/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47559801/usa-today-8894872.0.jpg)
Third Quarter
Oklahoma State started with the ball and was able to sneak J.W. Walsh into the game, somehow. On third and two, a false start was called so a third and seven was forced. Cowboys put Rudolph back in and he threw a fade that was on target, but incomplete. Tech would get the ball back on the 17. Thankfully for OSU, a deflection on third and 10 forced a fourth down but Tech would go for it. On fourth down, they tried to get OSU on a freeze play.
The Red Raiders try to go for it on a trick play but it didn't work because it's almost as bad as the Indianapolis Colts at faking punts. Oklahoma State got the ball at the 35 yard line and Rudolph would start this drive but sacked because the offensive line is not good. Then, of course because today has been bad, Shepard dropped a very good pass from Rudolph in the endzone. His second touchdown pass dropped. On third and 18, Rudolph threw another good pass but it was dropped, Oklahoma State offense started to look like it had looked against Texas. It's still 38-28 with 10:16 left in the third at this point.
OSU forced a third and short and Emmanuel Ogbah did Emmanuel Ogbah things, forcing a fourth and short. This time, the Red Raiders punted it for real and Jalen McCleskey did something amazing. McCleskey returned the punt for 67 yards, making it 38-35 and everyone in Stillwater went crazy.
Then the defense did something crazy. They did something they haven't done in a while. They got a sack on third down. At this point, OSU has forced three punts in a row. The Cowboys couldn't take advantage of the situation because another third down brought another dropped long ball, adding onto a total that I'm not sure has been this high in a few years.
This wasn't good for the defense, though. On second down, Mahomes completed a long pass for a first down to put Tech on the OSU 40. Tech threw a long pass toward the endzone on the next play but it fell incomplete thanks to the coverage by Kevin Peterson.
But Peterson is now injured. That's one of the names in football you don't want injured. If Peterson is injured, your defense is injured. The defense force a third down which turned into a fourth and one, and they tried the same freeze play they tried earlier. After a timeout they tried a quarterback sneak, this time Tech was unable to get a favorable call as Mahomes fumbled the snap and it was a turnover on downs, Cowboy ball on the 34 yard line.
Thankfully, after like, five drops, James Washington decided it was enough with a catch on third and long with about two minutes left in the third. The next play, fourth-string Raymond Taylor scored his second touchdown of the day to take the Cowboys first lead of the game, 42-38.
Oklahoma State stopped Texas Tech on third down but a fake punt yielded a first down. At this point, OSU had only allowed about 90 yards of offense to Tech in the third quarter. The quarter would end on a two yard rush for Tech, ending in an OSU lead after three, 42-38.
UPDATE: 555 words after this quarter. Oklahoma State ended on a 28-7 run for the quarter.
Fourth Quarter
The fourth quarter started with a Mahomes incompletion to make it third and eight. Mahomes was able to complete the pass on third however, setting Tech up on the 29. On second down, Ramon Richards made a fantastic play on a receiver screen forcing third and twelve, which resulted in an unfortunate Tech touchdown, making it 45-42, a Texas Tech lead.
J.W. Walsh started the next drive, using his get away from the cop speed, but was just short. Thankfully, he scored on the next play. 49-45, Oklahoma State lead. Talk about a shoot out.
The defense forced a turnover as Michael Hunter intercepted Pat Mahomes, though there was a flag on the play that resulted in loss of yards for OSU, but it was still OSU ball.
Oklahoma State would get the ball for the first time with the lead, up 49-45, Oklahoma State needed a touchdown to make themselves feel comfortable. Raymond Taylor and J.W. Walsh, both back ups at their respected positions, continued to roll. Then, the Cowboys ran a reverse to James Washington who went to the end zone for a long touchdown and to be honest, I'm not sure where Rudolph has been or how long that was but OSU is up.
Tech would score a touchdown on a short run on the next drive, making it 56-53 after the two-point conversion. This game wasn't over, obviously because the clock still has time left, but because Tech hasn't died, yet.
Walsh would fumble on the first play of the next drive, but Raymond Taylor was able to recover. For some reason, these two, who are back ups, have been the player of the game.
WALSH THROWS A LONG TOUCHDOWN TO JAMES WASHINGTON. WHAT'S GOING ON. I HAVE NO IDEA. I'M NOT GOING TO EDIT THIS GRAPH BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO FEEL THE RAW EMOTION.
After all that, OSU is somehow up 63-53. Being up ten points after this insane game is a blessing. Tech got the ball at the 12 and had about four minutes to score 10 points or more, if they hoped to not lose this game after being up by so much early in the game.
Oklahoma State, who hasn't allowed 53 points since 2005 sacked Mahomes and recovered the fumble with enough time left to where OSU could kneel the ball and somehow get a comfortable win.
To be honest, after the first quarter, OSU shouldn't have won this game. But OSU outscored Tech 42-15 in the second half, the defense was stellar and Mahomes looked shell shocked.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are 8-0 and will face TCU next week in Stillwater. Biggest game in the history of the school? Yes. Be there.
Thoughts will be picked up tomorrow, after I decide how bad this game actually was or wasn't.