Why? That has to have been the most uttered word of the evening as Oklahoma State fans watched the Cowboys blow a 14-0 lead to Texas A&M on Friday night in the Texas Bowl.
Wasted opportunity seemed to be the theme on the night as OSU kicker Matt Ammedola missed two field goals, the Cowboys failed to capitalize on two Aggie turnovers, and Chuba Hubbard was limited to just 19 carries.
The biggest, “what if” on the night is going to be the field goals. Had Ammendola made just one of those then it could have easily been a different outcome. We’ll never know though, as we’re also likely to never know the answer to these questions either.
Why Only 19 Carries?
This is the biggest one so we’ll just start right here. Hubbard averaged 8.3 yards per carry yet in the final game of the season Mike Gundy chose to use him sparingly. Why?
The Cowboys were without star receiver Tylan Wallace and quarterback Spencer Sanders (kinda) leaving Hubbard as the primary, and most dangerous, weapon. Why not run him to victory?
Hubbard had been weighing his NFL decision in the days leading up to the Texas Bowl but decided to play anyway. After the game Mike Gundy said he thinks there’s a good chance he’s back in 2020. I’m going to humbly disagree.
Why Waste Snaps On Spencer Sanders?
Sanders clearly wasn’t healthy following a hand surgery last month. After his first snap it was clear that he wasn’t going to throw the ball. So, why use him again? Why use him even once? You’d be hard pressed to find something positive about any of the plays he was involved in but absolutely could make an argument that his use was wasted opportunity for someone else.
Why Not Give To Hubbard On 4th and 1?
This ties the first two questions together. Trailing 21-14, with eight minutes left in the game, Gundy made the decision to go for it and put Spencer Sanders in the game. Perhaps it was a wrong read but the freshman quarterback ended up with the ball in his hands on a play that was stopped for no gain. Why not just line up and run Hubbard at them? This is where I remind you that Chuba averaged 8.3 yards per carry on the night.
What’s Up With The Cash On The Sidelines?
OK – This is a bonus question. Following Braydon Johnson’s first touchdown of the game several players appeared to give him cash when he returned to the sideline.
Yeah, we’re going to need an explanation for that.
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