OSU football notebook: Punter Quinn Sharp able to flip field with both legs

Join the ROTC crew for some push-ups?

Take Bullet for a spin following a field goal?

Take a turn on offense?

“I don't know,” Sharp said. “I'm game.”

And just when the OSU offense needed some juice most Thursday night, there was Sharp, bolting 23 yards for a first down on a fake punt, goosing a Cowboys offense that came back to life in a 37-14 win over Arizona.

“It's always fun to do something like that,” said Sharp, whose 23 rushing yards were more than any Wildcat runner. “It gets the crowd excited and gets everybody into the game. And it gets our offense out there and gives them another opportunity to make a play.”

The offense had slipped into a slumber to that point, following a fast start. Arizona had just scored to cut OSU's lead to 21-7 and now the Cowboys were punting the ball back – or not.

The Cowboys didn't score on the drive, but flipped the field, getting the ball back soon after and driving to a touchdown.

“They switched the momentum of the game with that one play,” said Arizona coach Mike Stoops.

STOOPS ON COWBOYS: ‘THEY'RE GREAT'

Arizona's Stoops hasn't always been a favorite of Cowboy fans.

But he had nothing but praise for their team after Thursday night's game.

“That's a big, physical team,” he said. “You can tell they've made the step. They're not a good program. They're great.

“They're going to win a bunch of games this year. I know the top half of the Big 12 looks awful strong, but they'll be there.”

GUNDY: FIRST, THE FLAWS

Before getting into the positives of Thursday night's performance – like the win – Cowboys coach Mike Gundy dealt first with the disappointments, focusing heavily on 10 penalties for 90 yards.

Two of those penalties were for illegal chop blocks, a rule Gundy admitted he was unsure about.

“We will find out,” Gundy said. “We will identify what the problem is, and we'll get it cleaned up. (There were) way too many penalties to have success and be a good football time. You can't have that many yards against you from a penalty standpoint.”

BIG RUN, BY DESIGN

On Oklahoma State's first possession, the Cowboys prepared to line up for a second-and-eight at the Arizona 48.