Oklahoma St. somehow pulled out a 39-31 win over Arkansas in double overtime this past Saturday in Stillwater.
However, the comeback win came at a cost, as senior linebacker Collin Oliver sustained a foot injury that will likely keep him sidelined for at least a month and possibly the rest of the season.
Oklahoma St. head coach Mike Gundy told reporters on Sunday, “I think he’s done for the year. They thought that he had maybe a fracture or a crack or something.”
On Monday, Gundy changed his tune somewhat and indicated that Oliver would be re-evaluated in a month.
“It’s going to be awhile,” Gundy said. “Very unfortunate.”
Oliver was a second-team All-Big 12 selection for the third season in a row last year when he recorded 73 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, nine QB hurries, six sacks, five passes broken up, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. His four forced fumbles were tops in the Big 12 and third in the country.
As a freshman in 2021, Oliver led the Big 12 and was seventh in the nation in sacks with 11.5. His 15.5 TFL’s were the third most in the Big 12. Oliver also had 29 tackles and one forced fumble en route to earning Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors.
In 2022 as a sophomore, Oliver had 28 tackles, 7.5 TFL’s, five sacks and one PBU.
In two games this season, Oliver had four tackles, two TFL’s, one sack and one PBU.
Phil Steele’s preseason magazine had Oliver as a first-team All-Big 12 pick and a fourth-team All-American.
Oliver’s veteran presence was a big reason why Steele’s National Unit Rankings had the Cowboys fifth at the LB position. Without Oliver, D-II Gannon transfer Obi Ezeigbo is expected to move into his starting role.
Ezeigbo garnered Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors when he recorded nine tackles, 3.5 TFL’s, two sacks and one QB hurry.
Arkansas jumped out to a 14-0 lead at Oklahoma St. and was driving when the game turned on a 73-yard interception return for a TD by the Cowboys’ Kale Smith.
Gundy’s team still trailed 21-7 at halftime, but it cut the deficit to 21-13 late in the third quarter. The Cowboys pulled even at 21-21 thanks to Alan Bowman’s seven-yard TD pass to Brennan Presley. Bowman then hit De’Zhaun Stribling with a three-yard pass for a successful two-point conversion.
Presley gave Oklahoma St. its first lead on a three-yard TD run with 5:13 remaining, but the Razorbacks answered on Taylen Green’s 43-yard TD pass to Luke Hasz.
OSU went back ahead 31-28 on Logan Ward’s 38-yard field goal with 55 seconds remaining. However, Arkansas forced overtime on Kyle Ramsey’s 45-yard FG as time expired.
Both kickers missed FGAs in the first OT. In double OT, Ollie Gordon scored on a 12-yard TD run and then caught a short pass from Bowman to successfully complete the two-point conversion.
On the Razorbacks’ possession in double OT, Rodney Hill’s run on fourth-and-1 from the Oklahoma St. 6-yard line resulted in a one-yard loss to end the game.
As of Monday afternoon, the Cowboys were installed as 20 or 20.5-point road favorites for Saturday’s non-conference showdown at Tulsa.