Cameron Epps picked off two Will Howard first-half passes, including a pick-6, as Oklahoma State knocked off Kansas State 29-21 Friday night in Stillwater, Okla.
Ollie Gordon II rushed for 136 yards against the K-State defense that came into the game ranked sixth in FBS in rushing defense. Alan Bowman was 19-of-35 for 235 yards for Oklahoma State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12).
But it was Epps, Nickolas Martin and the defense that shined for the Cowboys. Martin led OSU with 16 tackles and a pick. The Cowboys held Will Howard to 15-of-34 for 152 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions for Kansas State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12).
OSU’s Alex Haletied his career-long with a 53-yard field goal to open the second-half scoring. K-State then marched deep into O-State territory but turned it over on downs. The Cowboys responded with another Hale field goal.
Treshaun Ward’s 11-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter cut it to 26-15. Howard scored the 2-point conversion. The Cowboys got Hale’s fifth field goal after K-State failed on fourth-and-3 on its own 26-yard line.
Howard’s 6-yard touchdown run cut it to a one-score game. K-State stopped the Cowboys on back-to-back drives, taking over at their own 25 with 3:00 left. But the Wildcats couldn’t get past midfield.
After holding K-State to its first opening drive without a touchdown this season, Oklahoma State scored its first opening-drive touchdown. Ollie Gordon punched it in from the 2-yard line to cap a 15-play, 72-yard drive. The Cowboys were 3-for-3 on third downs on the drive.
On the next drive, Epps picked off Howard, the fifth straight game Howard has thrown a first-half interception. The Cowboys could not capitalize, but after another three-and-out, a Hale 43-yard field goal gave them a 10-0 lead.
The Wildcats finally got on the board on a 1-yard pass from Howard to Ben Sinnott. Out of an empty backfield with trips to the left, Howard went around the right side and raced untouched 70 yards to the 1-yard line two plays earlier.
Hale’s 34-yard field goal with 0:55 left in the quarter gave the Cowboys a 13-7 lead. Epps then grabbed his second interception of the half and returned it for a touchdown and a 20-7 halftime lead.
The Cowboys have won eight of the last nine meetings in Stillwater.
—Field Level Media