Tag: Oklahoma State Cowboys

Oklahoma State QB Alan Bowman to return for a seventh year

Bowman is returning for another run at the Big 12 title.

Cam Rising, Tyler Shough, and Alan Bowman were all quarterbacks who were part of the 2018 recruiting class. Bowman became the latest of the three to announce they would return for a seventh season of college football.

In 2018 Rising signed with Texas before transferring to Utah. Shough was originally with Oregon before transferring to Texas Tech and more recently to Louisville. Bowman started with Texas Tech before a stop in Michigan and then Oklahoma State last season. Bowman hopes to finish what he started in 2023, just falling short of a Big 12 championship.

Bowman announced on X (formerly Twitter), that he just received word that he was granted another year of eligibility.

“Just want to say thanks to all my Oklahoma State teammates, the coaches and fans for helping make the 2023 season the most fun I’ve ever had playing football. Bowman continued, “That said, I just heard back that I was granted another year of eligibility, and we have unfinished business. I love Stillwater and this program, so I’ll be back in 2024 to make a championship run. Go Pokes!”

Oklahoma State finished 10-4 and 7-2 in Big 12 play this past season. Along with Bowman, the Cowboys will have Doak Walker Award winner Ollie Gordon II as well. That is a great start for the 2024 campaign in the new-look conference.

The Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners will officially leave for the SEC on July, 1, when the Big 12 will officially welcome the Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils, Colorado Buffaloes, and Utah Utes. Depending on the schedule, we could see Cam Rising and the Utes face off against fellow seventh-year quarterback Alan Bowman and the Cowboys.

Oklahoma Sooners land two on ESPN’s top 100 college football players list

It was a bounce-back season for the Oklahoma Sooners and they were awarded with two on ESPN’s top 100 college football players list.

The 2023 college football season was a season of redemption for the Oklahoma Sooners. After going 6-7 the year before, the Sooners finished 10-3 this season.

A big part of that was the improvement made by several key players, including two of their best. So, much so that ESPN listed two Sooners on their top 100 college football players list for the 2023 season: [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] and [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag].

Prior to the season, Gabriel was No. 60 on ESPN’s list but finished 2023 at No. 28.

Gabriel has already moved on to Oregon, but he cemented his place as an Oklahoma legend when he became the first OU QB with at least 250 passing yards and 100 rushing yards against Texas, driving the Sooners 75 yards in 1:02 and throwing a 3-yard TD pass to Nic Anderson with 15 seconds left in a 34-30 win. He passed for 3,660 yards, 30 TDs and 6 INTs and ran for 373 yards and 12 touchdowns. — ESPN’s Staff

Stutsman was No. 52 in the preseason, but finished at No. 89.

Stutsman, the Sooners’ leader on defense, led OU in tackles for the second straight year, with 104 total stops, adding 3 sacks, an interception and 2 forced fumbles despite missing half of the Kansas game and all of the Oklahoma State game, both OU losses. He was named a third-team AP All-American and is bypassing the NFL draft and returning to Oklahoma next season, big news for the Sooners. – ESPN’s Staff

That ranking for Stutsman is way too low in my opinion. Also not having [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] on the list is a shame. Several writers for ESPN broke down the top 100 players list, and David Hale believed Stutsman was underrated.

There are a bunch of guys in the bottom half of our list whom I’d have higher, but let me make the case for Oklahoma’s Danny Stutsman. He played in 12 games, had 104 tackles (16 for a loss), two forced fumbles and a pick-six. Moreover, he was the heart, soul and personality of the Sooners’ D, a Brent Venables archetype that, frankly, Oklahoma had too few of. Besides, if you’re being compared to Brian Bosworth, you’re a top-50 player with a bright future either in the NFL or running a small sheriff’s department in a Dr. Pepper-obsessed town outside Tulsa.

He’s right. Stutsman was snubbed as a finalist for the Butkus Award all because of an injury he suffered, and he wasn’t the same the latter half of the season. That still shouldn’t take away from how dominant he was for much of the season.

It also was clear in the second half against the [autotag]Kansas Jayhawks[/autotag] and the full game against the [autotag]Oklahoma State Cowboys[/autotag], the defense was not the same with him not on the field.

It’s probably not a coincidence they lost both of those games with him out although you could argue the defense wasn’t exactly the issue.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

‘It’s been tough’: Gentry Williams continues to battle through injuries

After a strong start to the season, injuries took over for Gentry Williams. But now he hopes to get healthy and finish the year strong.

