TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Damari Alston ran for two touchdowns, Baylor Hayes passed for another score, and Tulsa upset Oklahoma State 24-10 on Saturday to spoil the debut of Cowboys coach Eric Morris.
Alston’s 29-yard burst around left end gave the Golden Hurricane a two-touchdown advantage with 8:38 left, and Tulsa intercepted quarterback Drew Mestemaker twice after that to preserve a second straight win in the series for the first time since 1952.
Oklahoma State has lost 12 straight dating to last season.
Hayes passed for 227 yards and Alston gained 73 yards on 15 carries to lead the offense, but it was the defense that forced four turnovers and stopped the Cowboys four times on fourth down.
The Golden Hurricane limited Mestemaker, the highly touted transfer from North Texas to 81 yards passing in the first half. He finished with 241 yards, completing 29 of 49 attempts.
Hayes completed 10 of 14 passes for 170 yards before the break, including a 47-yard pass to Jimmy Calloway that set up a 1-yard run by Alston to give Tulsa a 10-3 lead at the break.
A pass interference call gave Oklahoma State a first down on the Tulsa 19-yard-line with time winding down in the third quarter. Three plays later, Mestemaker found 6-foot-5 Justin Bowick in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown to pull the Cowboys within 17-10.