Ranking Every Oklahoma State Game in 2023: No. 2 BYU
Oklahoma State’s season was a roller coaster, and its regular season finale captured that perfectly.
OSU’s 2023 season was an undeniable success, going from 2-2 to a spot in the Big 12 Championship. However, that trip to Arlington was in serious danger in the 12th game.
Going into their matchup against BYU, the Cowboys’ mission was simply to win and get in. On a rainy, windy and cold day in Stillwater, that proved to be challenging.
After taking a 6-0 lead, the Cowboys soon found themselves trailing. Thanks to a pick-six and some other mishaps by the Cowboys, BYU kicked a field goal just before halftime to take a 24-6 lead into the locker room.
Ollie Gordon scored a couple of second-half touchdowns to pull OSU within three, and after another stop, OSU had an opportunity to take the lead in the closing minutes. Gordon did just that as he burst through the defense to score a 15-yard touchdown.
After Alex Hale’s extra point was blocked, BYU needed only a field goal to force overtime. The Cougars managed to get into field goal range and nailed a 48-yarder as time expired.
After both teams traded scores in the first overtime, Gordon made a miraculous play to find the end zone in the second overtime. With teams having to go for two in the second overtime, the Cowboys could not get in, giving BYU a chance to pull the upset.
Instead, Trey Rucker ripped the ball out of a BYU receiver’s hands, and OSU recovered to clinch the win. While it was not pretty, it was emblematic of how the team fought throughout the season and finally persevered to earn a shot at the Big 12 title.
Ranking OSU's 2023 season:
No. 14 South Alabama
No. 13 UCF
No. 12 Texas
No. 11 Central Arkansas
No. 10 Iowa State
No. 9 Arizona State
No. 8 Houston
No. 7 Cincinnati
No. 6 Texas A&M
No. 5 Kansas
No. 4 West Virginia
No. 3 Kansas State
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IVAN WHITE
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.