Brennan Presley's Big Day Not Enough in Oklahoma State's Loss to Baylor
Oklahoma State couldn’t get out of its own way en route to its fifth straight loss.
OSU lost 38-28 against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco on Saturday, dropping to 3-5 this season. While the Cowboys kept the game competitive and had an opportunity to win in the second half, they simply couldn’t make plays down the stretch.
OSU’s defense was again the downfall for the Cowboys, particularly on the ground, allowing 343 rushing yards. Along with a porous defense, the Cowboys were undisciplined throughout the afternoon, committing 12 penalties for 84 yards.
Sawyer Robertson’s 41-yard scramble into the end zone in the fourth quarter extended Baylor’s lead to 11, as he easily eluded a handful of Cowboy defenders. Ollie Gordon’s touchdown and Brennan Presley’s two-point conversion brought the Cowboys back within a field goal on the ensuing drive.
But again, the Cowboys’ defense let Baylor have whatever it wants. Dawson Pendergrass’ 55-yard touchdown run through a few OSU defenders put the game away.
Cale Cabbiness caught a long pass from Alan Bowman early in the third quarter, but a penalty wiped it off and eventually forced OSU to punt. A few plays later, Baylor regained its lead with an impressive 33-yard touchdown catch by Ashtyn Hawkins.
Trailing 17-10 before halftime, OSU’s Trent Howland converted a fake punt to keep the drive alive. Riding Brennan Presley downfield, the Cowboys punched in a touchdown with 22 seconds left in the first half as Ollie Gordon stretched across the goal line.
Presley was the No. 1 option for the Cowboys’ offense, particularly in the first half. Before halftime, Presley had nine catches for 135 yards and a touchdown on his way to 183 yards.
After an interception gave OSU an opportunity to take the lead late in the first quarter, the Cowboys drove deep into Baylor territory. After rushing inside the 5-yard line, Ollie Gordon fumbled, allowing Baylor to recover at its 1.
Dawson Pendergrass exploded near midfield on the first play, going for 77 yards on two rushes on the drive. Hal Presley’s impressive catch in the end zone gave the Bears a 10-3 lead.
However, the Cowboys would quickly respond, with Presley catching a screen along the left sideline and narrowly staying in bounds for an acrobatic 33-yard touchdown.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.