Baylor Ground Game Wears Down Cowboys in Waco

Oklahoma State’s football team surrendered 343 rushing yards to Baylor and the Bears beat the Cowboys 38-28 at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday.

The loss marks OSU’s fifth straight defeat, the first time that’s happened since 2014, and it’s their first 0-5 start in conference play since 2005.

Baylor totaled 565 yards in total offense, the fourth time this season OSU has given up at least 500 yards of total offense.

It’s the third time in four weeks the Cowboys have given up at least 300 yards rushing.

Baylor’s Dawson Pendergrass had 142 yards rushing on just six carries, and the clinching touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Bears quarterback Sawyer Robertson was 11-for-19 for 222 yards and three touchdowns and rain for a score as well.

OSU’s offense could not keep up, but receiver Brennan Presley was the star for the Cowboys on that side, with 15 catches for 183 yards, his second highest yardage total of his career, and one catch off his single game high for receptions.

Ollie Gordon had 77 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown, while quarterback Alan Bowman was 28-for-42 for 359 yards, with a touchdown and interception.

Baylor got the ball to start the game and got a 38-yard pass from Sawyer Robertson to Michael Trigg, but the Bears turned the ball over on downs.

OSU responded with their own big play, with Alan Bowman passing to Da’Wain Lofton for a gain of 56 yards to the Baylor 11.

The Cowboys had to settle for a 45-yard field goal by Logan Ward and led 3-0 with 10:00 to play in the first quarter.

Baylor got their own big play in response, as Robertson passed deep to Hal Presley for 53 yards to the OSU 29-yard line.

The Cowboys held from there and the Bears settled for a 30-yard field goal by Isaiah Hankins to tie the game at 3-3 with 5:55 left in the first quarter.

OSU lost a yard on their next possession and had to punt.

Baylor moved into Cowboy territory, but Robertson was intercepted by Kobe Hylton, who returned it 25 yards to the OSU 31-yard line.

On the first play of the second quarter, Bowman passed to Brennan Presley for a gain of 26 yards.

OSU appeared to be on their way to a score, but Ollie Gordon had the ball knocked out by Matt Jones and Baylor’s Steve Linton recovered at the Bears’ 1-yard line.

Baylor then went 99 yards in just four plays to take the lead.

On the first play, Dawson Pendergrass gained 48 yards on a run.

Two plays later, Pendergrass gained 39 yards.

The next play was a 12-yard touchdown pass from Robertson to Hal Presley and the Bears led 10-3 with 12:42 to play in the second quarter.

OSU responded with a 75-yard drive in seven plays.

Bowman passed to Rodney Fields for a gain of 21 yards.

On 3rd and 5, Bowman threw a screen pass in the left flat to Presley, who avoided a tackle for a loss and sprinted 33 yards for a touchdown, tying the game 10-10 with 9:22 to play in the first half.

Baylor answered by going 73 yards in six plays to regain th elead.

The Bears capped the drive when Robertson passed to Matthew Klopfenstein for a one-yard touchdown to make it 17-10 Baylor with 6:28 remaining in the second quarter.

The two teams exchanged punts and then OSU put together a scoring drive, going 64 yards in 10 plays to tie it.

It appeared the Cowboys were forced to punt, but they didn’t bring a punter on to the field, and hiked the ball to Trent Howland, who gained six yards for a first down.

On the drive, Bowman passed to Presley for gains of 16, 12, and 16 yards, then Ollie Gordon finished with a two-yard touchdown run to make it 17-17 with 18 seconds left in the first half.

Both teams lost yardage on their first possessions of the second half, OSU losing 13, and Baylor 16, with both teams forced to punt after three downs.

On the Cowboys’ next possession, Bowman found Cale Cabbiness for a gain of 46 yards, but the play was nullified by a penalty for an ineligible player down field, and OSU was forced to punt again.

Baylor took just three plays to go 57 yards to regain the lead.

Robertson passed to Ashtyn Hawkins, who made a leaping catch inside the 5-yard line for a 33-yard touchdown and the Bears led 24-17 with 8:32 left in the third quarter.

OSU responded with a score.

Bowman found Rashod Owens for a gain of 47 yards to the Baylor 11-yard line.

The Cowboys had a third and 1 from the Baylor 2, but were called for a delay of game penalty.

On third and 6, Bowman passed to Ollie Gordon, but he was tackled for a loss of two.

The Cowboys settled for a 26-yard field goal from Ward to cut Baylor’s lead to 24-20 with 2:49 to play in the third quarter.

The two teams exchanged punts and Baylor took over on their own five yard line.

The Bears went 95 yards in eight plays to extend their lead.

Sawyer Robertson scrambled up the middle and went untouched for a 41-yard touchdown to make it 31-20 Bears with 8:55 to play.

The Cowboys answered with an important scoring drive, going 75 yards in 11 plays.

OSU converted a fourth and four on a 10-yard pass from Bowman to Presley.

Gordon finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to make it 31-26.

The Cowboys went for two points, and Gordon passed to Presley, who tipped the ball and then caught it for the conversion, cutting the Baylor lead to 31-28 with 4:51 to play.

Baylor responded with a 4-play, 75-yard drive to get the lead back to double digits.

Pendergrass appeared to be stopped after a four yard gain, but he escaped a tackle attempt by Kody Walterscheid, and rumbled 55 yards for a touchdown, making it 38-28 Bears with 3:06 to play.

The Cowboys tried to rally again, but on fourth and 10, Bowman had a deep pass intercepted by LeVar Thornton and returned 14 yards to the Baylor 25.

Baylor ran out the clock to end the game.

OSU had won two straight games in Waco, and three straight regular season games overall vs. the Bears.

The Cowboys fall to 3-5 on the season, and will host Arizona State next Saturday at 6:00 pm.

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