By JEFF LATZKE
AP College Football Writer
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) -
With two receivers gone to the NFL, Isaiah Anderson figured to be the
next deep threat in Oklahoma State's potent passing game.
A hand injury derailed those chances until his very last chance to play at Boone Pickens Stadium.
Anderson had a career-best
174 yards receiving and caught three long touchdown passes from Clint
Chelf in his final home game, leading Oklahoma State to a 59-21 win
against No. 23 Texas Tech on Saturday.
"This is the best feeling
in the world, to do it in front of my home crowd and have my family here
to support me," Anderson said.
Anderson was on the
receiving end of scoring passes of 60, 33 and 66 yards from Chelf and
ended up with nearly three times his previous career-best of 64 yards
receiving in a game.
It was exactly what the
Cowboys expected out of him after a strong training camp as 1 of the
team's most experienced receivers, with the departure of first-round NFL
draft pick Justin Blackmon and Josh Cooper - who also ended up in the
NFL.
A hand injury kept him out
of action most of the first part of the season - and he had just 123
yards receiving all season before Saturday.
"It kind of messed with me
mentally. Coming in, I was expecting just to have that breakout season
this year. To have that kind of setback, it made me more mentally strong
to have to go through that and push through it to get back on the
field," Anderson said.
"Just to have a day like I had today makes it all worth it."
A dozen of the most important people in his life - from his grandfather to his girlfriend - got to witness his big day.
"He's been here a long time and for him to go out like that, in front of the home crowd, is something special," Chelf said.
Zack Craig blocked a pair
of punts, returning one for a touchdown, as the Cowboys (7-3, 5-2 Big
12) won their fourth straight in the series and the second in a row in
decisive fashion. The Red Raiders' 66-6 loss in last season's game was
the most lopsided defeat in the program's history.
"Tough night for us," Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said. "We ran into a buzzsaw."
Seth Doege threw for 230
yards with two interceptions and a single touchdown pass for Texas Tech
(7-4, 4-4). He started the day leading the Bowl Subdivision with 34
touchdown passes this season.
The Red Raiders also turned it over on a snap over Doege's head and had twice as many penalty yards as Oklahoma State.
"Bad things just kept happening to us," said Tuberville, who didn't allow his players to speak to reporters.
Chelf passed for 229 yards
in his second career start. J.W. Walsh, who had what coach Mike Gundy
called a season-ending injury four weeks ago, ran for one touchdown and
threw for another out of a short-yardage package.
The Red Raiders had a
chance to pass the defending conference champions in the Big 12
standings, and perhaps secure a better bowl destination, but instead
dropped their fifth straight game in Stillwater in another blowout.
"You're just trying to go
out and win. It doesn't really matter how it happens," Chelf said.
"They're a good team, but we came to play today with a lot of energy and
wanted to send the seniors off right."
During a pregame ceremony,
Oklahoma State observed a moment of silence to mark the 1-year
anniversary of the plane crash that killed women's basketball coach Kurt
Budke, assistant Miranda Serna and two others.
Sparked by a series of big
plays on defense and special teams, Oklahoma State's offense got
clicking to break the game open with 28 consecutive points in the second
quarter.
The Cowboys sacked Doege
three times in the first half and Tyler Johnson was pressuring him again
to force an ill-advised throw that Shamiel Gary intercepted. Just two
plays later, Chelf connected with Anderson on a 33-yard flea flicker
pass to push the Oklahoma State advantage to 21-7.
Tech couldn't respond and
followed that by going 3 & out, with Craig rushing in to block Ryan
Erxleben's punt and keep Oklahoma State's roll going. Walsh finished the
ensuing drive with a 2-yard TD run on a quarterback keeper, and Chelf
threw his 66-yard touchdown pass to Anderson on the first play after
another Red Raiders 3 & out.
"It was just wonderful to
get some turnovers," defensive coordinator Bill Young said. "You give
our offense the football with a short field and, boy, you better look
out."
Cornerback Bruce Jones slipped momentarily, and that was all that speedster Anderson needed to be long gone.
"He's fast," Cowboys coach
Mike Gundy said. "And when you're fast, whether you can catch it or not,
you scare a defense. If you can catch it, it makes it that much worse.
Doege threw a 2-yard TD
pass to Tyson Williams with 15 seconds left before halftime, and the Red
Raiders got the ball to start the second half. But Doege's second
interception - directly into the arms of retreating defensive tackle
James Castleman - ended that drive and any momentum for Tech.
Joseph Randle and Jeremy
Smith each tacked on touchdown runs for Oklahoma State in the second
half, and Quinn Sharp matched his career-long with a 51-yard field goal.
Craig's punt block extended the lead to 59-14 early in the fourth
quarter.
Darrin Moore caught a late
7-yard touchdown pass from backup Michael Brewer and finished with 140
yards receiving for Texas Tech.
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2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not
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