Six minutes later, Julius Crosslin capped a 77-yard OSU drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge. The Cowboys led 34-23. Five minutes later, Peterson scored on the fumble return.
After falling behind 16-0, the Cowboys outscored Nebraska 41-7
"Once we get the ball, we're going to move downfield and score," said Woods, who finished with four catches for 87 yards. "The confidence level was still high, even though we were down 16."
After Peterson scored his touchdown, the Huskers managed one final TD -- Taylor's 5-yard toss to Purify with seven seconds left. By then, OSU fans were celebrating.
Bill Haisten 581-8397
bill.haisten@tulsaworld.com
