Houston Bowl
2002
Oklahoma State 33
Southern Mississippi 23
HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Oklahoma State ended the regular season on a
high, and the Cowboys will be able to carry momentum into the offseason.
Tatum Bell snapped a tie with a 22-yard touchdown run midway through the
fourth quarter and later set up a field goal with an 88-yard scamper as
the Cowboys posted a 33-23 victory over shorthanded Southern Mississippi
in the Houston Bowl.
Oklahoma State (8-5) rebounded from a 2-4 start to win six of its last
seven games and reach eight victories for the first time since 1997 and
just the second time since 1988. The Cowboys defeated Nebraska and
Oklahoma in the same season for the first time in school history.
It was Oklahoma State's first bowl victory since Barry Sanders ran for
222 yards and five touchdowns in a 62-14 rout of Wyoming in the 1988
Holiday Bowl.
"From how our kids responded from 2-4 to come on really strong, it puts
the program in great shape," said Oklahoma State coach Les Miles, whose
team was 4-7 last season.
"It's another great win," added Cowboys tight end Billy Bajema, whose
33-yard reception set up Bell's go-ahead score. "We beat Texas A&M,
Nebraska and OU. The end of the season has been a blast. Our maturity
level as a team is way ahead of what it was last year."
Southern Mississippi (7-6) played without star running back Derrick Nix,
whose kidney disorder is worsening, and starting quarterback Mickey
D'Angelo, who has been bothered by a rib injury and left after just one
series.
But freshman backup Dustin Almond sparked the Golden Eagles, who rallied
from deficits of 10-0 and 20-13 to take a 23-20 lead on Curt Jones'
30-yard field goal with 4:13 left in the third quarter.
"Derrick Nix is a tremendous inspiration to our football team," Golden
Eagles coach Jeff Bower said. "A lot of players on our side wanted to
win for him."
Almond completed 11-of-27 passes for 173 yards and also rushed for 54
yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. "Their defensive line impressed me
a lot," Almond said. "I learned I need to be in better condition. I got
up after every hit. I think I showed a lot of leadership."
Oklahoma State grabbed the lead for good, 30-23, on Bell's run with 8:07
to play. On Southern Mississippi's ensuing possession, punter Mark
Haulman pinned the Cowboys at their 2. But Bell ripped off an 88-yard
gain on the first play of the series, setting up a 23-yard field goal by
Luke Phillips - his fourth of game - with 5:15 to go. Bell rushed for
160 on only 13 carries.
Rashaun Woods, who had three TD receptions in Oklahoma State's 38-28
upset of Oklahoma in the regular-season finale, caught nine passes for
164 yards and a score. It was the ninth 100-yard game of the season for
Woods, who joined Hart Lee Dykes as the only Oklahoma State receivers to
surpass 3,000 career yards. "They really wanted to come out and stop the
run," said Woods, who had six catches for 140 yards in the first half.
Woods finished with 107 receptions, breaking the Big 12 Conference
single-season record of 100, set by Texas' Kwame Cavil in 1999.
Josh Fields completed 21-of-40 passes for 310 yards and two Tds for the
Cowboys, his third straight 300-yard game. Fields' 51-yard TD pass to
Woods with 1:38 left in the first half gave Oklahoma State a 20-13 lead
at intermission.
The Golden Eagles tied it on James Walley's two-yard run with 11:50 left
in the third period and grabbed a 23-20 lead on the last of Jones' three
field goals. The Cowboys pulled even on Phillips' 28-yard kick four
seconds into the final quarter. He also converted field goals of 46 and
52 yards in the first half.
Woods was simply unbelievable on the afternoon.
Defensive player of the game, Kevin Williams prepares to sack USM's Dustin Almond.
Attendance: 44,687
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
OSU- Denard 3 yd pass from Fields (Phillips kick)
OSU- FG Phillips 46 yd
USM- FG Jones 38 yd
Second Quarter
USM- Almond 13 (Jones kick)
OSU- FG Phillips 52 yd
USM- FG Jones 24 yd
OSU- Woods 51 yd pass from Fields (Phillips kick)
Third Quarter
USM- Walley 3 yd (Jones kick)
USM- FG Jones 30 yd
Fourth Quarter
OSU- FG Phillips 29
OSU- Bell 22 yd (Phillips kick)
OSU- FG Phillips 23 yd
Individual Statistics
Rushing
USM- Walley 21-74, Almond
17-54
OSU- Bell 13-160, Shaw 12-37
Passing
USM- Almond 11-27-173
OSU- Fields 21-40-310
Receiving
USM- Johnson 5-67, Walley 2-45, Browden 1-44
OSU- Woods 9-164, Johnson 3-47, Davis-Bryant 3-37, Bajema 1-33, Lewis
2-19
