Texas Longhorns football stifles Oklahoma State star RB Ollie Gordon in Big 12 title game.
ARLINGTON — Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II, whose 1,580 yards rushing entering the game led all FBS rushers, found out that the stats don’t lie when it comes to the Texas rush defense.
Anchored by the defensive-tackle tandem of T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II, Texas ranks fifth in the nation by allowing just 85 yards a game on the ground. That number will drop after facing Gordon and the Cowboys; Gordon had just 34 yards on 13 carries while Oklahoma State managed just 31 yards on 18 carries as a team in Texas' 49-21 win in the Big 12 title game Saturday in AT&T Stadium.
“We just did us,” said Texas linebacker Jaylan Ford, who had a quiet night with just three tackles after the Cowboys ran just 56 plays. “All year, we've been a dominant upfront team dominate in the run defense and all three levels. We kind of just came in, we knew our job, and everyone executed.”
Gordon had been held under 100 yards just once in the previous nine games while Texas has held seven of its past eight foes under 100 yards rushing as a team.
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Safety Kitan Crawford had his first interception of the season when he picked off Oklahoma State’s Alan Bowman at the Texas 2-yard line. … Safety Derek Williams Jr. was ejected for targeting after an illegal blindside block on the second-half kickoff. The second-half ejection also means Williams, who entered the game with 38 tackles for the season, will miss the first half of Texas’ next game. … Tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders (105 yards) and receiver Adonai Mitchell (109 yards) both topped 100 yards receiving. … The attendance of 84,523 set a new record for the Big 12 title game.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Longhorns football stifles Oklahoma State star RB Ollie Gordon
