In a game full of fitting colors on Halloween, it was the burnt orange of the Texas Longhorns that topped the orange-and-black of the No. 6 Oklahoma State Cowboys in a 41-34 upset victory in Stillwater.
Oklahoma State led by as many as 11 in the second half, and took a five-point lead into the final five minutes of regulation, but Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger rolled out to avoid the blitz and connected with Jake Smith for a go-ahead touchdown on 4th-and-7. It was the Longhorns’ second fourth-down conversion on the drive (actually the third fourth-down “conversion” of the drive if we include a roughing-the-kicker call on a 4th-and-22).
In overtime, Ehlinger threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Moore on the opening drive. Oklahoma State go their chance on offense, but Joseph Ossai sacked Cowboys quarterback Spencer Sanders on 4th-and-8 to end the game.
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The Longhorns also got a big touchdown through special teams, with this 100-yard kickoff return to the house from D’Shawn Jamison in the third quarter:
Ehlinger has been an outstanding duel-threat quarterback in his senior season for Texas, throwing for 20 touchdowns and adding seven touchdowns on the ground. He’s the first quarterback in Texas history to have 20 passing touchdowns through six games of a season, and he’s particularly been productive late in games.
And it’s the Longhorns’ first road victory over a top-10 team since they took down No. 5 Nebraska in 2010.
Texas improves to 4-2 on the season and 3-2 in Big 12 play. They host West Virginia (also 4-2) next week in Austin.
As for Oklahoma State, this is a big hit to their College Football Playoff chances, and now they have consecutive games against ranked teams on the road (No. 16 Kansas State, followed by No. 24 Oklahoma).
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.