SAN ANTONIO, Texas - No. 14 Oklahoma State kept Arizona’s offense out of the end zone and used four Wildcat turnovers to spoil the Pac-10’s first game in the bowl since its early years.
Arizona outgained the Cowboys 370 to 312 yards, holding the vaunted OSU offense some 200 yards under its average. After an initial stop, however, Bug Wright fumbled the first punt of the game and gave OSU a short field for a 26-yard drive and the lead. The Cats were stopped on their next possession and OSU’s Brandon Weeden connected on a 71-yard toss to Justin Blackmon to add to the lead.
UA answered with a 63-yard drive to cut it to 14-7. After an exchange of possession a short UA punt set the Cowboys up at midfield and OSU settled for the first of three Dan Bailey FGs. On Arizona’s ensuing drive, Nick Foles was intercepted by Markelle Martin and returned 62 yards for a score. Bailey missed the kick and it was 23-. UA took the ball inside the OSU 40 yard-line three times but could not score before halftime.
UA showed some life with an Alex Zendejas field goal in the third quarter to make it 23-10 but OSU answered with its longest drive of the night to make it 30-10. Another Foles’ interception near midfield set up a second Bailey field goal. Zendejas missed a 34-yarder minutes later in the fourth period, and Bailey knocked one home again for the final score. UA drove to the OSU 9 yard-line but could not cash in on 3rd- and 4th-and-1.
The Cats had 25 first downs to 17 by the Cowboys, held a 15-minute edge in time of possession but were one for three in the red zone, were sacked five times (to zero for UA), and suffered three interceptions and the fumbled punt for -4 turnover margin.
Receiver David Douglas took home the Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award for a 6-catch, 91-yard evening while the bowl offensive MVP award went to Blackmon for eight receptions for 112 yards and two scores, and the defensive MVP honor went to OSU defensive back Martin for his key INT.
