Oklahoma St. 38, No. 3 Oklahoma 28

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Once again, Oklahoma State spoiled Oklahoma's postseason plans, although this time the Cowboys didn't wait until the end of the game to do it. <br><br>Rashaun Woods had

Friday, November 29th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Once again, Oklahoma State spoiled Oklahoma's postseason plans, although this time the Cowboys didn't wait until the end of the game to do it.

Rashaun Woods had 12 catches for a school-record 226 yards, including three first-half touchdowns, as the Cowboys upset the third-ranked Sooners 38-28 Saturday.

A year ago, Woods caught a touchdown pass in the final two minutes to give the Cowboys a 16-13 victory that cost Oklahoma the Big 12 South title. The Sooners (10-2, 6-2) already had the South Division wrapped up this year, but a loss at Texas A&M on Nov. 10 took away any shot the Sooners had of playing for the national title.

In beating the Sooners for the fifth time in eight years, Oklahoma State (7-5, 5-3) enhanced its chances of going to a bowl for the first time since 1997. The Cowboys kept Oklahoma from ever holding the lead, something no team had done against Bob Stoops in his first 49 games as Oklahoma's coach.

As the last seconds ticked off the clock, orange-clad Oklahoma State students ran onto the field and tore down the goal posts.

The Sooners, who will play No. 13 Colorado for the Big 12 title next week in Houston, had no answer for Woods. He caught TD passes of 41, 60 and 13 yards in the first half and had three catches on the Cowboys' first drive of the third quarter, when they took a 35-6 lead. Woods then had two more receptions on a clinching fourth-quarter drive that led to a field goal and a 38-21 lead.

The Cowboys set the tone for the game by driving 64 yards for a touchdown on their first possession, despite starting out with consecutive 5-yard penalties. Mixing the pass and run, the Cowboys drove to the 30 before Seymore Shaw broke free. He fumbled at the 1, but receiver John Lewis picked it up and fell into the end zone for a touchdown.

Oklahoma State needed just two plays to make it 14-0. After a personal foul put the ball at the Oklahoma 41, Woods got behind cornerback Andre Woolfolk on a post pattern and was wide open when he caught Josh Fields' pass.

The Sooners used the final 6:35 of the first quarter to drive from their 17 to the Oklahoma State 1, where Kejuan Jones scored on the first play of the second quarter. The extra-point kick failed.

The Cowboys immediately seized the momentum back, going 71 yards in three plays for another touchdown _ this one a 60-yard pass to Woods, who again burned Woolfolk.

Oklahoma State made it 28-6 on a 13-yard pass from Fields to Woods midway through the second quarter. The big play on the drive was a 58-yard completion to tight end Billy Bajema.

The Cowboys scored on their first drive of the third quarter _ a 13-yard pass from Fields to tight end Charlie Johnson _ to make it 35-6. Oklahoma came back with a 26-yard TD pass from Nate Hybl to Brandon Jones late in the third, and a 13-yarder from Hybl to Trent Smith early in the fourth to pull to 35-21.

Oklahoma State then sealed it with a 16-play drive that used up more than 7 1/2 minutes. Luke Phillips' 40-yard field goal gave the Cowboys a 38-21 lead with 4:09 left.

Oklahoma scored its final touchdown on a pass from Hybl to Trent Smith with 2:14 left, but couldn't recover the onside kick, and the Cowboys ran out the clock.