Oklahoma State Cowboys‘ Playoff hopes Dashed After Dominating Loss to West Virginia
Oklahoma State’s aspirations of contending for a College Football Playoff spot have been significantly dimmed following a decisive 31-10 defeat to West Virginia. The loss, wich saw the Cowboys fall behind 24-0 in the first half, exposed critical weaknesses in both their offense and defense, casting a shadow over the remainder of their season.
The Cowboys entered conference play with high expectations, viewed as a potential contender within the Big 12. Though, early losses to Utah and Kansas State quickly tempered these ambitions. Despite the challenging start, a path to a successful season, perhaps even a return to the Big 12 Championship game, remained open, especially with a favorable upcoming schedule featuring West Virginia at home and a bye week.
The game against West Virginia, though, proved to be a major setback.Oklahoma State found itself in a deep hole early,trailing by 24 points before halftime. The team’s offense struggled with consistency,while the defense was unable to contain West Virginia’s potent rushing attack. A touchdown from Rashod Owens offered a brief spark of momentum before halftime, but West Virginia quickly responded with a 15-yard touchdown run by C.J. Donaldson, extending their lead to 31-7 with just 28 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
The Mountaineers’ ground game was particularly dominant, with donaldson and Jahiem White spearheading an effort that amassed 389 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.Quarterback Garrett Greene also contributed significantly, throwing for 159 yards and adding 86 yards on the ground, making the West Virginia offense nearly unstoppable.
On the other side of the ball, Oklahoma State’s offensive struggles were evident.Running back Ollie Gordon, a key player for the Cowboys, was limited to just 58 scrimmage yards. Quarterback Alan Bowman’s performance was also lackluster, with 116 passing yards and two interceptions, offering few positives for the team’s offensive output.
Ranking Oklahoma State’s 2024 season:
