Oklahoma State and Iowa State combined for 100 points in their Week 8 game on Halloween night. The high-scoring contest ended in a painful 51-49 loss for the visiting Cowboys, after a late penalty helped give Iowa State a better starting position on its final drive.
Down 48-42 with less than three minutes to play, Oklahoma State put together a 12-play drive that ended with Wyatt Young’s second touchdown of the night. The extra point put the Cowboys ahead 49-48 with 53 seconds left.
But after scoring, Young ran toward fans in the front rows and shouted at them. Officials called him for unsportsmanlike conduct, and the penalty pushed Oklahoma State’s ensuing kickoff back 15 yards.
Iowa State returned the kick to its own 37-yard line. On the first play of the drive, the Cyclones gained 33 yards and quickly moved into field-goal range. They advanced inside the red zone, then used a timeout to set up the winning kick, which went through with two seconds remaining.
The penalty wasn’t the only factor in the loss: Oklahoma State’s defense gave up a big gain on the opening play of Iowa State’s final possession. Still, the flag made an already difficult situation tougher for the Cowboys.
Young apologized to Oklahoma State supporters, his teammates and the coaching staff in a post on social media early Sunday. He said his actions showed poor discipline and maturity, accepted responsibility, and acknowledged that one play can affect the outcome of a game.
Head coach Eric Morris was blunt when asked about the incident after the game, calling it “the most selfish penalty ever.”
The defeat dropped Oklahoma State to 5-3. Its hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff now appear all but over.
