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Randle leads No. 6 Oklahoma State past Missouri

Oct 22, 2011 - 9:58 PM Columbia, MO (Sports Network) - Joseph Randle ran for three touchdowns and caught one to help No. 6 Oklahoma State earn another road victory, a 45-24 win against Missouri at Faurot Field.

Randle finished with 138 yards on the ground for the Cowboys (7-0, 4-0 Big 12), who have won nine consecutive road contests. It is the second-longest active streak in the nation, behind only Virginia Tech's 11-game run.

"We just look at it as a game," said Oklahoma State wide receiver Michael Harrison. "We don't look at the fans in the stadium, we just play football."

Brandon Weeden passed for 338 yards and three touchdowns to help Oklahoma State improve to 7-0 for the first time since 2008. He completed 33-of-49 throws with one interception.

Missouri (3-4, 1-3) had its 10-game home winning streak stopped because, at least in part, of turnovers. Quarterback James Franklin was intercepted three times and fumbled the ball away once, negating much of the work accomplished by the Tigers' offense, which gained 463 total yards.

"Against a team like this -- a really, really good football team -- we have to take advantage of every single opportunity," said Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel. "We just didn't do that today."

The Cowboys used a constant offensive attack on their way to the win, scoring at least 10 points in the first three quarters.

Quinn Sharp missed a 34-yard field goal on their first possession, but Weeden led them to a touchdown on their second. He completed six consecutive passes to end the drive, including a 27-yard scoring throw to Harrison.

Missouri answered with a 26-yard field goal by Grant Ressel, but the Cowboys widened their lead with another touchdown.

All 10 plays during that possession were passes. Weeden completed seven of them, including a 31-yarder to Hubert Anyiam to bring the ball to midfield. He eventually found Justin Blackmon for a score on 2nd-and-goal from the eight, making it a 14-3 game with two minutes left in the first.

A three-and-out by the Tigers forced them to punt from deep in their own territory, giving the Cowboys good field position. They started the drive at the Missouri 48 and needed only five plays to get across the goal line once more.

On the first play of the second quarter, Weeden stepped up in the pocket and hit Randle over the middle for a 13-yard TD to push the margin to 21-3.

But the Tigers were within striking distance at halftime by scoring two touchdowns in the second quarter.

Kendial Lawrence ran for an 18-yard TD with nine minutes left, and after Sharp hit a 36-yarder, the Tigers struck again. Franklin found T.J. Moe for a 34- yard TD over the middle with two minutes left, and Missouri went into the break facing a 24-17 deficit.

However, a turnover shortly into the third quarter decreased the Tigers' chances of pulling even.

They had forced Oklahoma State to punt on the first possession of the second half, and were making their way up the field when Franklin fumbled after being sacked. While Missouri recovered the ball, Franklin was intercepted by Shaun Lewis on the next play, setting the Cowboys up at the Missouri 27.

Three plays later, Randle ran the ball across the goal line from 16 yards out, making it a 31-17 game.

After the teams traded turnovers -- Weeden was intercepted, and Franklin fumbled the ball away inside the OSU 10 -- later in the quarter, Randle broke out on an even bigger scoring run, a 59-yard rush in the final minute of the third.

The Cowboys' defense then protected the lead in the fourth. Franklin's three- yard scoring run with eight minutes left got Missouri within two touchdowns, but he was intercepted on the first play of the Tigers' next drive. Randle scored on a 12-yard run with 45 seconds left to put the finishing touch on the victory.

Game Notes

Blackmon left the game with what OSU head coach Mike Gundy described as a "ding in the head." He said Blackmon could have played in the second half, but was held out as a precautionary measure...Franklin finished with 184 yards on 14-of-27 passing...Henry Josey had 138 rushing yards for Missouri, while Moe caught six passes for 103 yards...The Cowboys are 9-5 in Columbia against Mizzou since 1978...Oklahoma State is 4-0 in conference play for the first time since 1940. It is also 7-0 for the third time in school history. Prior to 2008, the only other time the Cowboys won their first seven games was 1945.