Oklahoma State football: Cowboys defense dominates, creates turnovers again

“Improv,” Nicholas said, admitting to not being fully prepared for the moment.

But there was work to be done, with the ball on the ground, just waiting to be had.

“I lost track of the ball, I couldn't find it,” Nicholas said, “so I started celebrating with Calvin Barnett. And I heard coach (Mike) Gundy say, ‘Pick it up!' I said, ‘Pick what up?'

“Then I seen it, it was right there. So I picked it up and started running.”

Nicholas rumbled for 22 yards, before finally being dragged down by Boykin.

“I was so excited I couldn't make a good move on the quarterback,” Nicholas said. “But a turnover is pretty good in itself.”

Pretty good?

Once the lifeblood of the Cowboys defense, turnovers have been hard to come by this season, with OSU ranking No. 101 nationally with just six takeaways entering Saturday's game against the Horned Frogs.

Any turnover is all good.

Maybe the Pokes are rediscovering their takeaway vibe, with three Saturday in a 36-14 romp, following the two they swiped from Iowa State in last week's win.

Both dominant defensive efforts, each marked by plays made, rather than big plays surrendered.

Nicholas' strip provided one such statement, with TCU at the Cowboys 20, trying to work its way back into a game that OSU led 26-14 in the fourth quarter.

Late in the third quarter, after the Cowboys had taken their first lead, 16-14 on Jeremy Smith's 1-yard scoring run, Lyndell Johnson struck for another. With the Horned Frogs facing third-and-2 from the OSU 11, the hybrid linebacker/safety blew past a would-be block to drop TCU back B.J. Catalon for a 3-yard loss. And a moment later, Jaden Oberkrom missed on a 31-yard field goal try.