Archives > Sports > Schools
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
Cowboy Up: Oklahoma State torches Purdue in Heart of Dallas Bowl.
By Townsend Keller, Special to the Courier-Gazette
DALLAS -- At a gray, rainy Cotton Bowl Stadium, the Oklahoma State Cowboys lit up the Purdue Boilermakers, 58-14, Tuesday in a Heart of Dallas Bowl dominated by the Pokes offensive firepower.
"Obviously, a very good game for our team," said Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State head coach. "Our players competed and had really good preparation over the last three weeks. We did a great job taking care of the football, forced turnovers and took advantage of those turnovers."
"We just ran into a very good football team today," added Patrick Higgins, Purdue interim head coach. "As you know, when you play a quality opponent like Oklahoma State, turn the ball over five times and don't take advantage of your opportunities, the game can turn out like this."
On the defensive side, the Collin County connection included two players who were key components of the Cowboy defense. Sophomore linebacker and Plano East alum Lyndell Johnson entered the game with 24 tackles (6.5 for loss), two sacks, two interceptions, one pass defended, one fumble recovered through the regular season. Junior linebacker Caleb Lavey of Celina accounted for 51 tackles (6 for loss), 0.5 sacks and one forced fumble. Allen sophomore Cody Phillips was also present for Tuesday's contest.
"It was good to get to come back home," Lavey said. "It was fun being back home and getting to see everybody."
From Purdue (6-7), sophomore defensive end Ryan Russell, formerly of Carrollton Creekview, has been a defensive bastion for the Boilermakers, with 30 tackles (7.5 for loss), three sacks, one pass defended and one fumble recovered in the regular season. Freshmen Jordan Roos of Celina and J.J. Prince of Southlake Carroll are also Boilermakers.
"I was excited to come back to Dallas," Roos said. "I was pretty pumped up about it."
Purdue was in prime position to strike first, with junior punter Cody Webster catching the Cowboy defense off-guard by rushing for 16 yards on a fake punt to convert a fourth down.
"When they faked that punt on their own 13, they certainly got our attention that they'd be willing to do anything," Gundy said. "Nice call on their part. Not very good preparation on ours."
It would be the only bright spot for Purdue until the third quarter as the Cowboys reeled off seven unanswered scoring drives. They would score on all but three of their offensive drives the entire game.
The first two Cowboy touchdowns were both through the arm of junior quarterback Clint Chelf. Throwing strikes to juniors Charlie Moore and Blake Jackson on consecutive drives of 81 and 74 yards, respectively, gave Oklahoma State a quick 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter would be more of the same. A one-play change of quarterback to redshirt freshman J.W. Walsh didn't stop the Cowboy scoring spree as he connected with redshirt freshman Jeremy Seaton on a 16-yard strike on fourth-and-one.
Junior Jeremy Smith recorded a 5-yard touchdown run to put the score at 28-0 at the half.
Lavey recorded a sack of Purdue senior quarterback Robert Marve on the ensuing Boilermaker drive. Russell responded by taking down Chelf on Oklahoma State's final possession of the half to stem the tide of scoring.
"[The Oklahoma State offense] executed in all phases of the game," said Kawann Short, Purdue senior. "It was up to the defensive line to make the disruption and we didn't do it. They took advantage of it."
The second half started in disastrous fashion for Purdue as Oklahoma State junior Justin Gilbert stripped Boilermaker junior O.J. Ross. Junior Daytawion Lowe took the fumble 37 yards back to the house for the Cowboys. It was the first defensive touchdown for Oklahoma State this season.
"As far as our defense, when we get turnovers, we're a different team," Lowe said.
After a Quinn Sharp 20-yard field goal and Chelf connecting with senior Isaiah Anderson on a 37-yard strike, the Pokes found themselves with a comfortable 45-0 lead. Purdue finally found reprieve with 18 seconds left in the third quarter as Marve connected with sophomore Brandon Cottam on a 32-yard touchdown pass.
A pair of Sharp field goals from 21 and 42 yards and receiver Blake Webb catching a 37-yard scoring strike from Walsh capped off the Cowboys' prolific scoring at 58, the highest at the Cotton Bowl and Heart of Dallas Bowl history.
Marve would give Purdue a consolation score late in the game, a 16-yard pass to senior Tommie Thomas, to bring the final score to 58-14. Russell led all Purdue defenders with seven solo tackles, a tackle for loss and a sack while senior Akeem Shavers led all rushers with 14 attempts for 93 yards.
Chelf was voted bowl MVP after completing 17-of-22 for 197 yards and three touchdowns. Anderson led all targets with 78 yards and a touchdown on five catches.
"Extremely surreal," Chelf said. "It's a symbol of the guys around me. Offensive line played well today, defensive, receivers, good punt return, defense kept giving us a short field. We tried to capitalize on that."
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: Mckinney Christian «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
