Five Thoughts on Oklahoma State’s 37-34 Cheez-It Bowl Win Over Miami
Another Cheez-It Bowl is in the books and it was the Oklahoma State Cowboys pulling off a 37-34 win over the Miami Hurricanes. So with the game in the books and Oklahoma State’s season coming to an end, here are five thoughts in the Cowboys’ win over the Hurricanes.
1. Brennan Presley’s Coming Out Party
Brennan Presley had himself a day for the Cowboys, finishing with six catches for 118 yards and three touchdown grabs, the first two coming in the first quarter, and then the final one was the last score in the fourth quarter. Presley came into the game with one catch for seven yards. Yes, you read that right. The 5’8”, 165-pound true freshman wide receiver was the 2019 Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year and was a two-time All-State selection. His senior year included over 1,500 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns. I sure wish we saw more of him this season, but at least we hope to get to learn plenty more about Brennan Presley in 2021.
2. All the feels for D’Eriq King
Bowl games are glorified exhibition games and are fun for both fans and programs. The players get lots of perks and fans get some Holiday season football. But when you see an injury like D’Eriq King’s, who hurt his knee in the second quarter, it stings, even if he’s playing for the other team. King is Miami’s stud QB who left with the knee injury on a hit from Tre Sterling. The hit was not dirty, it was just football. But you hate to see moments like this. We all wish King a speedy recovery as he recently announced he would be returning to Miami for the 2021 season.
3. Questionable Play-Calling?
Oklahoma State’s opening drive went 10 plays and 75 yards for a touchdown in just over three minutes. There was not a single rush attempt on that drive and it was a thing of beauty. The next drive went eight plays for a touchdown, with four runs and four passes and resulted in a touchdown. On the third drive, six plays and a touchdown, with four passes and two runs. In the second quarter, the Pokes had nine rushing plays to eight passing plays. Why flip the script when the aggressive passing game was working so well early on? For Mike Gundy critics, that remains a sticking point and they got their prime example in the first half of this game.
4. Goodbye, Tylan
Tylan Wallace was seen on the sidelines hugging teammates with tears streaming down his face in the second half. There were multiple reports during the game that this was the plan for Wallace to only play the first half as his next stop will be the NFL. Others reported this as a players’ decision opt-out after Wallace saw D’Eriq King injure himself in the first half. Frankly, who cares? It’s the freakin’ Cheez-It Bowl. As much as we all love the name, it’s still the Cheez-It Bowl. It was a shocker that Wallace decided to play in this game at all. There should be no drama around this. Tylan Wallace will be remembered as one of the best wide receivers in Oklahoma State football history, finishing fourth in receiving yards and sixth in touchdown catches. That’s how Tylan Wallace should be remembered, not this fake controversy that might give a dimwit Oklahoma City radio host two segments worth of content.
5. Oklahoma State’s 2020 Season was a Disappointment
Oklahoma State was once the No. 6 team in the country. Then they lost to Texas. Two weeks later they were blown out by Oklahoma. And two weeks after that was a really disappointing loss to TCU. The Cheez-It Bowl is not what expectations were in Stillwater before the season, nor should they have been. Even as a supporter of Mike Gundy and his tenure in Stillwater, there should be no sugarcoating that with the amount of returning starters and talent back, this season’s results were not sufficient. Oklahoma State had the talent to play for a Big 12 Championship and didn’t come all that close. What does that mean for 2021 and beyond? Probably not much. Mike Gundy deserves to remain the head coach. But two things can be true at the same time: Gundy had a bad year, but he deserves to remain the leader in Stillwater.
**Want to win a $25 gift card? Go sign up here and join our conversation! The best poster each week wins a gift card to your favorite establishment!**
