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Stewart, Oklahoma State down TCU

Oct 19, 2013 - 9:23 PM Stillwater, OK (SportsNetwork.com) - It wasn't the prettiest homecoming game, but Oklahoma State will take the win.

Josh Stewart set a school record with a 95-yard punt return touchdown and made an acrobatic catch that set up to another score, leading No. 21 Oklahoma State to a 24-10 win over TCU on Saturday.

Clint Chelf replaced J.W. Walsh at quarterback after the Oklahoma State starter threw two interceptions in the first three drives. Chelf was picked off on his first attempt but the Cowboys scored 17 first-half points despite two missed field goals and held on late after TCU cut the lead to seven.

Coming off its second bye week in a month, Oklahoma State (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) got its eighth straight home win, and 21st in a row over unranked opponents. The Cowboys are 15-1 in their last 16 at home.

Desmond Roland and Rennie Childs had rushing touchdowns in the win and Chelf was 10-of-25 for 178 yards after Walsh went 9-of-18 for 115 on three drives.

"We felt like we needed a spark on offense so we made a change," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said of his quarterback swap, though he wouldn't commit to a starter going forward.

"We'll evaluate our offense this week and our gameplan for the next team and decide which direction we want to go," said Gundy. "Clint gave us some advantages in attacking their defense, in our opinion."

The Horned Frogs passing game struggled as well. Trevone Boykin was 17-of-35 for 188 yards and three interceptions for TCU (3-4, 1-3), which has lost two in a row.

Waymon James had a 14-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that got the Frogs within 17-10 but Childs' 7-yard score late clinched the win for OSU.

Stewart had 10 catches for 141 yards. His record-setting punt return helped Oklahoma State build a 17-0 lead in the first half despite a pair of missed field goals.

On the play, Stewart backpedaled to the 5-yard line for the catch, made a cut, then slipped through the middle, eluding a tackle near midfield and getting a big block near the TCU 15.

It was the longest punt return in Oklahoma State history and picked the Cowboys up after Walsh was intercepted by TCU safety Derrick Kindred on the game's first drive.

"The punt was deep. I kept looking to see if I had space," said Stewart. "I didn't realize I caught it so deep. As a returner, if you have space, you can't pass it up -- and I had space. I took it and had some great blocking.

"That's what happens when you practice something all week, and it works out that way in the game."

Another Frogs safety, Elisha Olabode, picked off Walsh in the end zone early in the second, killing an 88-yard Oklahoma State drive. Even after Walsh was replaced, the turnovers continued. Corner Kevin White nabbed Chelf's first pass on the next Cowboys possession.

But Ben Grogan kicked a 28-yard field goal and the Cowboys turned Daytawion Lowe's diving interception on a tipped Boykin pass at the line of scrimmage into Roland's 3-yard touchdown run for their 17-point lead.

Later, OSU corner Justin Gilbert picked off a deep Boykin pass and took it back 34 yards. The Cowboys were stopped on a 4th-and-1 but got the ball back on a TCU fumbled handoff, setting up a 31-yard field goal try that Grogan missed wide right. He was also wide-right on a 32-yarder before halftime.

Boykin threw incomplete on a 4th-and-2 pass at the Oklahoma State 11 early in the third quarter, but TCU defensive lineman Jon Koontz recovered a Jeremy Smith fumble to set up Jaden Oberkrom's 35-yard field goal to get the Horned Frogs within 17-3.

James' 14-yard touchdown run capped a 12-play, 77-yard drive and made it a seven-point game, but Oklahoma State used a 50-yard Brandon Sheperd kick return and an acrobatic catch by Stewart on a reverse play to set up a touchdown.

Wide receiver Charlie Moore lobbed a pass down the right sideline and Stewart leapt in front of safety Chris Hackett to come down with the 27-yard catch to the TCU 7. Childs scored on the next play to make it 24-10 with 6:04 left.

"Josh Stewart's a good player," said TCU coach Gary Patterson. "You have to give Oklahoma State credit. We doubled him, we played over the top of him and he still found ways to get there.

"They had two weeks to prepare for us and were able to get some things done (but) you have to give coach Gundy and Oklahoma State credit. They're 5-1, and they found a way to stay at home."

Game Notes

Childs rushed nine times for 45 yards ... Boykin and B.J. Catalon both rushed for 46 yards for TCU. Boykin carried 15 times and Catalon 12 ... TCU hosts Texas next Saturday and Oklahoma State visits Iowa State ... The Cowboys are 6-1 in their last seven homecoming games.