What we learned about Oklahoma State football, Spencer Sanders in Fiesta Bowl win vs. Notre Dame
Jacob Unruh
Oklahoman
GLENDALE, Ariz. —
Spencer Sanders won’t call it a bounceback.
Nearly a month after throwing four interceptions and nearly leading Oklahoma State to a comeback win in the Big 12 title game, Sanders responded with perhaps his best performance to date.
He threw for 371 yards and four touchdowns. He rushed for 125 yards. He was the
Fiesta Bowl MVP in the wild 37-35 rally past No. 5-ranked Notre Dame.
“Really, I just did my job,” Sanders said. “I did my small part in this offense.”
Give Sanders his due, though.
His job in the offense is not small, and he performed at an elite level while putting a huge exclamation point on a 12-2 season that will leave OSU with a top-10 finish in the polls.
“I’m excited for him and excited for the direction that he’s going and moving forward,”
OSU offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn said.
Sanders and the Cowboys’ offense started slow. They had just 11 yards on the first three possessions and Notre Dame’s offense was rolling.
Quickly, it was 28-7 in the second quarter.
But the Cowboys literally went faster, overwhelming Notre Dame with tempo. And Sanders got better.
“They were bigger and longer than us on both sides of the ball — on offensive and defensive line — and when we played fast they didn’t get to sink their cleats in the ground and they didn’t get to use that length,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said.
“So, it gave (Sanders) more time to throw the ball and it allowed him to make quick decisions when at times they were struggling to get lined up. That made him a better football player.”
Sanders’ biggest moments came in the comeback.
He orchestrated a four-play 75-yard touchdown drive in just 39 seconds before half.
Sanders then picked up his teammates in the locker room. He continued leading.
“Super proud of him,” OSU offensive lineman Josh Sills said. “He’s got a super-bright future, works his ass off every day. He just puts his head down and grinds, you know, good, bad or ugly.”
But Sanders did have one major mistake.
He fumbled late in the game when OSU seemed to driving for a score that would clinch the game. Notre Dame’s last touchdown made it a two-point game, but OSU finally sealed the game when
Jason Taylor II caught the onside kick with one hand.
Sanders pointed that out quickly in postgame. But it was not enough to damper his big day.
“There’s no question that my heart broke for him when he fumbled it at the end of the game,” Gundy said. “I just didn’t want that to end for him that way because of the game that he had played.”
Tay Martin rebounds from drops in huge way
Tay Martin couldn’t put it into words.
After two straight drops, the Cowboys’ super-senior receiver was upset. It was mental mistakes that cost him, but it also hurt his team.
He had to be better.
And he was.
“I’m a vet, so I’ve been through those situations numerous times, so I know it’s the next play,” Martin said.
Martin had 10 receptions for 104 yards, eclipsing 1,000 yards on the season. More importantly, he scored three touchdowns — all after the two straight drops.
And he had the big touchdown reception just before halftime, a swing of momentum and the moment he realized he was going to be OK after the drops.
“I could care less,” Sanders said about the drops. “I don’t throw the perfect pass every time. I’m not complaining. I said, ‘Hey, we’re going to come back and get it right.’ And look what he did — he came back and he fought hard. I don’t think he dropped another one.”
Brennan Presley delivers again in bowl game
Brennan Presley was amped up.
Blame it on the early caffeine or the candy he brought to postgame. But really, it’s all due to another huge bowl game.
For the second straight season, Presley shined in a bowl game.
A year ago in the Cheez-It Bowl, he caught seven passes for 118 yards and three TDs, a breakout performance.
Saturday, he was huge with 10 receptions for a career-best 137 yards.
He was especially key in the drive before halftime. Presley caught two straight passes of 13 and 41 yards.
It was a drive OSU practiced over and over the past three weeks.
“We knew we needed a big drive,” Presley said.
LD Brown returns
OSU veteran running back LD Brown had not carried the ball since Sept. 18 due to an injury.
Finally, he was back on the field.
That led to the 1-2 punch OSU hoped it would have all season with Brown and Jaylen Warren.
Brown the speedster. Warren the hammer.
“(That) was great,” Dunn said. “I told LD before this thing started I was so excited for how he worked back through his injury and put himself in position through rehab to help us in this game.”
Brown carried the ball just three times for 27 yards. But he had a huge 22-yard run.
Warren also rushed for 82 yards on 19 carries.
Jabbar Muhammad, Korie Black step up
OSU’s young cornerbacks are growing up.
With super-senior Christian Holmes dealing with a hand injury, sophomore Jabbar Muhammad was forced into more action.
And he held his own.
He had eight tackles and two pass breakups.
“We all just practice like 1s,” Muhammad said. “I’m with you guys, I didn’t know I was going to be out there that much either. But we all prepare like 1s and that was the outcome.”
Extra points
OSU offensive lineman Hunter Anthony entered the transfer portal last month but was allowed to finish out the season. And he played one big final role. Wearing No. 33, the 6-foot-6, 320-pound redshirt junior from Tuttle, entered the game in the fourth quarter as a fullback. He helped block as Sanders converted a fourth-and-inches play with a quarterback sneak. ...
Safety Tre Sterling announced on Twitter after the game that he was declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft.
