The first half of this matchup was weird. Oklahoma State scored on their first drive as Alan Bowman connected with Josiah Johnson to get the Cowboys started quickly. The Cincinnati Bearcats responded with some big plays.
By halftime, the Cowboys held just a 10-7 lead, which included a missed field goal from Alex Hale and a red zone fumble from Ollie Gordon.
It felt like a half of wasted potential, but that didn't shake the Cowboys up to start the second half. On their first offensive drive of the second half, Gordon rushed for 43 yards to set up an eventual Brennan Presley touchdown grab.
.@bprezzle extends the Pokes lead!
— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) October 29, 2023
: ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/jt4JO5IPtn
The Cowboys now lead 17-7 with a chance to strike again and continue building their lead over Cincinnati. The third quarter now presents a unique opportunity to build a lead big enough to cruise through the fourth quarter.
The offense seems to be applying with much more urgency as both the ground and passing game seem improved from the first half.
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