Missouri falls to Oklahoma State

The Tigers dropped to 0-2 in Big 12 play.

By Sean Leahy

Published Oct. 18, 2009, last updated 6:32 p.m., Nov. 13, 2010

Missouri was shut out in the second half as it dropped its second consecutive Big 12 match, falling 33-17 to No. 16 Oklahoma State.

The Tigers (4-2, 0-2 Big 12) suffered four turnovers in the game as the Cowboys (5-1, 2-0 Big 12) took home a victory during their Homecoming weekend.

"Four turnovers to zero, you're not going to win many games there," coach Gary Pinkel said.

Sophomore quarterback Blaine Gabbert threw three interceptions on the night and ended the game completing 22 of 44 passes for 325 yards and one touchdown.

With the loss Missouri falls to last in the Big 12 North as the only team in the division without a conference victory.

"We know how good we can be," senior linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said. "It's just putting it together. We haven't put it together the past few weeks."

The loss marks the first time Missouri has lost in Stillwater, Okla., since 1992 and the first time in this series the home team has won since 2000.

One of the bright spots of the Missouri offense was the performance of wide receiver Danario Alexander. The senior finished with 180 yards on nine catches, including a touchdown and a catch of 50 yards.

The Tigers got on the board first with a 21-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Grant Ressel in the first quarter.

Oklahoma State answered with an 11-yard touchdown from senior running back Keith Toston to take a 7-3 lead.

The second quarter featured 31 combined points scored and ended with the Cowboys holding a 24-17 lead.

After junior running back Derrick Washington scampered into the end zone to give Missouri a 10-7 lead, Oklahoma State senior safety Lucien Antoine intercepted a tipped Gabbert pass and returned it 26 yards for the touchdown.

The game was tied at 17 when Cowboy senior quarterback Zac Robinson found sophomore wide receiver Hubert Anyiam for an 8-yard touchdown pass with two seconds left in the half.

It was a lead the Cowboys would not relinquish.

"I guess you could say it was a blow for us," junior cornerback Carl Gettis said. "That's how the games goes, when the other team gets some big plays, you've got to learn how to regroup as a team and come back strong."

In the second half, Oklahoma State tacked on three field goals and pulled away for the 33-17 victory.

"There was never a point when I felt we were out of the game until we weren't on the field again," Weatherspoon said. "We did a pretty good job of keeping them to field goals in the second half. We just got to keep pushing them back and stop letting them get too close because those field goals came back to haunt us."

With the loss to Nebraska on Oct. 8 and No. 3 Texas waiting next weekend, Missouri is in a tough stretch in its schedule.

"This is a stretch of good football teams," Pinkel said. "We're not naïve. We understand what we're going through. You go back to work and get going again."

The Longhorns stand at 6-0 overall and 3-0 in Big 12 play. They are the last undefeated team in the conference.

They are coming off a 16-13 victory over then-No. 20 Oklahoma on Saturday.

The Longhorns pulled out the victory with a fourth quarter field goal that gave them the lead for good after trailing for the majority of the first half.

Senior quarterback Colt McCoy threw for 127 yards on 21 of 39 passing. McCoy also lost two fumbles and threw an interception.

These two teams met last season in Austin, Texas, as the Longhorns posted a 56-31 victory.