Tuesday, December 29, 2020 05:30 PM (ET)

No. 21 Oklahoma State holds off No. 18 Miami in Cheez-It Bowl

Field Level Media
Dec 29, 2020

Spencer Sanders passed for 305 yards and four touchdowns, leading the No. 21 Oklahoma State Cowboys to a 37-34 win over the 18th-ranked Miami Hurricanes on Tuesday night in the Cheez-It Bowl at Orlando.

Oklahoma State (8-3) got a boost from freshman Brennan Presley, who caught six passes for 118 yards and three touchdowns. He entered the game with just one career catch for seven yards.

Miami (8-3) suffered a major injury with 4:06 left in the second period as quarterback D'Eriq King left the game with an injured right knee. He watched the second half on crutches.

Sanders went 27-of-40 passing and was not intercepted. He suffered a bloody passing hard in the third quarter when he got stepped on by a Miami defensive lineman, but he stayed in the game.

Oklahoma State star receiver Tylan Wallace removed himself from the game in the second half in what was termed a non-injury personal decision. An NFL prospect, Wallace finished the game with six catches for 45 yards.

King went 10-for-13 passing for 113 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. His replacement, N'Kosi Perry completed 19 of 34 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Oklahoma State scored on its first three possessions, taking a 21-0 lead by the end of the first quarter on drives of 75, 82 and 49 yards.

The Cowboys' first score came after they bypassed a potential field goal, converting on a fourth-and-6 play as Sanders hit Presley on a 30-yard touchdown pass.

Oklahoma State's next two scores came on LD Brown's 2-yard run and a 32-yard catch-and-run by Presley, who weaved through several defenders.

Miami cut its deficit to 21-10 at halftime, getting King's 10-yard toss to Brevin Jordan and Jose Borregales' 22-yard field goal.

However, the field-goal drive was fateful for Miami. First, King had a 5-yard TD run nullified by a holding call. Two plays later, he was injured.

Miami cut its deficit to 21-19 with 8:36 left in the third quarter. After Borregales' 40-yard field goal, Cam'Ron Harris scored on a 42-yard run. Jordan bulled his way for an apparent two-point conversion reception, but he was ruled short of the end zone upon video review.

Oklahoma State came right back with Brady Pohl's 26-yard field goal and Sanders' 5-yard scoring toss to Dillon Stoner, giving the Cowboys a 31-19 lead with 14:19 left in the fourth.

The teams then traded touchdown passes: Perry to Jordan for 1 yard and Sanders to Presley for 16 yards.

Miami cut its deficit to 37-34 with 5:39 left in the fourth on Perry's 5-yard touchdown pass to Mike Harley and walk-on Marshall Few's two-point conversion on an end-around.

Oklahoma State, however, thwarted Miami on its final two drives, forcing a punt and then coming up with a stop on fourth down.

--Field Level Media

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