Oklahoma State football: Cowboys QB carousel turns again in loss to Kansas State

Lunt was knocked out of the game early in the third quarter with an undisclosed injury, following a series where he appeared to be hobbled after taking a hit from Wildcat defensive end Meshak Williams after delivering a screen pass to Joseph Randle. Lunt stayed in the game — and threw his third interception of the contest two plays later — but was replaced by Clint Chelf on the Cowboys’ next possession.

Chelf, who was Brandon Weeden’s backup for two seasons but began 2012 third on the depth chart, was sharp in emergency duty and in the first meaningful action of his college career. He completed 16 of his 27 passes for 233 yards and a touchdown, but an attempted late-game rally fell short when Chelf was intercepted in the end zone by Allen Chapman with 2:06 to play.

“I thought he played really well,” offensive coordinator Todd Monken said of Chelf. “You hate saying that — we got beat by 14, and really were down and kind of scrambling to come back — but how much better could a guy play, really? I mean honest to God.

“It’s a testament to him, a guy that kind of stuck to it. He was our backup last year, and then to be told you’re third, I think that’s very, very hard to do. I’m happy for him that he got an opportunity to play.”

OSU coach Mike Gundy did not disclose the nature of Lunt’s injury, but Cowboy Network sideline reporter Robert Allen reported during the game broadcast that Lunt was nauseous and having trouble seeing while being examined by the OSU medical staff on the sideline.