Telling the story: OSU 37, OU 33

Every play matters in a college football game but some do a better job of explaining the outcome than others. Here are the plays that told the story of Oklahoma State’s 37-33 Bedlam victory over Oklahoma.

No. 7 OSU 37, No. 10 OU 33

Play No. 1: Hall gets OU on track

We begin early in the first quarter after OSU has taken a 7-0 lead. The atmosphere was electric in Boone Pickens Stadium, and OU needed a shot in the arm in a hurry.

Facing a second-and-10 from its 25 yard line, Caleb Williams was able to stay patient with the play and find Jeremiah Hall for a 50-yard gain.

The Sooners were gashing an aggressive OSU defense for most of the first half, especially with the tight ends/H-Backs.

The drive would end with a Brian Darby touchdown reception.

Play No. 2: Stogner appears for first time

Where was this Austin Stogner for the 2021 season? We move forward to the first play of the second quarter with OSU up 14-7.

The Sooners now have a third-and-12 from the OSU 29 yard line. Face it, this was either gonna be a major sack or a touchdown pass.

The Cowboys sent the house, and Williams threw it up for Stogner to go make a play. Using his body, Stogner got in position to snag the 29-yard touchdown.

Play No. 3: Presley takes it to the house

Whoops. Momentum negated. On the ensuing kickoff, there’s Brennan Presley taking it 100 yards for a touchdown.

That Presley name could become a Bedlam staple here going forward. Presley had to break one tackle from Bryan Mead, did so, cut back across the field, and he was gone.

Special teams coverage and returns – add it to the OU list of issues in 2021.

Play No. 4: Woodi’s interception party

Now it’s OSU 24-17 in the final three minutes of the first half, and Spencer Sanders finally came crashing down back to earth.

On a third down pass, he’s intercepted by Woodi Washington. It was the first of two for Washington against Sanders. Washington also got a nice return to set up the Sooners in the red zone.

OU would cash in with a Williams touchdown pass to Brayden Willis to send us to half at 24-24.

Play No. 5: Winfrey eats Richardson

OSU’s first possession of the second half has it pinned back deep, and Perrion Winfrey is about to try to etch his name in Bedlam lore.

Winfrey absolutely demolishes Dominic Richardson, jarring the ball loose. It squirts out backward and is recovered by OSU in the end zone for a safety and gives OU its first lead of the game at 26-24.

Play No. 7: Gray and the opposite of ‘Sooner Magic’

And this is the moment where everybody knew this is what OU has been in 2021. Full of potential but never ever realizing it.

It’s now OU 33-31 with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, and an OSU punt has pinned Eric Gray back to the five yard line.

A lot will be talked about here as to why Gray didn’t just let the ball bounce, hopefully, into the end zone. Instead, he muffed it and was recovered by OSU.

The Cowboys would score three plays later and take a 37-33 lead with 8:54 left in the game.

Play No. 8: Williams with one last grasp of hope

Look, Williams had a rough second half after the OSU defense went to the umbrella zone. But here was your one last hope of the true freshman being something special.

OU takes over at its 20 yard line under a minute and zero timeouts. The passing game is not there, but Williams goes 56 yards on the ground to put the Sooners in a spot to try to do something.

He couldn’t go the full 80, but he did all he could. He was also hit pretty late out of bounds, but no penalty was called.

Play No. 9: Oh, they’re not gonna call that

It’s the one OU fans will be talking about for a long time. On second down, Williams attempts to hit Trevon West in the end zone for the game-winner. West gets mugged, tackled, use your own word, but no penalty is called.

Welp.

“We had some things that didn’t go our way, some calls that didn’t go our way,” captain Isaiah Thomas said. “In all honesty, felt like we were playing against the refs, too. But I mean that’s what happens sometimes when you’re in a road environment. It feels like sometimes that everybody is against you. We have to respond the way we can and the way we know how going into this next game that we have.”