Miami vs. Oklahoma State score: Cowboys survive late rally attempt from Hurricanes for win in Cheez-It Bowl

No. 21 Oklahoma State survived a late rally from No. 18 Miami (FL) to take a 37-34 win in the Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Tuesday night. Hurricanes receiver Michael Redding was stopped 3 yards shy of the sticks on fourth-and-8 with 1:36 to play to essentially end a wild game between the Big 12 and ACC foes. 

The big story in the game was the play of Cowboys wide receiver Brennan Presley. The 5-foot-8, 165-pound freshman entered the game with just one reception on the season but caught six passes for 118 yards and three touchdowns — the last of which gave the Pokes an 11-point lead midway through the fourth quarter that turned out to be the game-winning score. 

Presley’s impressive performance came in a big spot, too. Wide receiver Tylan Wallace did not play in the second half as part of a pre-determined plan by the coaching staff to keep the Cowboys’ star wideout protected heading into the NFL Draft process. He had six catches for 45 yards in the first half. Quarterback Spencer Sanders finished the day 27-of-40 passing for 305 yards and four touchdowns to help the Cowboys polish off an 8-3 record. 

The game was marred by a serious knee injury suffered by Hurricanes quarterback D’Eriq King. Late in the first half, King took off to the right and suffered a non-contact knee injury shortly before diving for extra yards. He was helped to the locker room by trainers and returned to the sideline in the second half in street clothes on crutches with a heavy knee brace on his right knee. 

Perry, settling in as King’s replacement, nearly led an improbable comeback. The veteran entered the game with the ‘Canes down two touchdowns and kickstarted the offense. Perry completed 19 of his 24 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns while adding 10 yards on the ground. He hit Mike Harley for a five-yard touchdown to cap off a 10-play, 75-yard drive that brought them within three points with 5:39 to play.

In the end, Perry couldn’t complete the comeback and the ‘Canes finish a once-promising season 8-3 with back-to-back losses.