3 Cowboy Takeaways: Oklahoma State Holds Off Boise State On Their Home Blue Turf

If you Cowboy fans looked at the score about 10 game minutes in, you might have had a mini heart attack.

The Boise State Broncos, on their bright blue turf field, rolled over Oklahoma State to start 10-0. Then came Jaylen Warren with a 75-yard dash to the house - untouched - to start the scoring for the Cowboys.

Defense was digging in, as they spent a while on the field in the first half and punched out a fumble that the Cowboys capitalized on to enter halftime up 21-20.

While scoreless in the third, that forced fumble flipped the momentum. Oklahoma State was able to shut down the Broncos’ quarterback and work to keep their own run game marching.

Although neither team scored in the entire second half, it was thrilling football. Between an interception, a fumble, some rain, and then a block on the kick that would have handed OSU its first loss of the season, it was truly a nail-biting fourth quarter.

A crazy, back-and-forth, did-that-really-happen fourth quarter ended with victory for the Oklahoma State faithful, 21-20, beating a team with one of the best home field records in college football.

First Takeaway: Watching On Blue Turf Is Just…Weird

Yes, it’s obvious, but it has to be said.

Image Provided By: AP

I’m not sure if it’s hard to watch on because it’s different than what we’re used to or because it’s just such a bold blue. Especially with Boise State clad in full blue uniforms, it’s just too much.

It’s true you never know what you have until it’s gone. Or in this case, you never realize how lovely and unassuming green turf is until it’s gone, and fans are left squinting their eyes a bit just to catch the game.

And who decided to keep the TV line of scrimmage marker line blue? On the blue field? Let’s help us viewers out here a bit.

Related Story: Oklahoma State Prepares For Boise State, Blue Turf And All

While the blue turf didn’t bring out the prettiest game from the boys in orange, at least the endzones were the bright color familiar to Stillwater.

If only the blame for the offensive blues could be blamed on the blue turf.

Second Takeaway: Take It Away, Mr. Jaylen Warren

While still inconsistent, I think the Cowboy offense has found its spark: Jaylen Warren.

Kicking off the scoring column, Warren found a wide-open hole and took it 75 yards to the endzone. That’s more running game than Oklahoma State had in the entire season opener against Missouri State (54 yards).

In the first half, Warren had 150 of the Cowboys’ total 175 yards. And that’s total yards, not just total rushing yards. Aka Warren WAS the offense in the first half.

Between play calling (why is running on third and long a good call), inconsistency, and minimal to no adjustments made in the first half it appears, OSU’s offense got lucky to then lead the broncos going into halftime.

But thanks to Warren’s spark, the offense started to put some drives together. Not necessarily complete drives, but a step in the right direction.

Warren ended with 218 rushing yards on 32 carries, out of the team's 249 rushing and total yards of 328. He also gave OSU two touchdowns on the night.

Fans finally got to see some of that highly touted running game this weekend, with Warren at its head. Let’s see more of him from here on out.

Third Takeaway: Other Guys Doing The Offense’s Job

Yes, there are 21 points on the board for Oklahoma State. However, it was not necessarily the offense that caused it all.

Warren’s 75-yard run was gorgeous, but the offense did not put together a drive to get to the endzone. The second touchdown came after a passable drive, but the Cowboys got lucky with a pass interference call. Then the defense stripped a Boise State runner, giving the offense a gift right before halftime.

And then Boise State’s potential game-winning field goal was just tipped by a Cowboy blocker, forcing the ball wide and maintaining the precarious one-point lead.

There were moments of glory, moments of greatness, but Oklahoma State wins this not by offense, but by defense - and some Boise State mistakes. They were in the good graces of lady luck tonight, but that doesn’t necessarily bode well for the future of the season.

However, although the offense has not been consistent this season, Oklahoma State has managed to win all three games so far, so something is working well enough for now.