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No. 12 Oklahoma State rallies to beat Texas Tech, stay in Big 12 title hunt
Coaches for No. 12 Oklahoma State huddled in the showers of the visitor's locker room and discussed what adjustments were needed for the Cowboys after they trailed Texas Tech by 10 points at halftime Saturday.
Players "did a great job of listening and staying calm," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said of his team's 70-53 win. "They cleared their mind and they were able to absorb the information and then come out and play well in the second half."
Mason Rudolph and J.W. Walsh each threw for two touchdowns while Raymond Taylor scored two rushing TDs as Oklahoma State came from behind to remain undefeated and still in the hunt for the Big 12 title.
The combined points were the third most involving a ranked team without playing overtime.
Walsh found James Washington twice in the fourth quarter, once for 75 yards and then for 73 yards to seal the win for the Cowboys (8-0, 5-0).
Raymond scored from 4 and 28 yards. His second TD put the Cowboys ahead for the first time.
Ramon Richards returned an interception 59 yards for a score with six seconds left in the game.
Texas Tech's Jakeem Grant returned a kickoff 100 yards — the fourth of his career and a Texas Tech record — and had a 90-yard catch.
Gundy said the Red Raiders were tough to defend on their home turf.
"We did not tackle well in the first half. Obviously in the kick return and several plays where (No.) 11 had the ball on offense," he said. "I know who (Grant) is. He's a special player."
Patrick Mahomes completed 38 of 55 passes for 480 yards and four touchdowns for the Red Raiders (5-4, 2-4). He also threw two interceptions. Both led to touchdowns.
Rudolph completed 21 of 35 passes for 285 yards, and Walsh completed 4 of 5 for 167 yards.
Rudolph was happy with his counterpart's play.
"He's been awesome for us all year and today, that zone read you can't stop it," he said.
Oklahoma State finished with 662 total yards to 642 for the Red Raiders.
The Cowboys held Texas Tech scoreless in the third quarter.
Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury lauded Walsh, who came in for good early in fourth quarter.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for that young man," he said. "When he's in the game they tend to play up. He made some great throws, made some great runs."
Reviews gave Oklahoma State two touchdowns: a 12-yard pass from Rudolph to Hays in the far corner of the end zone that showed his foot came down in bounds and a 3-yard TD pass to Brandon Sheperd that showed he had possession.
There were plenty of big plays to go around. Oklahoma State's first big-yardage play of the game came midway through the third quarter when Jalen McCleskey returned a punt 67 yards to pull the Cowboys within 38-35. Walsh then rushed 64 yards to the Texas Tech 1. He scored on the next play.
After falling behind early the last three contests in Lubbock, the Red Raiders jumped ahead early, going up 17-0 on two touchdown passes from Mahomes to sophomore Justin Stockman and a 42-yard field goal that came after Dakota Allen intercepted Rudolph at the OSU 41.
Grant's 90-yard catch was the longest reception by a Red Raiders player since a 95-yarder by Rodney Blackshear against Houston in 1991.
Grant got his second TD early in the second quarter when Mahomes found him over the middle for a 12-yard score.
