No. 23 Oklahoma State scored 27 unanswered points spanning the halves to rally for a 43-30 victory over host Houston on Saturday.
The Cowboys (8-3, 6-2 Big 12) posted 501 yards of offense in the comeback effort.
Oklahoma State trailed 23-9 with 4:16 remaining in the first half but scored 10 points in a span of 90 seconds to gain momentum heading into halftime.
Cowboys quarterback Alan Bowman hit Leon Johnson III with a 21-yard scoring strike and, after forcing Houston into a three-and-out, Alex Hale kicked a 21-yard field goal with no time left to trail 23-19 at halftime.
A pair of 6-yard touchdown runs by Ollie Gordon II in the third quarter gave the Cowboys a 33-23 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Gordon rushed for 164 yards and had three TD runs.
Hale connected for a 44-yarder to give the Cowboys a 36-23 lead with 9:45 remaining.
Dylan Smith broke Houston’s scoring drought with a 31-yard touchdown run with 7:30 remaining.
Gordon scored again, this time from 3 yards out, to push OSU’s advantage to 43-30 with 2:19 left.
The Cougars turned it over on downs with 1:29 remaining.
Bowman finished with 348 yards passing and two touchdowns against an interception, a pick-six. Brennan Presley had 15 catches for 189 yards for the Cowboys.
The Cougars took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on Isaiah Hamilton’s 57-yard interception return. After a Hale 46-yard FG, Houston quarterback Donovan Smith hit Jonah Wilson with a 60-yard TD bomb for the 14-3 lead after one period.
Bowman connected with Jaden Bray on a 23-yard scoring strike but the PAT was blocked.
Houston went up 21-9 on Smith’s 28-yard TD pass to Joseph Manjack IV. A safety gave Houston a 23-9 lead with 4:16 remaining until halftime.
Smith finished 17-of-29 passing for 235 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Houston.
–Field Level Media
