Oklahoma State football vs. Houston recap: Ollie Gordon, Cowboys win, stay in Big 12 race

Scott Wright, The Oklahoman

The Oklahoma State Cowboys travel to face the Houston Cougars on Saturday in Week 12 of the college football season. Here is what you need to know about the Big 12 game:

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FINAL: Oklahoma State 43, Houston 30

The Cowboys stay alive in the Big 12 title race, improving to 8-3 overall and 6-2 in league play.

More: Oklahoma State football vs Houston: Takeaways as Ollie Gordon, Cowboys stay in Big 12 race

Fourth quarter: Ollie Gordon extends Cowboys' lead with late TD

Ollie Gordon added his third touchdown of the day with a 3-yard run with 2:19 left to put the Cowboys up 43-30.

Fourth quarter: Donovan Smith gets Houston back in striking distance

Donovan Smith has the hat trick, a rushing, passing and receiving touchdown.

His 31-yard touchdown run with 7:30 to play cut OSU’s lead to 36-30.

Smith also had a 28-yard TD reception from receiver Joseph Manjack IV on a trick play and had a 60-yard TD pass to Jonah Wilson.

— Scott Wright

Fourth quarter: Hale good again, Cowboys up 13

OSU placekicker Alex Hale hit his third field goal of the day, a 44-yarder with 9:45 to play for a 36-23 OSU lead.

The more concerning issue of the drive was running back Ollie Gordon II, who took himself out of the game, pointing at his ankle before being taken into the injury tent on the OSU sideline.

The Cowboys have now scored 27 straight points after trailing 23-9 with 2:30 left in the second quarter.

— Scott Wright

Third quarter: Ollie Gordon II breaks loose, scores second TD

Ollie Gordon II had 68 yards rushing on a 63-yard drive.

Gordon broke loose for a 62-yard rush to the 1-yard line, then OSU was penalized for a false start. Gordon scored from the 6 on the next snap to put OSU up 33-23 with 5:14 left in the third quarter.

For the game, Gordon has 115 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. He also has five receptions for 16 yards.

After trailing 23-9 with 4:16 left in the second quarter, the Cowboys have scored 24 straight points.

— Scott Wright

Third quarter: Ollie Gordon II puts Oklahoma State ahead

OSU running back Ollie Gordon II hobbled off the field on the final offensive snap of the first half, but he was running hard in the third quarter.

Gordon had two huge plays in the go-ahead touchdown drive for the Cowboys, who lead 26-23 with 7:58 left in the third quarter.

Gordon scored the TD, charging in from the 6-yard line. He was stood up at the 2 but with the help of some offensive linemen, pushed his way into the end zone.

Two plays earlier, he kept the drive alive with an 18-yard reception on a throw from Alan Bowman. Gordon began the play in the backfield, motioned out to the left and ran a slant inside his defender.

— Scott Wright

Halftime: OSU gets late field goal to cut Houston edge

OSU charged inside the 10-yard line but had to settle for a field goal to get within 23-19 at the half. Hale’s 21-yarder was good, his second of the game, as the second quarter expired.

The Cowboys trailed 23-9 after Houston got a safety with 4:16 left in the first half, but scored the final 10 points of the half to stay close in what felt like a lopsided first half.

Houston had five pass plays of 20 yards or more, including TD tosses of 60 and 28 yards. The Cougars finished the half with 249 yards, 198 of which came through the air.

OSU had 211 at the break with 190 passing.

Ollie Gordon II had 38 yards on nine carries.

— Scott Wright

Second quarter: Trey Rucker interception sets up OSU touchdown

OSU safety Trey Rucker slid in front of a Houston receiver for an interception, which he returned to the Cougar 22.

Two plays later, OSU was in the end zone with a pass from Alan Bowman to Leon Johnson III, cutting Houston’s lead to 23-16 with 1:29 left in the first half.

The catch was the first touchdown of Johnson’s OSU career.

— Scott Wright

Second quarter: Houston adds safety for 23-9 lead

Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon was tackled in the end zone for a safety and a 23-9 lead late in the first half.

Linebacker Malik Robinson fired up the middle and was unblocked, hitting Gordon for a loss of 3 a yard deep in the end zone.

It was the second score of the day for the Houston defense, which had a 67-yard interception return touchdown in the first quarter.

This was Houston’s first safety since Nov. 6, 2021, at South Florida. Houston hadn’t had an interception return for a touchdown since September 2022.

