No. 17 K-State's Rally Falls Short at No. 3 OSU, 52-45

STILLWATER, Okla. -- No. 17 Kansas State and No. 3 Oklahoma State combined 32 points in the fourth quarter, including running back Joseph Randle's 23-yard touchdown run with 2:16 remaining that proved to be the difference for the unbeaten Cowboys in a 52-45 victory at Boone Pickens Stadium.

The Wildcats (7-2, 3-2 Big 12) had one final chance to force overtime, but quarterback Collin Klein's pass on third and goal from the OSU 5 fell incomplete as time expired. Klein and company took over at its own 29-yard-line with 2:16 remaining and converted on two third downs and one on fourth down before falling short off the goal line at the 5.

Klein was a threat all-around for K-State, as he combined for 375 yards and four touchdowns. He set career-highs in three categories threw the air, including completions (22), attempts (38) and yards (231). He also added 144 yards on the ground on 29 carries with three scores. He now has 1,330 career rushing yards to rank 16th in school history and second among quarterbacks. His 19 rushing touchdowns this season is tied for the second-most in school history.

Freshman Tyler Lockett totaled 315 all-purpose yards, including 193 kickoff returns yards. He had 84 yards on three rushes and three catches for 32 yards and a touchdown on the game. The 315 yards ranks fifth in school history and is the most since Brandon Banks tied the school record with 351 against Oklahoma in 2009.

Klein's counterpart - OSU's Brandon Weeden - was just as impressive, throwing for a school-record 502 yards on 36-of-46 passing with four touchdowns to give the Cowboys (9-0, 6-0 Big 12) their best start in school history. All-American wide receiver Justin Blackmon had 13 catches for 205 yards and two scores, while fellow wideout Tracy Moore added nine receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown. Randle rushed for 73 yards and a pair of scores.

Blackmon atoned for his two-fumble game with a 54-yard touchdown catch with 4:47 remaining that pulled the Cowboys out of a 38-37 deficit. He also caught the 2-point conversion for a 45-38 lead.

K-State responded right back with Lockett's 80-yard kickoff return and three straight runs by Klein, who barged in from 12 yards out to tie it up with 3:18 remaining.

It took Oklahoma State's quick-strike offense just four plays and 62 seconds to respond again. Weeden found Isaiah Anderson for a 33-yard gain, and Randle ran through a big hole on third-and-1 before dodging safety Ty Zimmerman to waltz in for the game-winner.

Klein drove the Wildcats down for a chance to tie—or perhaps go for the win with a 2-point conversion—by converting a fourth-and-4 with a quarterback keeper and then connecting with Harper for 22 yards to set up first-and-goal at the 5-yard line.

With no time to rely on his potent running game, coach Bill Snyder called three straight passing plays but none got the job done.

While LSU will likely remain first when the BCS standings come out on Sunday, Oklahoma State will probably be the new No. 2.

Oklahoma State capitalized on Klein's fumble on the Wildcats' second play from scrimmage to strike first with Randle's 4-yard touchdown run, and it was soon 14-0 after Weeden hit Moore for a 44-yard gain to set up the Cowboys' second score.

Blackmon stutter-stepped at the line to get Nigel Malone on his heels, then caught Weeden's pass and stutter-stepped again to get past him for an 11-yard score.

Then the Cowboys' stars made a series of mistakes to let K-State get back in the game.

Blackmon fumbled on a punt return to set up Anthony Cantele's 37-yard field goal, then Weeden gave the ball right back by throwing a pick to Tysyn Hartman on a deep ball. Angelo Pease and Klein had short TD runs on Kansas State's next two possessions before another Weeden interception was returned 60 yards for a score by Allen Chapman.

Kansas State led 24-14—the biggest home deficit this season for the Cowboys—then started piling up errors of its own.

James Thomas intercepted a pass that Klein threw into coverage and Brodrick Brown tipped. His 47-yard return set up Weeden's 5-yard TD pass to Moore on the next play. Then, instead of pinning Oklahoma State deep, Ryan Doerr's punt went out of bounds after only 19 yards and gave OSU good field position to drive for Quinn Sharp's 29-yard field goal and a 27-24 halftime lead.

The Cowboys were 1 yard away from claiming a 41-31 lead late in the third quarter when Blackmon fumbled for the second time in the game and Lyndell Johnson recovered in the end zone for Kansas State.

No. 17 K-State's Rally Falls Short at No. 3 OSU, 52-45

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Team Stats

Collin Klein

Players Mentioned

Anthony Cantele

Allen Chapman

Ryan Doerr

Tysyn Hartman

Tyler Lockett

Nigel Malone

Angelo Pease

Ty Zimmerman