OSU Haunts Tech With 2nd Half Comeback, 70-53

What should have been a game well in hand and a lead too great to overcome, turned into a nightmare for Tech fans as they saw a 17-0 and 31-14 leads fade with the afternoon sun. How did we get to this point? It is a tale that chills the heart...

1st Quarter:

Texas Tech would jump out to a 14 point lead right off the bat.

Oh yeah... ho, hum... Jakeem did this to set up the second score...

Oklahoma State looked slow and confused on both sides of the ball and down 14, needing an answer, Dakota Allen would intercept Mason Rudolph's pass to set up a short field. Tech would add a field goal to go up 17-0.

With the OSU offense sputtering, Tech's D looking great, Mike Gundy would dial what seems like one trick play after another and finally, a pass from WR Blake Jarwin would connect with Austin Hays for a TD to get OSU on the board.

Tech would answer immediately with a Jakeem Grant 101 yard kickoff return for a TD to get Tech back up 24-7.

OSU would show signs of life as they would go 82 yards on 9 plays to get back to a 10 point game at 24-14 as Rudolph hits Hays for his 2nd TD reception of the game.

End of 1st Qtr: Texas Tech 24.... Oklahoma St. 14

2nd Quarter:

Tech would open the 2nd quarter with a score from Mahomes to Grant to put Tech up 31-14. Then the game changed. Every VTM writer commented that this might cost us the game. On a screen pass read perfectly, Jah'Shawn Johnson would tackle David Glidden with perfect technique breaking up the pass. But because their helmets glanced each other... Johnson was called for targeting and ejected from the game. Two plays later, OSU would score and cut the lead to 31-21. The defense never looked quite the same after that.

On the following possession, Tech would be forced to punt and OSU would repay in kind by going 64 yards on 7 plays to get within three at 31-28.

Tech would answer with a Mahomes QB sneak from the 1 to make it 38-28 with 0:46 left in the half. Tech would hold OSU there and enter the half with a 10 point lead.

Halftime: Texas Tech 38.... Oklahoma St 28

3rd Quarter:

Coming out of the half, the nightmare began. Not where you would think, on defense, but on offense. OSU would get the ball to start the half and promptly be forced to punt. Tech, too, would be forced to punt, but Michael Barden, not Taylor Symmank would be the punter and would muff the punt and would turn it over on downs, deep in Tech territory.

A normal Tech D would fold, but today that stand strong, forcing another punt. However, despite the chance to put OSU away for good, the offense just can't get going. Another punt forthcoming by Barden would turn into a punt TD return by Jalen McCleskey for 67 yards and getting OSU back to within 3.

Tech again would be forced to punt, just gaining 3 yards in 3 plays that drive. Once again, the Tech D would hold and force an OSU punt. Sensing the urgency, Tech would drive 40 yards and face a 4th and 1 from the OSU 33. Mahomes would fumble the snap and OSU would take over on downs.

After giving Tech's offense multiple opportunities to take control of the game, Tech's D finally shows some wear, succumbing to a Raymond Taylor 28 yard TD run to give OSU their first lead of the game 42-38.

End of 3rd Qtr: Texas Tech 38.... Oklahoma St 42

4th Quarter:

Having to get a score, Tech marches down the field but gone are the trademark quick strikes as this drive takes over 4 minutes as Mahomes would connect with Ian Sadler for 20 yards to give Tech the lead 45-42.

OSU wastes no time going 65 yards in 2 plays as JW Walsh would break a run for 64 yards to the Tech 1 and then score on the next play. OSU leads 49-45.

As Tech drives in what has become a back in forth affair, Mahomes overthrows his reciver and is intercepted by Michael Hunter. OSU would drive 93 yards in 3 plays to go up 56-45.

Another 4 minute plus drive for Tech would see DeAndre Washington score from 4 yards out to get back 56-51. Tech would go for two and convert as Mahomes would hit Jonathan Giles to get Tech within a FG, 56-53.

That would be the end of the scoring for Tech and OSU would pull away adding another 2 play 75 yard TD drive and pick 6 off of Mahomes to seal the victory for OSU.

FINAL: Texas Tech 53.... Oklahoma ST 70

Game Notes:

Tech had 32 first downs to OSU's 29

Tech was 10-17 on 3rd down and only 1-3 on 4th down

OSU outgained Tech 662 to 642 in total yards

Tech won time of possession 32:12 to 27:48

Mahomes would turn the ball over 3 times, 2 INTs and a fumble

Jakeem Grant had 324 all-purpose yards. 204 coming in the 1st quarter alone.

Prediction vs. Reality

My Prediction: Texas Tech 38 - Oklahoma St 28 (8-1, 5-1)

Reality: This one hurts more than the TCU loss. Giving up two 17 point leads and losing by 17 is just an epic letdown. Nothing about OSU made you think they were better than Tech and especially not 17 points better. It's one thing to lose from the get or lose a back and forth... but it's another to lose while dominating in the 1st half. With Iowa State shutting out Texas, TCU destroying WVU and K-State still sputtering... 8-4 regular season is still a very strong possibility, as is 9 wins with a bowl win for the first time since 2009.

You can find my full season predictions here.

Post Game Conference

Kliff Kingsbury

Players:

Next Week: vs. West Virgina at Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, 11 am kickoff.

As always, tell us what you thought of the game. The good and the bad and what needs to happen going into next week. You can send questions for the mailbag to me on twitter @avcoachsmith or in the comments below, titled Mailbag. You can also submit questions for the podcast and we will answer them on Sunday.