Oklahoma State football: With the game on the line, Cowboy defense broke

On that final drive of regulation, though, OSU couldn't get off the field. And in overtime, after Quinn Sharp's 26-yard field goal on the Cowboys' possession, it couldn't keep the Sooners out of the end zone.

“I went over and looked at the players in the face (before overtime started), and I thought they were OK,” Gundy said. “But I can see where you would feel like we didn't overcome it, because we went out there and just let them run the ball down our throat and score.”

And throughout the game, the Cowboys could not consistently pressure Jones, a component of last season's Bedlam game plan that worked brilliantly and a part of a stout defense just a week ago against Texas Tech.

Jones was sensational in his final game at Owen Field, completing 46 of 71 passes for 500 yards and three touchdowns. Early in the game, he used quick passes to counter OSU's blitz packages. Later, the Cowboy linebackers and safeties sat back more in zone coverage to try to slow down the passing game.

One of the few times OSU's pass rush did get in Jones' face, he tossed an interception right to Cowboy linebacker Lyndell Johnson, who nearly scored on his 46-yard return and set up a Randle score that gave OSU an early 14-0 lead.

“He did a great job of evading our rush and did a great job of staying on task and getting the ball to the receivers,” Young said. “He got it there with a lot of velocity and he got it there in the right spot.

“There were several plays we were right there, and the ball was a back-shoulder throw where we couldn't get to it.”