Oklahoma State Cowboys vs Texas Longhorns Match Player Stats On Sep 26, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Sep 26, 2015

AUSTIN, Texas -- Oklahoma State kicker Ben Grogan nailed a 40-yard field goal with six seconds left to lift the struggling and mistake-prone 24th-ranked Cowboys to a 30-27 victory against Texas on Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

For the second week in a row, a special teams gaffe in the final seconds cost the Longhorns a chance to get into overtime.

On Sept. 19 against Cal, kicker Nick Rose missed a PAT that would have tied the game and Texas A&M lost 45-44. On Saturday, punter Michael Dickson, working at his 24-yard line with 42 seconds left, dropped a snap and corralled it just long enough to get off a kick that went minus-6 yards, giving Oklahoma State a final chance for Grogan's winning field goal.

The game was billed as a potential shootout, but it came down to which team made the fewest mistakes -- or the last mistake.

Texas (1-3, 0-1 Big 12) forced three turnovers, two of which were returned for touchdowns -- a 34-yard fumble return by defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway and a 41-yard interception by defensive back Holton Hill.

But the Longhorns had a hard time getting out of their own way as well, as penalties nullified two touchdowns and erased an interception deep in Oklahoma State territory -- all in the first 32 minutes.

Oklahoma State (4-0, 1-0) rolled to touchdowns on its first two possessions, culminating its drives with a 17-yard pass from Mason Rudolph to wide receiver Brandon Sheperd and a 4-yard keeper by backup quarterback J.W. Walsh.

Texas answered with a pair of field goals by Rose, from 41 and 46 yards, before the game turned toward the Longhorns with a huge gaffe by Rudolph.

Working at his 45-yard line early in the second quarter, Rudolph dropped the football while setting up to pass and without getting hit. The loose ball bounced straight to Ridgeway, who stepped through a tackle attempt by Rudolph and rumbled to a 34-yard TD return that brought the Longhorns to within 14-13.

After a 34-yard field goal from Grogan pushed the Oklahoma State lead back to 17-13, the Longhorns took possession at their 3-yard line.

Texas drove the 97 yards on 12 plays and took a 20-17 lead on a 7-yard keeper by former starting quarterback Tyrone Swoopes, who swept around left end while being escorted by three blockers. The Longhorns ran on nine of the march's 12 plays and went to the second half with a 158-45 advantage in rushing yardage.

Both teams added touchdowns in a rough-and-tumble third quarter. Oklahoma State took a 24-20 advantage on a 1-yard TD pass from Walsh to fullback Jeremy Seaton at the 8:12 mark. The Longhorns reassumed the lead when Hill intercepted Rudolph's pass and returned the pick 41 yards for a score.

NOTES: Texas senior WR Marcus Johnson, who was injured in the season opener against Notre Dame, caught his first pass of the season when Heard hit him with a 47-yard bomb on Texas' second possession. ... Representatives of the Florida Citrus Bowl and scouts from the New York Giants, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns were in the press box at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. ... The Longhorns are 1-3 for the first time since 1956, the year before legendary coach Darrell Royal was hired at Texas.