Gameday coverage: Second half resurgence lifts Cowboys to Fiesta Bowl win
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Gameday coverage: Second half resurgence lifts Cowboys to Fiesta Bowl win
- The O'Colly Sports Staff
- Jan 2, 2022 Updated 9 hrs ago
GLENDALE, Arizona — Safety Jason Taylor scooped up an onside kick, and in turn scooped up win No. 12 for the Oklahoma State Cowboys this season.
On Saturday, the No. 9 Cowboys defeated the No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 37-35 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, at the Playstation Fiesta Bowl.
Fitting finish: Fiesta Bowl microcosm of Cowboys' 2021 season
- Dean Ruhl, Sports Editor, @the_ruhl_book
- Jan 1, 2022 Updated 9 hrs ago
GLENDALE, Arizona – College football is often overly romanticized.
But, as the football spilled out of Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders’ arm and into those of Notre Dame linebacker Drew White, it only felt fitting the OSU defense had to take the field.
A six-point lead, that existed only because the offense has scored 27 unanswered points, needed to be protected. Less than three minutes remained in the game. The Cowboys, who for the second time had turned the ball over inside the 15-yard line, needed a play to be made. And like they had done all year, OSU called on the defense to do it.
They did.
The defense allowed just four yards and forced a turnover on downs, in one of the most crucial moments of the season. They returned the ball to the offense, and three OSU run plays later the Fighting Irish were forced to burn their timeouts. A Tanner Brown field goal bumped the Cowboys lead to nine.
30 unanswered points.
The Irish would add a touchdown in the closing minutes, avoiding the second half shutout OSU’s defense has become synonymous with dealing out. The Cowboys prevailed in a game OSU coach Mike Gundy called the biggest win in school history. OSU concluded a memorable 12-2 season with a 37-35 win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, after a last-ditch ND onside kick was corralled by safety Jason Taylor.
Because of course it was grabbed by Taylor.
It was only fitting he got it after being a special teams guru the past three seasons at OSU.
“This is clearly the biggest win in the history of the school,” coach Mike Gundy said.
The onside kick wouldn’t have even happened had the defense not adjusted at halftime. A lopsided 28-7 ND lead with less than two minutes remaining before intermission spelled a dismal fate for OSU’s season.
Without former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to make adjustments, a strong suit of his, the Cowboys instead had to rely on defensive line coach Joe Bob Clements to step in.
Having a veteran defense makes adjustments easier, but without Knowles, who consistently was commended for his halftime adaptions, the team opted to go simpler.
“The defensive staff wanted to get more aggressive,” linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez said. “We went to our base calls. It is one of those things where we were throwing punches at the line of scrimmage.”
Offensively, things needed to be changed at the half too. OSU had scored two touchdowns, but outside of an eight-play, 82-yard drive, the Cowboys had been relegated to sending the punt unit out five times in the first half.
The answer to the offensive woes was witnessed in the fleeting moments of the half, as OSU receiver Brennan Presley collected two passes for 54 yards, en route to a late score from receiver Tay Martin.
In the opening drive of the third quarter, Presley would again make a crucial play, the impact unknown at the time. On a third-and-10 play, Sanders threw low toward the sideline, with Presley diving, sliding his arms under the ball and flipping onto his back to make a catch upheld by review.
It would lead to another Sanders-to-Martin touchdown, pulling the Cowboys within a score.
Presley would go on to have 10 catches for 137 yards, a career best.
Because of course Presley would have another great bowl game performance.
It was only fitting he follow up his 118-yard, three-touchdown, Cheez-It Bowl performance with one of the same caliber.
As Presley, Martin (who tied the Fiesta Bowl record for receiving touchdowns at three) and Sanders piloted a suddenly humming and up-tempo offense, the defensive adjustments were paying off.
Notre Dame, who made it clear from the beginning it had no intention of running the ball without starting back Kyren Williams, who declared for the NFL draft weeks ago, opted for short passes with room to collect yards after catch. It allowed ND quarterback Jack Coan to cruise to 342 passing yards and four touchdowns by halftime.
“We got our ass kicked in the first half,” defensive end Brock Martin said.
Coan would still set a Fiesta Bowl record for passing attempts (68), finishing the game with 509 passing yards and five touchdowns, but led a stagnant second half Irish offense.
On the most promising ND drive of the second half, Coan attempted to hit receiver Kevin Austin on a slant route. The ball instead graced the outreached hands of Rodriguez, who intercepted the pass for the second of his career.
Because of course Rodriguez got it.
In his final collegiate game, it was only fitting Rodriguez capped off his All-American season with an interception.
“I’ve had a fun ride,” Rodriguez said. “Just developing and growing with the guys. It is just one of those things where we ended on a W, so I can’t complain about that.”
A goal line fumble by Presley, and ND tight end Michael Mayer snagging seven catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns, kept the Irish within striking distance, but fell a possession short of winning in coach Marcus Freeman’s debut.
Because of course the Cowboys won a tight game.
In the final game of the season, it was only fitting the Cowboys concluded a comeback and finished yet another contest with a one-score victory.
The 37-35 win epitomized what the 2021 season was for OSU. A defense that always answered the call, an offense that found a way to do enough, a key turnover and a close contest. In a season that will be remembered for record-setting performances, the Cowboys saved the best for last.
A 21-point comeback, the largest in school history.
“As I’ve said for a month, we have a logo we can be proud of now at Oklahoma State,” Gundy said. “Got an opportunity to do something special. We take advantage of it and find a way to continue to push forward.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com