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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Houston throws Cowboys

Jeff Latzke Associated Press

STILLWATER, Okla. – Quarterback Case Keenum was listening in on a conversation in the Houston locker room before the game when someone suggested that the Cougars had worked hard enough that they didn’t need any luck to upset No. 5 Oklahoma State.

Keenum had to interject. He turned to running back Bryce Beall to say, “I wouldn’t mind some luck.”

Hours later, the two teamed up on a connection Cougars fans will remember for a long time. On fourth down, Beall went after a 6-yard pass from Keenum that got batted up into the air and came down with it for the go-ahead score in Houston’s 45-35 upset of Oklahoma State on Saturday.

“It’s football. If you keep playing, plays like that are going to happen,” Beall said.

The Cougars (2-0) took advantage of a series of favorable bounces to give coach Kevin Sumlin his first marquee win with the program’s first victory over a top five team since an upset of No. 3 Texas in 1984.

Jamal Robinson sealed the win with a 26-yard interception return for a touchdown with 3:14 remaining, also off a pass that tipped off an Oklahoma State player first.

“For us as a program, this is a big win because it legitimizes our university. It legitimizes our program,” said Sumlin, who had gone 5-0 against OSU as an assistant coach at Oklahoma. “There’s no doubt that one win does not make a season. We’ve got a whole bunch of football to go.”

Oklahoma State (1-1) was coming off of perhaps the biggest opening win in the program’s history last week against Georgia, earning a spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated and a top-five ranking for the first time since 1985.

“We didn’t overlook them at all. We practiced like we practiced for Georgia and any other team,” Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant said. “We just made too many mistakes and they took advantage and made plays.”