A Fiesta Bowl victory that once seemed almost certain for Notre Dame suddenly is in doubt. Oklahoma State came out for the second half looking like the team that was better prepared. The result is a 21-point Irish lead that has given way to a 31-28 Cowboys advantage at the end of the third quarter.
Spencer Sanders walked onto the field like he was completely in tune with his receivers. He completed one pass after another while facing little resistance from the Irish’s defense. For the second drive in a row, he hit Tay Martin for a touchdown, this one from 5 yards out. The Irish from most of the first half were nowhere to be found on this possession.
Both teams then went three-and-out. The Irish did a little better on the drive that followed that sequence, advancing from their own 15-yard line to midfield. However, it ended with a Jay Bramblett punt, which has happened all too often in this game. While he pinned the Cowboys at the 11, it didn’t matter because Sanders masterfully orchestrated another long drive that ended with the game-tying 8-yard touchdown pass to Martin, his third of the game.
Things went from bad to worse as the Irish’s offense once again could not get anything going against a vaunted Cowboys defense that had rediscovered itself. Xavier Watts was whistled for a kick-catch interference on the ensuing punt to give the Cowboys a short field. Martin then drew a pass interference against Clarence Lewis, bringing the Pokes even closer to the end zone. Somehow, the Irish’s defense stepped up to turn what looked like another touchdown drive into a go-ahead 38-yard field goal from Tanner Brown.
Unbelievable.