Through six games, there might not have been a cornerback in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] that was playing better football than [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag]. He had all four of his interceptions in that time span and became a guy teams didn’t want to throw at.

Then at the end of that sixth game, Williams went out with an injury. After that, he was never the same. He tried to give it a go vs. the [autotag]UCF Knights[/autotag] and the [autotag]Oklahoma State Cowboys[/autotag], but in both games, he didn’t look right and didn’t finish the game.

In the final game of the season, he looked healthier but also looked very rusty as well. Williams talked about his season after practice earlier this week.

“It’s been tough,” Williams said. “But the guys in this locker room definitely make it a lot easier for me. I’m battling some things personally, but it doesn’t matter when I get on the field because I want to play for them.”

The Sooners will need him to get healthy, especially with the presumed loss of [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] on the other side of the field. Washington hasn’t officially decided what he’s going to do next season, but all signs point to him heading to the NFL.

We’ll get to see how much this time off has helped guys like Williams when they take the field in the [autotag]Alamo Bowl[/autotag].

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Oklahoma Sooners offer former Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Chris Paul Jr

Oklahoma is the latest to offer former Arkansas linebacker Chris Paul Jr.

Oklahoma’s defensive slide at the end of the season has been the subject of many dialogues people have had about Oklahoma in the aftermath of their 10-2 regular season. The defense was a huge issue early on in the Kansas game, which resulted in a loss. The against Oklahoma State in the first half put the Sooners in a spot where their offense had to be perfect. The offense didn’t do enough to overcome.

Against TCU, the Sooners had major issues covering the middle of the field, and while the offense put up over 60 points on their own, the defense was anything but encouraging.

And as of last night, it looks like one of the best players on the team, Danny Stutsman, will not return, instead choosing to depart OU for the NFL Draft. So, how will Oklahoma continue to reshape its defensive identity while losing a central figure in the middle of the defense?

They can start by landing former Arkansas linebacker Chris Paul Jr., who the Sooners offered Thursday morning.

Paul is a talented linebacker and a former three-star recruit from Georgia. Paul burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2022. Despite starting just two games, he amassed 62 tackles, eight TFLs, and four sacks that season. He was named a second-team freshman All-American by a few media outlets for his efforts.

In 11 games this season, he recorded 74 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. Paul has already received interest from schools such as South Carolina, Texas A&M, Lousiville, Florida State, and Ole Miss. Three crystal balls to Ole Miss have already been entered on 247 Sports. No decision has been made, but the Sooners may have to act fast if they plan to make a add the productive linebacker.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

 

Oklahoma Sooners at No. 12 in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll

The Oklahoma Sooners remained at No. 12 while Oklahoma State dropped a couple of spots after championship weekend.

As championship weekend played out on Saturday, Oklahoma’s hopes of landing in a New Year’s Six bowl were dashed. They weren’t able to move up any higher in the College Football Playoff rankings.

They also remained at No. 12 in the latest US LBM Coaches poll after the conference title games played out.

The group of teams ranked nine through 13 remained in the same spots. Missouri was No. 9, followed by Penn State, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, and LSU.

After their Big 12 title blowout of Oklahoma State, the Texas Longhorns moved up three spots into a tie for No. 4 with the Alabama Crimson Tide, who jumped up four spots after their win over Georgia. The Bulldogs fell to No. 6 after their SEC title loss.

Michigan, Washington, and Florida State each moved up one spot, with the Wolverines taking over the No. 1 spot in the nation.

Oklahoma State, after losing by 28, fell out of the top 20 to No. 21 behind SMU and Liberty, who won their conference title games. The Liberty Flames completed an undefeated season and earned a spot in the Fiesta Bowl against the Oregon Ducks.

For the Sooners, the No. 12 finish marks a strong rebound season for Brent Venables and his program after their 6-7 season a year ago. Still, it could have been better had Oklahoma taken better care of the ball in losses to Kansas and the Cowboys.

The Sooners’ bowl opponent, the Arizona Wildcats, moved up one spot to No. 14 in the latest poll. The Wildcats provide an intriguing opponent with an offense and defense that rank in the top 25 in both scoring offense and scoring defense.

If Oklahoma can complete the season with a win in the Alamo Bowl, the Sooners will likely go into the 2024 season inside the top 25.

Here is the full US LBM Coaches Poll.

