ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Spencer Sanders threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns, and Oklahoma State held off No. 18 Miami for a 37-34 victory in the Cheez-It Bowl on Tuesday.
Brennan Presley caught three of Sanders’ TD passes, finishing with six receptions for 118 yards. Sanders also led the Cowboys with 45 yards rushing.
Oklahoma State (8-3) scored on its first three possessions while jumping out to a 21-0 lead. Sanders threw TD passes of 30 and 32 yards to Presley, and LD Brown had a 2-yard touchdown run.
Miami (8-3) got on the board in the second quarter when D’Eriq King threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Brevin Jordan. But King left the game with a right knee injury with 4:06 remaining in the first half.
Backup quarterback N’Kosi Perry threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns for Miami. Perry’s 5-yard TD pass to Michael Harley helped the Hurricanes close to 37-34 with 5:39 left.
Perry misfired on six of his final nine passes and his 6-yard pass to Michael Redding III was not enough to convert a fourth-and-9 with under two minutes remaining.
Miami outgained Oklahoma State 512-418.
THE TAKEAWAY
Oklahoma State used a near perfect performance from Sanders to earn its fourth bowl victory in the past five years. Sanders was 27-of-40 passing and did not commit a turnover.
Miami will finish the season with back-to-back losses. It has lost five consecutive bowl games and 11 of its past 12.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Oklahoma State was unranked coming into the game, but likely will make the final Top 25 of the season.
Miami, ranked No. 18, could be out of the final rankings after consecutive losses.
UP NEXT
Oklahoma State should have a dynamic offense with Spencer returning at quarterback when it opens next season against Missouri State.
Miami has to hope King’s injury isn’t serious enough to keep him out of spring practice because the Hurricanes open next season against Alabama in Atlanta.
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