By CLIFF BRUNT AP Sports Writer
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Brendan Sorsby threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score, and No. 24 Cincinnati took control late and beat Oklahoma State 49-17 on Saturday night for its sixth straight victory.
Sorsby completed 20 of 29 passes for 270 yards and Cyrus Allen caught two touchdown passes and ran for a score for Cincinnati (6-1, 4-0 Big 12.) They paced an offense that gained 427 yards.
Matthew McDoom returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter — the longest interception return in school history — to help the Bearcats become bowl eligible for the first time in coach Scott Satterfield’s three years at Cincinnati.
“Congratulations men,” Satterfield told the team in the locker room. “We’re going bowling, baby!”
The Bearcats are positioned to do much more than merely go to a bowl game. Cincinnati and BYU are the only remaining unbeaten teams in league play after Arizona State’s win over previously unbeaten Texas Tech on Saturday.
Rodney Fields, Jr. ran for a career-high 163 yards and caught three passes for 27 yards for the Cowboys (1-6, 0-4.)
An energetic crowd that showed up despite the team’s struggles couldn’t save Oklahoma State from its sixth straight defeat. It was the Cowboys’ fourth straight loss since firing coach Mike Gundy, and all have been by double digits.
“Just some little minor miscues that turned catastrophic, you know what I mean,” Oklahoma State interim coach Doug Meacham said. “It’s like a little bitty thing that just completely implodes on us.”
Sorsby threw all three of his touchdown passes in the first half to help Cincinnati take a 28-10 lead. The Bearcats scored four touchdowns on four possessions in the first half.
Fields broke loose for a 20-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 28-17 before Cincinnati took charge.
Loyal and True
The Cowboys again had a large group of fans that took off their shirts and waved them in the air, bringing energy to Boone Pickens Stadium long after the game was decided. Another group of fans took off their banana costumes and joined in the shirtless fun in section 231.
“You’d have thought we were up 21,” Meacham said. “Whatever you call the shirtless people, that’s pretty awesome. It got a little nippy out there. I’m looking out there like I’d probably put my shirt back on or go sit down somewhere, but they did a phenomenal job.”
Déjà Vu
The previous Cincinnati record for longest interception return was a 96-yard runback by Bob Del Rosa in 1958 against, of all teams, Oklahoma State.
The Takeaway
Cincinnati: The Bearcats gave up 377 yards to an Oklahoma State offense that has mostly struggled all season. They made up for it by forcing three turnovers, but they’ll still need to tighten up a bit with Baylor, Utah, Arizona, BYU, and TCU ahead on the schedule.
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys ran for 228 yards on 48 carries after averaging 124.5 yards rushing in their first six games. They seem to find success in one area or another each week, but can’t put the elements together.
“There’s a feeling at times that, hey, we’re about to turn the corner, and then things just didn’t work out,” Meacham said.
Up Next
Oklahoma State will play at Texas Tech next Saturday.
