MORGANTOWN — Oklahoma State operating again Ollie Gordon seemed unstoppable on Saturday evening, and with the way in which West Virginia was attempting to defend him, he was.
Gordon racked up the second-most dashing yards WVU has ever allowed to a single participant, operating for 282 yards and 4 touchdowns because the Cowboys rode him to a 48-34 win.
Solely Kansas’ Khalil Herbert ever had extra dashing yards towards the Mountaineers, 291 throughout a sport in 2017.
The vast majority of Gordon’s manufacturing got here within the fourth quarter when the sophomre ran for 149 yards and three touchdowns on simply 9 carries.
“We didn’t match the runs, they didn’t do something particular, there weren’t any surprises,” WVU head coach Neal Brown mentioned. “We simply missed a bunch of tackles and ran by the ball. That’s what it seemed like from the sideline. We ran proper by the ball and missed tackles.”
Brown was adamant after the sport that Gordon’s fourth-quarter success wasn’t as a consequence of his protection fatiguing late within the sport.
“He didn’t get fatigued, that’s the way in which I give it some thought,” Brown mentioned. “It’s a hell of loads more durable to run the ball 29 occasions than it’s to face again and sort out. Was fatigue an element? Possibly. As a lot as we prepare and put together, I’ve a extremely onerous time saying fatigue received us.”
Gordon had eight runs of greater than 10 yards, together with 5 over 25 yards.
“We damage ourselves loads in that fourth quarter,” mentioned security Anthony Wilson. “It was actually simply self-inflicted issues we all know we might’ve finished higher. We’ve received to scrub up, that’s the most important factor.”
Fourth Down Failure
West Virginia had an opportunity to get again into the sport late. Trailing by seven, WVU confronted fourth and two at midfield. Brown referred to as a zone learn the place quarterback Garrett Greene stored the ball and was tackled for a four-yard loss. OSU went on to attain a landing, successfully placing the sport away.
“We should always’ve handed it off,” Brown mentioned. “Garrett performed his tail off, he gave us an opportunity to win. Generally he thinks he’s Superman and might make all of the performs, however that learn informed him to provide it and he’s received to provide it.”
Greene threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 117 yards, however admitted he made the incorrect mistake on that fourth down.
“It’s only a full and complete misinterpret by me,” Greene mentioned. “I attempt to be Superman generally and it bites me within the ass. That was a kind of situations.”
Working again CJ Donaldson, who had simply 39 yards on 13 carries, was the opposite choice on the play and Brown thought the ball ought to’ve gone to him.
“My hunch is (Greene) simply tried to make a play,” Brown mentioned. “He mentioned ‘I’m going to make a play’ and the (defensive) finish received upfield and he ought to’ve handed it.”
Particular Groups Mistake
WVU led 24-20 going into the fourth quarter, and was going to get the ball again following a defensive cease. However the sport flipped when cornerback Andrew Wilson-Lamp bumped into returner Preston Fox on the following punt, permitting Oklahoma State to get well in plus territory.
“We have been going to get the ball again up 4 with 14 minutes to go,” Brown lamented. “I can’t clarify it, I can’t clarify that one. We work that twice every week, that very state of affairs. That’s a tough one for me to clarify.”
Oklahoma State transformed that right into a landing to take a 27-24 lead and whereas WVU tied the sport 27-27, the Mountaineers by no means led for the rest of the competition.
“We’re sitting there with an opportunity to win within the fourth quarter,” Brown mentioned. “If this was a sport that we have been by no means in or if it wasn’t aggressive, then you definitely go ‘how can we get them prepared?’ That wasn’t the case. We have been proper there within the fourth quarter with an opportunity to win and we didn’t get it finished.”
Sluggish Begins
West Virginia’s first three possessions of the sport have been a three-and-out, a fumble on a accomplished catch and an interception, which allowed Oklahoma State to construct a 10-0 lead within the first quarter.
WVU ultimately battled again and led 17-13 at halftime.
“We’re down 10-0 and I assumed we confirmed some actual dedication to get again into it and take the lead going into half,” Brown mentioned. “We overcame that sluggish begin, we simply want to complete higher.”
WVU had a equally sluggish begin to the second half, starting with two three-and-outs that allowed OSU to take a 20-17 lead.
“Coming off a loss like that to Houston, we have been itching to get again,” Greene mentioned. “We had some issues go our means and a few issues not go our means within the first half. Finally, we type of received going.”
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