Oklahoma State Overcomes 14-Point Deficit to Beat Arkansas in 2OT Thriller
They’re called the Cardiac Cowboys for a reason.
No. 16 Oklahoma State beat Arkansas 39-31 in double overtime in Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater in a come-from-behind effort. After Ollie Gordon put the Cowboys ahead, OSU’s defense stuffed the Razorbacks on fourth down to escape with a win.
Gordon’s first touchdown came in the second overtime, a 12-yard score to give OSU the lead. He also caught the two-point conversion to put OSU up eight.
On the first possession of overtime, Obi Ezeigbo sacked Taylen Green on third down and forced Arkansas into kicking a 46-yard field goal, which Kyle Ramsey missed. OSU kicker Logan Ward missed his 41-yard attempt on the next possession to send the game into a second overtime.
Late in the fourth quarter, Alan Bowman’s deep pass to Brennan Presley put OSU just outside the red zone, and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Bowman pushed the ball back. Still, Logan Ward nailed a 38-yard field goal to take the lead after more drama surrounding the Cowboys’ false start on fourth down. However, Arkansas had enough time to drive into OSU territory, and Ramsey nailed a 45-yard field goal to tie the game as time expired.
On a fourth-and-5 just outside the red zone, Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green took off up the middle and came up a yard short, giving OSU’s offense the ball with a chance to take the lead midway through the final frame. After Jake Schultz’s big gain on a flea flicker, Presley’s jet sweep got the Cowboys into the end zone for a 28-21 lead.
On the ensuing drive, Green found a wide-open Luke Hasz for a 43-yard touchdown to tie the game.
Arkansas muffed a punt early in the fourth quarter, setting OSU up for a chance to tie the game. Presley made a catch to score OSU’s first offensive touchdown, followed by De’Zhaun Stribling catching the two-point conversion to tie the game at 21.
While Arkansas made many big plays, its mistakes kept OSU in the game. A botched exchange on a toss ended with a fumble and recovery for the Cowboys around midfield late in the third quarter. The Cowboys marched downfield but couldn’t fully capitalize, settling for a Logan Ward 35-yard field goal to make it a one-possession game.
The Razorbaacks’ rushing attack dominated the Cowboys early, with Ja’Quinden Jackson securing a first-half hat trick against the Cowboys. He found the end zone for the third time late in the second quarter as Arkansas took a 21-7 lead to halftime.
With Arkansas driving in the second quarter and looking to go up three scores, Taylen Green threw a pass under pressure. Kale Smith intercepted the pass and took it 73 yards to the end zone for OSU’s first score.
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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.