2011-2012
College Football Season
Fiesta Bowl
Post-Game

Game Recap

CollegeFootballPoll.com
January 3, 2012

Oklahoma State edged Stanford 41-38 in overtime in the Fiesta Bowl for its first major bowl win since the 1945 season Sugar Bowl. Stanford had a chip shot field goal get pulled wide left with seconds left in regulation, and a go-ahead field goal in overtime do the same after a bad snap that left the laces pointed at the kicker. Oklahoma State won three plays later on a 22-yard field goal.

In front of an announced crowd of 69,927, Oklahoma State improved to 14-8 all-time in bowl games and 2-0 in Fiesta Bowls (In 1974, the Fiesta Bowl was not considered to be major bowl).

Stanford fell to 10-12-1 all-time in bowl games.

Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon, the game's offensive MVP, tied a Fiesta Bowl record with his three touchdown receptions as he recorded his 19th career 100-yard receiving game.

Stanford struck first when Andrew Luck passed to Ty Montgomery down the middle for a 53-yard haul. A 24-yard run by Jeremy Stewart put the Cardinal ahead 14-0 early in the second quarter, before consecutive TD passes from Brandon Weeden to Blackmon of 43 and 67 yards tied the game at 14-all. The 67-yard connection was the longest passing play of the season for the Cowboys.

Stanford went back in front on Stepfan Taylor's 4-yard run, but answered just before halftime with his first career rushing touchdown from 2 yards out.

The 42 combined points in the first half was the fourth-highest halftime total in Fiesta Bowl History, even though the Cowboys were held scoreless in the first quarter for the first time all season and Stanford only led 7-0 after the opening stanza.

Stanford reclaimed the lead in the 3rd quarter when Luck passed to Zach Ertz down the middle for 15 yards. Oklahoma State ten missed on a couple of huge opportunities. Justin Gilbert's 53-yard return of the ensuing kickoff only led to a 3-and-out. And when Stanford fumbled on its own 4-yard line the first play after the punt, the Cardinal defense held the Cowboys to a 19-yard field goal.

Blackmon's third TD tied the game at 31-31 with just over 12 minutes left in the game as he caught two or more touchdowns for the sixth time this season and 12th time in his career.

Taylor put Stanford on top again, 38-31, with a 1-yard scrum up the middle with 4:34 left in the game. However, the Cowboys answered quickly needing just 7 plays and 1:59 of the clock to knot the score at 38 on Joseph Randle's 4-yard run.

Stanford was methodically moving its way into field goal range when Stewart turned a screen pass into a 25-yard gain to the OSU 25-yard line. The Cardinal were content to set up a 35-yard field goal attempt by Jordan Williamson, but it hooked badly to the left to send the battle into overtime.

Stanford's opening possession of the extra period went nowhere and Williamson ultimately missed from 43 yards out, again hooking wide left after the snap was low.

Oklahoma State appeared to have sealed the game with a touchdown when walk-on Colton Chelf caught a pass over the middle and appeared to dive across from goal line. But his knee was ruled down a 1/2-yard short and, taking no chances, Weeden used the next play to line up a short field goal squarely between the hashes. Quinn Sharp came on and confidently booted the 19-yard game-winner.

Weeden passed for over 300 yards (399) for the 16th time in his career while Luck (347) achieved that feat for the ninth time. The 746 combined passing yards is the most in Fiesta Bowl history, eclipsing the previous mark of 652 in last year's game between Connecticut and Oklahoma.

Taylor had a career-high 177 yards on 35 carries for the Cardinal who outrushed the Cowboys 243 yards to 13. It was Taylor's 13th career 100-yard rushing game and 6th this season.

Blackmon finished the night with 8 catches for 186 yards for the Cowboys.

This was the third overtime game in Fiesta Bowl history. Boise State beat Oklahoma 43-42 in one extra period in the 2006 season game, and Ohio State beat Miami 31-24 in double overtime to win the National Championship for the 2002 season.

62.5% of CollegeFootballPoll.com voters picked Oklahoma State to win and the Congrove Computer Rankings at CollegeFootballPoll.com forecasted a 9.42-point victory by the Cowboys.