The 2012 Fiesta Bowl lived up and exceeded all billing. The 41-38 win for Oklahoma State came in overtime with a field goal that gave the Cowboys their first lead of the game. The Stanford Cardinal had the game all but won in regulation but their freshman kicker missed from 35 yards to force the overtime period. To compound matters, he missed again in OT to put the game in reach of Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys seem to only play well in even-numbered quarters. After generating little offense in the third (and first) quarter, Oklahoma State quickly moved down the field and tied the game at 31 on a touchdown pass to none other than, Justin Blackmon to open the fourth.
That was the third TD catch for the receiver who was reported to be limited by a nasty infection in his leg. The play went 17 yards from Brandon Weeden to Blackmon.
Stanford came right back as they had done so many times in this game and put another seven points on the board. The drive when 69 yards and used 13 plays and over seven minutes of clock. The touchdown, put the Tree up 38-31.
OSU wasn't done, however, as they quickly put together a touchdown drive in just 1:51. During the possession, the Cowboys went for it and converted a fourth and three at the OSU 40 with a 20 yard pass completion to Justin Blackmon.
The problem for the Cowboys, they left too much time on the clock for QB great, Andrew Luck. Stanford started on their own 20 with 2:35 on the clock. Luck drove to within a 35-yard field goal of victory. But as we've seen so many times in college football, kickers miss big kicks.
Overtime.
One their first possession of the extra period, the Cardinal offense went nowhere and Williamson missed another kick (43 yards) wide left. That put the game in the hands of the Cowboys who took their first lead of the game on a 25 yard touchdown pass to Colton Chelf except the play was reviewed and called down within one yard of the end zone.
Little matter, the Cowboys set up for a 19-yard kick to win the game 41-38.
The two teams certainly provided the offense we expected even after combining for just seven points in the first quarter. The Cardinal put up 590 total yards with Andrew Luck going 27-31 for 347 yards and two touchdowns in his final game before entering the NFL. The Cowboys had 412 yards with Weeden throwing for 399 yards, with three touchdowns on 29-42. His star receiver, Justin Blackmon had eight catches for 186 yards with three trips to the end zone.
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