Oklahoma State suffered a heartbreaking 22-19 loss to Utah in their Big 12 opener. Despite a late comeback effort, the Cowboys were unable to overcome the Utes’ strong defensive performance and time-of-possession advantage.
Five Takeaways
Ollie Gordon Needs to Get Going Sooner Rather Than Later: Utah’s Micah Bernard shined against Oklahoma State, setting a new career-high with 182 passing yards. Despite facing a backup quarterback, the Cowboys’ defense struggled to contain Bernard.
Meanwhile, running back Ollie Gordon has yet to fully find his rhythm in 2024. Although he has four touchdowns this season, his average of 64.5 rushing yards and 18.25 attempts per game is below expectations. Gordon hasn’t scored a rushing touchdown in the last two weeks and has been held below 100 rushing yards since the season opener against North Dakota State.
Utah’s Dominant Defense: The Utes’ defense completely shut down Oklahoma State, holding the Cowboys to just 285 total yards and forcing two turnovers. The Cowboys struggled to generate any momentum, going 4-of-15 on third down and suffering two interceptions. Utah’s defensive line applied constant pressure, disrupting the Cowboys’ offensive rhythm. The Utes’ secondary also played exceptionally well, nabbing the two interceptions and limiting the effectiveness of Oklahoma State’s vertical passing game.
While some of Oklahoma State’s offensive woes can be attributed to poor execution, the Utah defense deserves immense credit for their dominant performance.
Quarterback Carousel: The Cowboys’ quarterback situation was a major storyline in the game. Both Alan Bowman and Garret Rangel saw playing time, but neither quarterback was able to consistently move the offense until the late rally. Bowman struggled heavily in the first half and Rangel didn’t do any better, completing only 3 of 11 passes for 31 yards.
In an attempt to spark a change, head coach Mike Gundy made the decision to pull Bowman, hoping that a brief respite from the game would allow him to refocus. The strategy nearly paid off, as Bowman returned to the field and ultimately led the late-game rally. Despite his second-half heroics, Bowman and the Cowboys ultimately fell short in their comeback attempt.
Defensive Struggles: While Oklahoma State’s defense forced three turnovers, two interceptions and a fumble, they struggled to contain Utah’s rushing attack. The Utes’ offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage, allowing them to average 4.8 yards per carry and control the clock for a significant portion of the game.
Utah’s time of possession advantage of 42:26 to 17:34 kept the Cowboys’ offense on the sidelines for extended periods. This obviously limited Oklahoma State’s opportunities to put pressure on the Utah defense. The Utes’ ability to consistently move the chains and control the tempo of the game was possibly their factor leading to victory.
Missed Opportunities: Despite forcing three turnovers, the Cowboys were unable to capitalize on opportunities. All three turnovers resulted in zero points for Oklahoma State.
One particularly frustrating sequence came after the fumble recovery, when the Cowboys turned the ball back over to Utah just three plays later. These missed opportunities, combined with Logan Ward’s missed field goal, ultimately proved to be the difference in the game. The Cowboys had several chances but were unable to capitalize on their opportunities, leaving them with a frustrating three-point loss.
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