— Scott Wright

Second quarter: Houston trick play extends lead

With a play OSU has used a few times over the last couple years, Houston extended its lead to 21-9 with 10:14 left in the first half.

Receiver Joseph Manjack IV took the ball on a reverse, then turned and threw back to quarterback Donovan Smith, who went virtually untouched for a 28-yard touchdown.

OSU has used a similar play multiple times in recent years with former quarterback Spencer Sanders and current starter Alan Bowman.

— Scott Wright

Second quarter: Jaden Bray back in action with a TD

OSU receiver Jaden Bray returned to action for the first time in nearly a month and his first catch went for a 23-yard touchdown.

Bray pulled in a fade throw from Alan Bowman early in the second quarter. Alex Hale’s extra point was blocked, with Houston holding onto a 14-9 lead.

OSU had been destined for a three-and-out at the start of the series, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Houston kept the drive alive. OSU kept moving from there for its first touchdown of the day.

— Scott Wright

First quarter: Houston goes deep for second TD

Houston receiver Jonah Wilson got some space between himself and OSU safety Trey Rucker, and quarterback Donovan Smith hit Wilson for a 60-yard touchdown. That gave Houston a 14-3 lead late in the first quarter.

That was the first long offensive play of the game for Houston, though the Cowboys allowed seven plays of 30 yards or more last week.

— Scott Wright

First quarter: Oklahoma State scores to cut into Houston lead

OSU’s Alex Hale, a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, made a 46-yard field goal to get the Cowboys on the board with 3:34 left in the first quarter. Houston leads 7-3.

Hale now has made 22 field goals in 28 attempts this season.

Running back Ollie Gordon II got his first carries of the game, carrying three times for 24 yards on that drive.

— Scott Wright

First quarter: Houston with a pick-six

Oklahoma State’s Alan Bowman misfired on a throw to running back Ollie Gordon II and Houston defensive back Isaiah Hamilton picked it off and went 57 yards for the first score of the game, a 7-0 Cougar lead.

It was the first defensive score for Houston this season.

With the Houston safeties forcing their way into the box, OSU has not attempted to run the ball with Gordon yet.

— Scott Wright

First quarter: Cowboys force turnover on downs

OSU failed to score on its opening possession but got the ball back with a turnover on downs near midfield.

Houston quarterback Donovan Smith threw deep but receiver Sam Brown, tightly covered by OSU cornerback Cam Smith, was unable to hold onto the throw at the OSU 17-yard line. OSU takes over at its 44-yard line.

The Cowboys had scored on their first possession of the game in each game of their five-game win streak through October and early November. They have now failed to score on their first possession of the last two games.

Running back Ollie Gordon II, who leads the nation in rushing, did not have a rush attempt on the first series.

— Scott Wright

Pregame: WR Blaine Green not on trip

Though the Cowboys added an experienced receiver back to the mix in Jaden Bray, redshirt sophomore receiver Blaine Green did not make the trip.

Green had suited up the last two games after suffering an injury at West Virginia on Oct. 21. He played 12 snaps last week. Bray has not played since Oct. 21.

The Cowboys have just seven receivers and three running backs on the trip.

In addition to expected starters Brennan Presley, Rashod Owens and Leon Johnson III, OSU brought wideouts Bray, Cale Cabbiness, Tykie Andrews and Camron Heard.

Andrews, a true freshman from Enid, made his first game appearance last week. Heard, also a true freshman, has not played in a game yet this season.

Behind running back Ollie Gordon II, the Cowboys have Jaden Nixon and true freshman Sesi Vailahi, who like Andrews, made his first game appearance last week.

— Scott Wright

Pregame: Jaden Bray could return for Oklahoma State

Receiver Jaden Bray, who has missed the last few games with an undisclosed injury, is probable to return against Houston on Saturday, according to the pregame injury report from OSU radio voice Dave Hunziker.

Bray has not played since the West Virginia game on Oct. 21. Hunziker said Bray is not likely to start, with Rashod Owens and Leon Johnson III having settled into the starting roles at outside receiver. Bray was the leading receiver in total yardage at the time of his injury.

Offensive linemen Cole Birmingham and Joe Michalski are healthier than they were a week ago, when both had missed significant practice time leading up to the UCF game. Birmingham is the likely starter at left guard with Jason Brooks Jr. out for an extended period of time.

Backup running back Elijah Collins remains out with an ankle injury.

— Scott Wright

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State football vs Houston score, live updates of Big 12 game

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