Rank Team Record Points Change
1 Michigan 13-0 1535 (51) +1
2 Washington 13-0 1,482 (8) +1
3 Florida State 13-0 1358 +1
4 (tie) Texas 12-1 1351 +3
4 (tie) Alabama 12-1 1351 +4
6 Georgia 12-1 1275 -5
7 Ohio State 11-1 1187 –1
8 Oregon 11-2 1092 -3
9 Missouri 10-2 1023 –
10 Penn State 10-2 952 –
11 Ole Miss 10-2 932 –
12 Oklahoma 10-2 898 –
13 LSU 9-3 796 –
14 Arizona 9-3 642 +1
15 Louisville 10-3 642 -1
16 Notre Dame 9-3 633 –
17 Iowa 10-3 426 –
18 North Carolina State 9-3 423 +2
19 SMU 11-2 375 +5
20 Liberty 13-0 315 +2
21 Oklahoma State 9-4 299 -2
22 Oregon State 8-4 295 -1
23 Tennessee 8-4 226 –
24 Tulane 11-2 139 -6
25 James Madison 11-1 114 –

Others Receiving Votes

Clemson 107; Troy 66; Kansas State 64; Utah 36; Kansas 17; West Virginia 8; Miami (OH) 8; Toledo 7; Boise State 7; San Jose State 3; New Mexico State 1

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Best images of the Longhorns’ 4th Big 12 championship

A look at the best images of Texas’ win over Oklahoma State in the Big 12 title game.

The Texas Longhorns secured the Big 12 title on Saturday, their fourth since joining the conference in 1996.

WWE Hall of Famer and Texas super fan the Undertaker was in attendance as he awarded QB Quinn Ewers with a custom-made title belt for his performance in the game. Ewers set a Big 12 title game record with 452 yards and tied a record with four touchdown passes, all coming in the first half.

Once the Longhorns offense got rolling and watching Oklahoma State’s offense struggle against that Texas defense, it was just a matter of what the score margin would be. Texas would wrap this game up with a 6:26 drive that milked the clock to triple zeros.

The Burnt Orange faithful were ready for the celebration that was over a decade in the making. For the first time since the 2009 season, Texas secured the conference title. Texas fans embrace the petty, as they chant S-E-C after securing the title.

Check out these images from the game and trophy presentation:

Quinn Ewers sets Big 12 record as he leads Texas to the championship

Texas leaves the conference with a Big 12 championship, led by QB Quinn Ewers.

The Texas Longhorns made a statement on Saturday as they looked to find a way into the College Football Playoffs. They were helped by the Washington Huskies on Friday night when they defeated Oregon in the Pac-12 title game.

The Longhorns will leave the Big 12 in the same fashion they entered the conference in 1996, with a conference championship. For the second time in three seasons, Oklahoma State comes up short but in more humiliating fashion than the last time.

Quarterback Quinn Ewers and the offense did their part on Saturday as they secured the Big 12 championship and WWE title belt. Ewers set a Big 12 title game record with 452 yards passing. He found nine different receivers with a bulk of the targets going to tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders.

Oklahoma State faced a 35-14 deficit as the second half got underway. The offense struggled to move the football, while the defense gave up big play after big play. Twice in the first half, Texas benefitted from plays of 50+ yards as they put up over 422 yards of offense and averaged 9.0 yards per play. Ewers alone averaged 15.4 yards per completion as he racked up 354 yards on 31 attempts.

It wouldn’t go much different in the second half as the Longhorns offense kept it rolling. The first score came on a 57-yard run by Keilan Robinson to extend the lead to 42-14.

Robinson would strike again on an 11-yard run to cap off another scoring drive by the Texas offense. The Longhorns led the game by 35 with under 11 minutes left in the game. It was over by all intents and purposes.

Alan Bowman and the Cowboys were finally able to respond late in the fourth quarter for the first score of the second half. Bowman found Rashod Owens in the front of the end zone for the score. Texas led 49-21 at that point with 6:26 left in the game.

The Longhorns offense was able to milk the clock to lock up their fourth Big 12 title in the final season as part of the conference.

Texas is one half away from a Big 12 championship

Check out these highlights from the first half of the Big 12 championship.

As the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma State Cowboys head into the break, the Horns hold a commanding 35-14 lead over the Pokes.

It all started early in the first quarter after forcing Oklahoma State to go three-and-out on three incomplete passes. Texas immediately answered with a touchdown drive that went 39 yards in four plays. The great field position started when Oklahoma State was called for kick catch interference.

