Fiesta Bowl a party for Blackmon, Luck

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It was a battle between No. 3 and No. 4, a battle of the 11-1’s and a battle of high-powered offenses, but it was Oklahoma State who came out on top 41-38 Monday at the end of the wild Tostitas Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.

Stanford’s redshirt freshman Jordan Williamson missed a 35-yard field goal during the end of regulation, kicking it wide left as the final two seconds expired. He had another shot to redeem himself with a 43-yard field goal in overtime, but after a bad snap the laces weren’t out and Williamson walked off the field with his head down. Andrew Luck and the Cardinal watched from the sideline as Oklahoma State took away Stanford’s hope for a second straight BCS bowl victory

The slow start for both teams didn’t last long and the high-scoring game everyone anticipated was the result of two powerhouse offenses duking it out for the Fiesta title. But the first quarter of play may have concerned some viewers.

Stanford’s first possession ended with a missed 41-yard field goal hooked wide left by Williamson, which would be his first of three misses on the night. Oklahoma State gained possession on its own 24-yard line, where Brandon Weeden was intercepted by Stanford’s Terrance Brown. The Cardinal couldn’t capitalize on the turnover and had to punt after the Oklahoma State defense sacked Andrew Luck on third and seven.

It was Stanford who struck first with an Andrew Luck touchdown pass to a wide-open Ty Montgomery for the 53-yard score. Montgomery, who had seven receptions for 120 yards and  one touchdown, gave Stanford the lead 7-0 late in the first quarter.

After another uneventful possession by the Cowboys, the Cardinal got the ball with three minutes left in the quarter. On third and two, Luck looked down field to pass and was intercepted by Justin Gilbert at the Stanford 42. This marked Oklahoma State’s 43rd forced turnover of the season, adding to the nation’s best forced turnover ranking.

But again, Stanford’s defense held tight, not allowing OSU to get any yards.

The Cardinal started the second quarter receiving the punt at its own 13 yard line. After seven plays, 87 yards and four minutes and thirty seconds of play, Stanford was in the end zone for its second time. A 24-yard rushing touchdown from Jeremy Stewart, the senior’s ninth this year, put the Cardinal up 14-0.

Oklahoma State finally got on the board during its next possession, marching down the field 84 yards in four plays and finishing the drive with a catch-and-run touchdown by Justin Blackmon for a 43-yard score. This was Blackmon’s first catch of the game, but it certainly wouldn’t be his last.

Stanford went three-and-out for the second time of the game, and OSU was ready to strike again. All it took was two passes from Weeden and the Cowboys tied the game at 14. The second touchdown was also scored by star receiver Blackmon, a 67-yard catch-and-run. Blackmon got a slow start this game, but made up for it with eight catches for 186 yards and three touchdowns. He was named the Biletnikoff Award winner for the second consecutive season. The only other player to win this award multiple times is Michael Crabtree.

The Cardinal were not done yet before halftime and made a final statement, scoring after an eight-play, 80-yard march to the end zone. Junior running back Stepfan Taylor rushed four yards for a touchdown, putting Stanford up 21-14 with under four to play in the second quarter. Taylor, who had 177 yards on 35 carries, garnered his sixth 100-yard game of the season and his thirteenth of his career.

Oklahoma State wasn’t going to let the game get away from them and made sure to tie it up again right before the half. With 2:25 left, the Cowboys put together an impressive nine-play scoring drive in only a minute and 58 seconds, which was finished by a two-yard rush from Brandon Weeden. Both teams headed into the locker room tied at 21 awaiting another gun-slinging second half.

The Cardinal recaptured the lead during its first possession of the third quarter with impressive running from Stepfan Taylor. Taylor’s five carries on the drive culminated with a 16-yard touchdown from tight end Zach Ertz.

Stanford’s defense held tight twice during two key OSU drives in the third quarter. After a long return by Oklahoma State to the 50-yard line, the Cardinal forced the Cowboys to punt. Stanford then fumbled on its first possession of the drive and OSU recovered on the Cardinal 4-yard line. But after three failed attempts to punch it into the end zone, the Cowboys were forced to kick a field goal, cutting the score to 28-24 to end the third quarter.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Stanford made it a seven-point game after a 30-yard field goal from Jordan Williamson. And shortly after, for the third time, the Cowboys came back to tie it up with Blackmon’s sixth catch and third touchdown of the game.

At this point, it was clear this was the Luck and Blackmon show.

Luck and the Cardinal led again after a long, 13-play scoring drive that ended with another Stepfan Taylor rushing touchdown. Again, Oklahoma State was forced to answer and the Cowboys did, tying the game at 38 and leaving Andrew Luck with 2:35 to put together a final scoring drive. Luck and Co. did their part, moving the ball 63 yards, but the missed field goal by Williamson would send it into overtime and Cowboys kicker Quinn Sharp would finish it with a 22-yard field goal.

An unfortunate loss for Luck and the Stanford Cardinal, but Luck played an outstanding Heisman-worthy game. He hit 27 of 31 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns during his final game before entering the NFL draft and proved for the last time why he should be the No. 1 overall pick.

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