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Cowboys stun Sooners with late punt return TD, FG in OT

Dec 7, 2014 - 2:13 AM Norman, OK (SportsNetwork.com) - Tyreek Hill's 92-yard punt return tied the game late in regulation and Ben Grogan's 21-yard field goal in overtime lifted Oklahoma State to a 38-35 win over Oklahoma in another classic in the Bedlam Series.

The Sooners ran off 2 1/2 minutes of clock late in the fourth after an untimely Mason Rudolph interception, then looked to pin Oklahoma State deep in its territory with under a minute left.

Hill waived for a fair catch inside his 20, but the Cowboys (6-6, 4-5 Big 12) were flagged for running into the kicker. That proved to be a beneficial penalty because Hill took the next punt down the far sideline to tie the game with 45 seconds on the clock.

"It was a real exciting moment," said Hill. "I wouldn't have been able to do that without my teammates. I'm really thankful for those guys."

Oklahoma (8-4, 5-4) managed to move the ball near midfield, but poor clock management on fourth down with the Sooners in formation for a Hail Mary ended regulation.

The Cowboys' defense came out strong in the extra session, forcing a 44-yard field goal attempt from Michael Hunnicutt that he pulled wide left.

Desmond Roland then took over for Oklahoma State, barreling his way down inside the 5 on a couple of tough runs to set up Grogan, who split the uprights to halt a two-game losing streak in the series.

"(Oklahoma State) played a really good, hard-fought football game and made some key plays down there in the fourth quarter to win the game," said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

Roland rushed for 68 yards with two touchdowns, while Rudolph threw for 273 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Brandon Sheperd caught seven passes for 156 with two touchdowns for Oklahoma State, which snapped a five- game losing streak and is bowl eligible for a school-record ninth consecutive season.

Oklahoma's devastating loss could have come with a price, as star freshman running back Samaje Perine left the game with an apparent ankle injury in the third quarter.

Perine, who set an FBS record with 427 rushing yards in a 44-7 win over Kansas on Nov. 22, picked up right where he left off, accounting for 151 rushing yards with two touchdowns before exiting the contest.

"He has a sprained ankle," Stoops said. "How severe, I'm not sure. I think he will be okay here soon."

Fullback Aaron Ripkowski had the game of his career in defeat. The senior walk-on had three total touchdowns, two rushing and one receiving, to lead the Sooners' offensive attack.

Oklahoma used a heavy dose of Perine on its opening drive of the game to grab a 7-0 lead. Perine had 50 yards on five carries and capped the march with a 4- yard touchdown run.

The Cowboys answered with a 9-play, 77-yard drive that resulted in Roland's 1- yard touchdown run to tie the game.

Both teams traded punts over their next possessions before the Sooners took the lead once again. Blake Bell made a 47-yard catch late in the first, then Ripkowski rushed for a 1-yard touchdown with 11:57 left in the second for a 14-7 margin.

Rudolph hooked up with Sheperd for a 39-yard score on Oklahoma State's ensuing possession as defensive back Jordan Thomas fell down in coverage.

The Sooners ended the half with touchdowns on their final two possessions. Perine made it 21-14 with a 9-yard touchdown run before he, Bell and Ripkowski gave outstanding efforts on their next touch.

Perine bolted for 42 yards on the second play of the drive, then Bell made a one-handed catch on an out route the following play. On 3rd-and-goal from the 2. Cody Thomas hit Ripkowski with a pass out in the flat, and the latter willed his way into the end zone, dragging four Oklahoma State players from the 4 to give the Sooners a 28-14 lead at the half.

Perine fumbled at the Cowboys 27 early in the third and he stayed down wincing in pain with an apparent left ankle injury. Perine was helped off the field and had ice placed on the ankle before going to the locker room for further observation.

Rudolph led a quick 7-play, 79-yard drive that took just under three minutes off the clock and ended with him running for a 3-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 28-21 early in the fourth.

Keith Ford flipped field and momentum on the first play of Oklahoma's next drive. He blasted right up the middle for a 56-yard gain to set up Ripkowski's 1-yard scoring run with 7:54 to play.

After each team had the ball for less than two minutes, Sheperd hauled in a pass from Rudolph, bounced off a pair of Sooners and raced into the end zone for a 43-yard score to make it a touchdown game.

Game Notes

Oklahoma had won 10 the previous 11 in the series ... Ripkowski was honored before the game with the 2014 Don Key Award, which is presented annually to a senior who exemplifies all-around excellence in the classroom and on the field ... Oklahoma State has not lost six in a row since 2000 ... The win was the first this season against a ranked opponent for Oklahoma State ... Perine became the third Oklahoma player with 1,500 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns in the same season. Billy Sims and Steve Owens each eclipsed the feat twice ... Ford rushed for 91 yards on nine carries ... Bell, once a quarterback, hauled in two passes for a team-high 59 yards for Oklahoma.