PHOENIX, AZ — The Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-6) battled the Wisconsin Badgers (7-6) in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 8 p.m. Despite a second-half surge, the Cowboys fell to the Badgers 24-17. The Big 12 is now 0-2 in this bowl season after Baylor fell to Air Force last week.
Wisconsin’s runningback duo, Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi, combined for 193 yards and two touchdowns on the Badgers' way to victory. One of the biggest factors in the Badgers' win was the time of possession. They controlled the majority of the time of possession at 37:58 to Oklahoma State's 22:02.
Oklahoma State’s offense proved ineffective throughout most of the opening half of the contest. Their lone touchdown came after Cowboys’ Trey Rucker intercepted Wolf in the endzone. One play later, the Cowboys’ quarterback Garrett Rangel hit Stephon Johnson Jr. on a screen pass for 84 yards and a touchdown. Johnson Jr. made one man miss and then sprinted across the field before taking the football to the house.
Oklahoma State's Johnson Jr.
(Credit: @ratebowl/twitter.com)
Wisconsin did most of its damage in the first half. After a field goal on their opening possession in the first quarter, Mellusi scored a 1-yard touchdown that capped off a 13-play, 68-yard drive. Badgers' Wide Receiver Chemire Dike made it down to the 1-yard line after juking a Cowboys' defender out of his shoes.
The Badgers’ Chase Wolf then connected with Hayden Rucci for a 15-yard touchdown with 44 seconds left in the first half. The Badgers scored on in eight plays and went 65 yards taking 4:16 off the clock.
Wisconsin led at the half 17-7.
The Badgers scored again with 6:42 remaining in the 3rd quarter. Followed after a pick from Rangel, the Badgers went on a 2-play, 32-yard drive where Braelon Allen scored on a 20-yard sprint to the end zone.
Wisconsin Badgers' Braelon Allen
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Oklahoma State’s defense shut the Badgers out from there on out. The Cowboys forced a fumble and three straight punts to end the game. Their offense finally caught fire when they scored ten consecutive points and put themselves in a position to tie the game with time running out.
Forced to go for a touchdown on 4th and goal from Wisconsin’s 3-yard line, Rangel seemed stopped in the backfield. Before he hit the ground, Rangel flipped the ball underhanded to his running back, Ollie Gordon, for the score. The Cowboys added a late field goal but still trailed 24-17 with 5:08 to play.
Oklahoma State had one final opportunity to tie the game late in the 4th quarter. Rangel loaded and launched a deep pass to John Paul Richardson. However, Wisconsin’s Cedrick Dort Jr. outran Richardson and intercepted the pass. Wisconsin ran out the rest of the time remaining to claim victory 24-17.
Oklahoma State finished its 2022 campaign 7-6. A far cry from what they wanted, but this loss can help pave the way for Rangel to grow as a quarterback. Most of their skill players will be back next year, so look for the Cowboys to challenge for the Big 12 title next year.
Wisconsin Badgers
(Credit: @ratebowl/twitter.com)
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