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The seventh-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys continued their Big 12 conference slate on Saturday when they welcome 3-2 Texas Tech to Boone-Pickens Stadium.
The Pokes entered the contest as 11.5-point favorites and victory seemed even more likely when it was announced just before the game that Red Raiders’ star quarterback Donovan Smith would miss the game due to injury.
But Texas Tech had an ace up its sleeve in the form of redshirt freshman Behren Morton. Morton was the Red Raiders’ highest-ever ranked quarterback commit. The Eastland, Texas native was ranked as a four-star prospect and the No. 104 overall player in the country in the class of 2021.
Texas Tech received the opening kick and Morton led them 75 yards in 11 plays, punctuated by a beautiful 27-yard touchdown pass to Jerand Bradley to take a 7-0 lead.
The freshman! Behren Morton! What a pass. https://t.co/9lM52CvYae
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) October 8, 2022
Oklahoma State Up Man Makes Heads Up Play For Big Momentum Swing
First-year Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire then kept his foot on the gas. McGuire called a surprise onside kick that worked beautifully for the Red Raiders. But then it didn’t…
The refs say OSU called a fair catch prior to the recovery. Texas Tech won’t get the football!
https://t.co/hp8ExBMMN3— Play The Fight Song CFB Show (@PlayTheFightPod) October 8, 2022
Referees flagged Tech 15 yards for kick-catch interference.
That’s become OK State junior defensive back DeMarco Jones exploited a little-known rule. Jones immediately signaled for a fair catch when the ball went into the air. Due to a new NCAA rule, up men may signal for a fair catch on an onside kick.
The Red Raiders did not allow Jackson the space to field the ball cleanly and were penalized for it.
Oklahoma State tied the game just two plays later. Fans were more than a little confused by the sequence.
https://twitter.com/drewparker1214/status/1578834904510771200?s=20&t=bgL3tkt27lPvXLJ3sHjzhw
You can fair catch an onside kick? Why in the hell doesn’t every team wave for one as soon as the ball is kicked? That’s the dumbest thing ive ever seen
— Zachry Stephens (@Zachry_Stephens) October 8, 2022
The change of fortune completely killed any momentum the visiting Red Raiders had built. Oklahoma State has since scored 17 points without a response.
There’s a reason Cowboys’ coach Mike Gundy has been so successful for so long. And it’s because he very clearly knows ever in and out of the game.