Quinn Ewers was 3-3 on passes to CJ Baxter and capped off with a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. The Longhorns held the ball for just 1:29 seconds. That touchdown came with 12:52 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The next drive ended the same way for the Cowboys after getting one first down and then punting it back to the Longhorns. This time Texas would have to go 84 yards to score this time around. Once again the offense would need just four plays to put it in the end zone. The big play was a 54-yard catch and run by Xavier Worthy. It was the 12th play of 50+ yards allowed by the Oklahoma State defense this season. On a trick play, Ewers found tight end JT Sanders all alone and he galloped into the end zone for the 14-0 lead.

The Cowboys would finally answer back after back-to-back drives that ended in punts. Oklahoma State would go down the field to the tune of 75 yards on eight plays. Alan Bowman put them on the board with a five-yard pass to Brennan Presley to cut the deficit to seven points. Once again Texas would answer.

This time it would Steve Sarkisian’s offense nine plays to get down the field. The offense was methodical on this drive that saw Keilan Robinson, Jaydon Blue, Jordan Whittington, and Worthy get involved. It was Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, T’Vondre Sweat who scored the touchdown and hit them with the Heisman pose.

The Cowboys looked to respond to the Longhorns but it was all for not as Kitan Crawford picked off Alan Bowman deep in Texas territory. They would need to go 95 yards on the ensuing drive. Another big play of 50+ yards by the offense would get them in position to score again.

Baxter would rumble into the end zone on a 10-yard run to get the lead back to three touchdowns. After another three-and-out drive by Oklahoma State, Texas had a chance to extend the lead. An interception by Nick Martin set up the Cowboys with an easy opportunity from the Texas 3-yard line.

Texas would respond once again with a 10-82 yard drive which ended with a Jaydon Blue touchdown. Whittington and Sanders were a huge part of this drive going down the field. The highlight-level play came when Worthy ran through a defender after he stepped out of bounds.

Texas defense would force another turnover on the following drive which lasted just 42 seconds. Freshman linebacker Anthony Hill Jr punched the ball lose from Leon Johnson III and was recovered by Ethan Burke.

After gaining just nine yards on three plays, Texas went for it on fourth down. On an end around by tight end J.T. Sanders, they gained 12 yards and set them up at the Oklahoma State 26-yard line with under a minute to go in the half. The offense stalled and Bert Auburn missed the field goal attempt from 44-yards out.

First Half Stats Leaders

  • Quinn Ewers: 23-31 | 354 Yards | 4 TDs | 1 INT
  • Ja’Tavion Sanders: 4 Rec | 68 Yards | 1 TD
  • Adonai Mitchell: 3 Rec | 78 Yards | 1 TD
  • Xavier Worthy: 3 Rec | 69 Yards

First Half Team Stats:

  • Total Offense: 422 Yards
  • Total Defense: 157 Yards
  • Yards Per Play: Offense (9.0) | Defense (4.4)

Bama vs. Georgia, Washington vs. Oregon and more Championship Weekend Predictions

Championship weekend is finally here in college football, so let’s take a look at how we think it will play out.

While the Oklahoma Sooners finished their regular season at 10-2, they did not make it to the [autotag]Big 12 Championship[/autotag]. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t games that matter to the Sooners this weekend.

For instance, the [autotag]SMU Mustangs[/autotag], a team Oklahoma beat, will take on the [autotag]Tulane Green Wave[/autotag]. That matters because if SMU wins, they most likely will be ranked and represent the Group of Five in a New Year’s Six bowl game. That would go down as a ranked win for Oklahoma and boost their resume.

Also, if the Texas Longhorns win and then make the College Football Playoff, that could also boost Oklahoma’s resume and maybe get them into a New Year’s Six game as well. So, there is still a lot for Oklahoma fans to keep an eye on and cheer for this weekend.

So, let’s take a look at how I think the games will play out, and we’ll go in the order of when they will be played.

Everything Steve Sarkisian said on Thursday ahead of Big 12 Championship Game

Sark spoke to the media ahead of the biggest game of the year for Texas.

On Thursday, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke with the media during his weekly Zoom meeting ahead of the Big 12 Championship Game.

The No. 7 Texas Longhorns will be playing in their first Big 12 Championship game since 2018, in which they lost to the Oklahoma Sooners with a chance to spoil their College Football Playoff hopes.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys will attempt to play spoiler on Saturday, but Texas can bolster their College Football Playoff hopes with a 12-1 record and a chance for selection by the committee.

To contend for a CFP spot, the Longhorns must win on Saturday and receive assistance from other teams in their conference championship games.

The easiest one and most likely will be Louisville defeating Florida State, and if that happens, Texas will have a good shot at making the College Football Playoff.

But firstly and most importantly, Texas must win on Saturday. Here is everything Steve Sarkisian said to the media ahead of the championship game.