Takeaways From The Alamo Bowl

<p>Some takeaways from Oklahoma State's 38-8 Alamo Bowl win against Colorado.</p>

Friday, December 30th 2016, 7:12 pm

By: News 9


From start to finish, Oklahoma State dominated Colorado in the Alamo Bowl giving Mike Gundy his fifth 10-win season in the last seven years. Here are some takeaways from last night.

Both coordinators seemed loose

The offensive and defensive gameplans seemed night-and-day different from OSU’s regular season finale against Oklahoma. Sure, this was in a domed-stadium and Bedlam was played outside in a freezing rain shower, but good things happen when Mason Rudolph airs it out. The junior led all Power-5 quarterbacks in passer rating on deep passes (124.7) before the bowl game.

Likewise, the Cowboy defense brought pressure early and often against the Buffaloes and it payed off. Colorado’s six first-half possessions ended like this: four plays-punt, 14 plays-missed field goal, three plays-punt, three-plays-punt, four plays-interception, four plays-end of half.

James Washington’s dislocated finger looked horrible

It wasn’t a major injury and won’t dethrone Willis McGahee’s knee injury at Miami for grossest of all-time, but seeing No. 28’s finger jutting out from the wrong side of his hand plus the grimace of pain as he couldn’t watch trainers pop it back into place was almost nauseating. Washington didn’t return to the game but his 171 receiving yards were a game-high and gave him 2,923 for his career, placing him fourth on the all-time receiving charts at Oklahoma State.

Line domination

The Cowboys held a team averaging nearly 200 rushing yards per game to a season-low 62 yards on 29 attempts. Vincent Taylor, Trey Carter and Tralund Webber had a sack apiece as OSU put constant pressure on CU quarterback Sefo Liufau. Oklahoma State’s offensive line gave up just one sack and paved the way for 189 yards on the ground.

Who will be missed?

Start with defensive tackle Vincent Taylor, who announced his intent to enter the draft on Friday. The Cowboys will lose their other starting DT, Mote Maile, to graduation. Two starting linebackers, Jordan Burton and Devante Averette are gone. Defensive backs Ashton Lampkin, Lenzy Pipkins and Derrick Moncrief depart and safety Jordan Sterns might be the most-missed-man from the defensive side of the ball.

On offense, the Cowboys lose starting tackle Victor Salako plus Cowboy backs Blake Jarwin and Zac Veatch. They’ll miss receivers Jhajuan Seales and Austin Hays as well as running backs Barry J. Sanders and Renny Childs. Running back Chris Carson and kicker Ben Grogan depart leaving big shoes to fill.

Who’s back?

Rudolph and Washington are back for 2017 as is freshman sensation Justice Hill. Four-out-of-five starters on the offensive line return. Five-star transfer Tyron Johnson is someone to watch but OSU also gets back Marcell Ateman, Jalen McCleskey and Chris Lacy at receiver.

Chad Whitener and Tre Flowers will be back to anchor a depleted defense. Ramon Richards returns as the most experienced cornerback on the roster and Kenneth Edison-McGruder will factor in at safety or linebacker, wherever the coaching staff needs him. Darrion Daniels and DeQuinton Osborne will step into the void at defensive tackle and all five defensive ends – Jarell Owens, Jordan Brailford, Tralund Webber, Cole Walterscheid and Trey Carter – return.

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