Mason Rudolph rolls, Oklahoma State routs Colorado 38-8

SAN ANTONIO – Mason Rudolph passed for 314 yards and three touchdowns and No. 13 Oklahoma State’s defense smothered No. 11 Colorado in a 38-8 Alamo Bowl victory Thursday night that gave the Cowboys their fifth 10-win season in seven years.

James Washington caught nine passes for 171 yards and a touchdown before leaving in the third quarter with an apparent hand injury. Rudolph and Washington have already announced they will return for their senior seasons, putting the Cowboys (10-3) among the favorites to win the Big 12.

Rudolph even set up Oklahoma State’s first touchdown when he caught a throw-back pass for 24 yards. His 5-yard TD pass to Washington made it 17-0 in the second quarter. Rudolph had scoring throws to Blake Jarwin and Jhajuan Seales in the third to make it 31-0.

“We felt like their secondary hadn’t really been challenged all year,” Rudolph said.

Colorado’s best season in more than a decade –dubbed “The Rise” – ended with a thud: consecutive losses in the Pac-12 title game and the program’s first bowl appearance since 2007.

Senior quarterback Sefo Liufau passed for 195 yards and ran for a touchdown for the Buffaloes (10-4), but was sidelined for part of the second and third quarters after limping off following a sack.

“We did something special. We didn’t finish with an exclamation point … but I wouldn’t trade this season for anything,” Liufau said.