Oklahoma State vs. Iowa State: Score, Highlights and Twitter Reaction

It was a scare at first, but the No. 8 Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-0, 7-0 Big 12) kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive by coming back from 17 points down and beating the Iowa State Cyclones (3-7, 2-5 Big 12), 35-31, on Saturday in Ames, Iowa.

The Cowboys continue to find a flair for the dramatic, as they had to play a nearly perfect second half to keep their undefeated season intact.

Iowa State got off to a great start. The Cyclones scored on their first three possessions, taking a 17-7 lead with three minutes, eight seconds remaining in the first quarter. ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter noted how efficient Iowa State was at the beginning of the ballgame:

The Cyclones led 24-7 with 9:29 remaining in the second quarter, with Iowa State quarterback Joel Lanning accounting for two first-half touchdowns. Oklahoma State responded with two one-yard touchdown runs on drives of 16 and 14 plays, respectively.

Iowa State recovered a fumble with 2:56 remaining in the third quarter and pushed its lead to 31-21 four plays later after Lanning ran for a 21-yard touchdown and Cole Netten tacked on the extra point. Travis Hines of the Ames Tribune noted how the momentum had swung at that moment:

Oklahoma State has made a habit of starting out slow this season, most notably against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Trotter tweeted. But the Cowboys offense has also found ways to come back. That was the case in the fourth quarter, when backup quarterback J.W. Walsh scored from 16 yards out to help cut the Iowa State lead to 31-28 with 11:33 to go.

The Cyclones turned to the running game to swing the pendulum back in their favor. They ran for a combined 249 yards on 6.6 yards per carry, including a game-high 130 yards and two touchdowns from Lanning. Oklahoma State’s run defense couldn’t contain the Cyclones' read-option game.

Brian Hamilton of Sports Illustrated dished this out of the joke bank:

This wasn’t the first time Oklahoma State had been in danger of being upset by Iowa State. Back in 2011, the Cyclones shocked the second-ranked Cowboys by coming back from a 17-point deficit in Ames. That ended any hopes the Cowboys had of competing for the national championship, and they almost had their College Football Playoff hopes dashed Saturday.

But that wasn't the case this time. After forcing a punt, Oklahoma State responded with an 11-play, 84-yard drive. Freshman running back Jeff Carr capped it off with a seven-yard touchdown reception with 3:06 remaining, giving the Cowboys their first lead of the game.

Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph finished with 327 yards passing and one touchdown pass.

This was the second time Oklahoma State has come back from a 17-point deficit to win this year. The Cowboys need to win out to have any hope of making it into the College Football Playoff. But they survived and will march onward, hoping to capture the Big 12 title.

Postgame Reaction

The Big 12 isn't going to get much consideration for the College Football Playoff unless Oklahoma State or Baylor wins out and takes the Big 12 title. It's a simple objective.

For now, the Cowboys are in the conversation.

"We've still got to prove ourselves. Keep staying in the picture," said Oklahoma State safety Jordan Sterns, per John Helsley of the Oklahoman. "As long as we do that, we've got to be in the discussion."

Oklahoma State gave up 249 rushing yards Saturday, which, against the likes of the Clemson Tigers or Ohio State Buckeyes, would be a devastating amount.

Oklahoma State needs to pick up the intensity, but this is the time of the year where teams will take wins however they can get them.

"Once again, I'm sure TV loves us," said Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy, per Helsley. "Coming up here and playing is never easy. I think their players played hard. When you come up here, if you don't get into a rhythm early, you're going to be in a battle like this a number of times."

It was the kind of game that has been the mantra for Oklahoma State this year. It was the fifth time this season the Cowboys trailed in the second half, only to come back and win. Even down 17 in a hostile environment, it seemed to be business as usual for Oklahoma State.

To get that win was huge, but there's still plenty of work to be done with a Big 12 title in their reach and Baylor and Oklahoma up next on the schedule.

"We kept fighting," Sterns said, per Helsley. "That's why we came out on top today."