Anderson's three long TDs lead Oklahoma State to big win

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Isaiah Anderson's final season at Oklahoma State was beginning to look quite forgettable.

A big Senior Day spun it memorable.

The Cowboys wide receiver caught three long touchdown passes -- his first scores of the season -- leading No. 24 OSU to a 59-21 rout over No. 23 Texas Tech on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium.

"That was the most fun I've had since I've been here," Anderson said. "To go out there and have a season without any touchdowns and today score three, it's just special.

"It's kind of been a rough ride for me in my senior season. But to come out here and have this in my last game, I couldn't ask for a better way to go out the last time in Boone Pickens Stadium. This is the best feeling in the world right now."

A key game in the Big 12 for bowl positioning purposes, with both teams entering with four conference wins, the Cowboys rolled to a 35-14 halftime lead and were never threatened in the second half.

Oklahoma State improved to 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the conference. The Red Raiders fell to 7-4 and 4-4.

Injuries, including a fractured finger recently, had hampered Anderson's availability and efficiency. Before Saturday, he'd totaled just 10 catches for 123 yards. Clearly healthy against Tech, Anderson had 174 receiving yards and all three scores by halftime. He also ran for 26 yards on a reverse.

The touchdowns: 60, 33 and 66 yards. The last TD went for more yards than Anderson had ever totaled in a game (63).

"We've given up big plays, post routes and go routes," Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said, reflecting on one sore point in this season. "We're trying to stop the run. You've got to take your choice on what you want to do.

"Sunday and Monday going into this game, we said if we can keep them to one big play, we'll be in good shape. We'll stop the run, control them on third downs and go to zone coverage. And it just got away from us. They made a lot of big plays."

The Cowboys, who have started three quarterbacks due to injuries, used two for strategic reasons against Tech. Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh played key roles as OSU marched to a touchdown on the game's opening drive. Chelf, the starter, threw for 47 yards, while Walsh entered on short yardage and again when the Cowboys reached the Tech 5. From there, Walsh ran for three yards, then tossed a 2-yard scoring pass to fullback Kye Staley.

Tech tied the game on the first snap of the second quarter, completing an 81-yard drive. Red Raiders quarterback Seth Doege hit Darrin Moore for a 57-yard gain for the big play, which went to the Cowboys' 2.

Two plays later, running back Eric Stephens took a direct snap and dashed in from the 1.

Tech was back even at 7-7 and seemed to have momentum. But the Cowboys scored the next 28 points, with Anderson striking for his three deep balls and Walsh running for another TD on a 2-yard quarterback sweep.

Doege did engineer a 13-play, 95-yard drive for a touchdown just before halftime, throwing to Tyson Williams from 2 yards out to make it 35-14.

But OSU extended the lead with a 17-0 third quarter without completing a pass, then tacked on more in the fourth quarter.

"We played well," said Chelf, who passed for 229 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half, before the offense went conservative. "The offensive line kept me clean and opened holes. J.W. came in and made some good plays. And our receivers played well. I just tried to spread the ball to those guys and let them make plays."

The Red Raiders, who entered the game ranked No. 1 nationally in passing offense at 370 yards a game, finished with 284. And 54 came from backup Michael Brewer in the final minutes, when he led a touchdown drive against the Cowboys reserves.

"If you look at our makeup over the last five or six weeks, our defense has played pretty good," Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said. "In this league, it's difficult, because of the offenses we face."

NOTES: Anderson became the fifth Cowboys receiver this season to crack the 100-yard receiving mark. That's a school record. ... In their last two games against Texas Tech, the Cowboys have scored 125 points. OSU won 66-6 in Lubbock in 2011. ... With 230 yards Saturday, Doege moved into fourth place on Tech's all-time passing yardage list at 8,006, passing Taylor Potts (7,835) and Robert Hall (7,908). ... Tech closes its regular season next Saturday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. OSU visits Oklahoma.