Oklahoma State football grades vs. Houston: Cowboys show resliency in rally past Cougars
Jacob UnruhThe Oklahoman
Oklahoma State appeared to be on the wrong end of a boulder rolling downhill and picking up speed.
Until it wasn’t.
The 23rd-ranked Cowboys overpowered Houston 43-30 Saturday night on the road behind a huge second half to remain firmly in the Big 12 title game picture.
OSU (8-3, 6-2 Big 12) has won six of its last seven games.
Let’s get to the grades from the huge win:
Resilient Cowboys find a way to play from behind
Grade: A+These Cowboys have struggled to play from behind this season. Just look at losses to South Alabama and UCF.
But they fell behind 14-3 and 23-9 in the first half. Perhaps that could have meant danger any other week.
Instead, the Cowboys responded with 27 straight points, scoring on four straight drives. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Houston extended a drive, allowing OSU to gain momentum.
In the third quarter alone, OSU out-gained Houston 180-25. The Cowboys’ defense forced three punts.
Resiliency is the perfect word to describe the response — and the season — for the Cowboys.
Bryan Nardo wins battle against Dana Holgorsen
Grade: CA week ago, first-year defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo never adjusted to Gus Malzahn’s offense.
Against another dynamic offensive mind in Houston coach Dana Holgorsen, Nardo responded better.
Things still got off to a rocky start.
Houston jumped to a 14-3 start in the first quarter. The Cougars led by 23-9 in the second quarter.
Big plays were an issue. So was Houston quarterback Donovan Smith.
Yet, it was an interception by Trey Rucker that flipped the game around. The Cowboys were able to get within 23-19 by halftime.
And Nardo’s defense went to work.
He unleashed more pressure with a four-man rush.
Collin Oliver sacked Smith on the first drive of the third quarter. That was in the middle of seven straight empty drives for the Cougars, who punted six times around the interception.
Though it wasn’t pretty to begin the game, it was quite a response by the young coordinator.
Less than 100%, Ollie Gordon still shines
Grade: AA week ago, Ollie Gordon II’s Heisman dreams fell apart. But that doesn’t mean Gordon shouldn’t have been in the conversation.
Just ask Houston.
Even with him favoring his right leg throughout the game, Gordon was nearly unstoppable.
He scored three touchdowns — all in the second half — and rushed for 164 yards on 25 carries. And despite the odds, he appeared to get stronger the more his ankle bothered him.
It’s safe to say that after a one-week misfire, Gordon is back.
Alan Bowman shaky at first before settling in
Grade: BOSU fans saw the good and the bad from Bowman.
First, the bad: An interception on a screen pass that appeared to float and/or be off target to Gordon. Houston’s Isaiah Hamilton returned it for a touchdown. It put OSU in a quick hole. This came after Bowman threw three interceptions a week ago.
He also fumbled a high snap. Though, he did recover it.
But there was also a lot of good.
Start with his totals: He completed 29 of 43 passes for 348 yards and two touchdowns. He had a near-flawless connection with Brennan Presley, who fell a catch shy of a school record.
Still, arguably the biggest thing Bowman did was earn two penalties by Houston for having too many players on the field as they tried to substitute.
Both helped set up touchdowns.
Alex Hale remains on point, but Cowboys’ special teams struggle
Grade: D+OSU kicker Alex Hale made three field goals, two from 44 or more yards. But that might be the only good news from a normally stout unit.
The Cowboys committed too many penalties on special teams — a block in the back that brought back a 24-yard punt return by Brennan Presley and a roughing the kicker penalty on a punt by Parker Robertson that extended a Houston drive.
And an extra-point kick by Hale was also blocked.
OSU’s Nick Martin remains a defensive force
Grade: AEarlier this season, I asked OSU coach Mike Gundy if Nick Martin had a performance similar to former Cowboy Malcolm Rodriguez in 2021. Gundy all but told me to settle down.
But my point stands.
Martin is rapidly becoming an elite linebacker and his rise cannot be talked about enough.
“The Missile” had a team-high 12 tackles for his fifth game with double-digit stops to add to his Big 12-leading total. He had a sack, his sixth of the season.
He was seemingly all over the field and Houston could do little to keep him away from the football.
