Likely all Oklahoma State had to do on Saturday to become the first non-Oklahoma Big 12 team to make the College Football Playoff was win a rematch against a Baylor squad it defeated 24-14 earlier this season.
Of course, that’s not what the Cowboys did.
Instead, the team had to dig itself out of an early 21-3 hole just to have a chance. Its offense, which has lagged behind its elite defense for most of the season, struggled mightily in this game as Spencer Sanders tossed four interceptions. The Cowboys offensive line only allowed two sacks, but it gave up five quarterback hits that contributed to those mistakes.
Still, in spite of all that, OSU could have won the game. In fact, it was just inches away. After a pass interference call against Baylor in the end zone on third and three from its six-yard line, Oklahoma State had four tries from the two-yard line down five points.
But its first three plays didn’t go anywhere and on fourth down, running back Dezmon Jackson tried to find room to the outside to score the go-ahead touchdown with less than 30 seconds to play. It initially looked like he had the space, but a questionable angle and an excellent open-field tackle from Baylor safety Jairon McVea forced Jackson to dive for the goal-line, and he just couldn’t quite get there.
Ladies and gentlemen, behold what is perhaps the greatest use of the pylon cam since its inception.
Greatest pylon cam in history pic.twitter.com/ZrhrNTnqcW
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 4, 2021
Oklahoma State has had great teams under coach Mike Gundy, and in 2011, a double-overtime loss to Iowa State was the only thing that kept his squad out of the BCS Championship Game. This team will now miss the College Football Playoff in perhaps even more heartbreaking fashion as it failed to score a touchdown from the goal line twice in the fourth quarter in a 21-16 loss.
