No. 16 Cowboys top Mizzou 33-17 without Bryant

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP)—Mike Gundy walked up to defensive coordinator Bill Young, who already had his tie loosened up, and delivered a message.

“You made me nervous,” Gundy said.

All Young could do was chuckle.

Hubert Anyiam filled in for ineligible All-American Dez Bryant with 10 catches, a career-high 119 yards and the go-ahead touchdown, and No. 16 Oklahoma State shut out Missouri in the second half in a 33-17 victory Saturday night.

Dan Bailey hit two field goals, including a career-long 51-yarder, for the only points after halftime but it was enough for the Cowboys (5-1, 2-0 Big 12) as they limited Missouri (4-2, 0-2) to 80 yards in the second half after giving up 313 in a first half that was all about offense.

“The players just got into the groove of the game and started playing,” Young said.

Zac Robinson threw for 227 yards, and Lucien Antoine added an interception return for a touchdown to help the Cowboys snap a four-game losing streak on their home field against the Tigers.

Missouri’s pass-heavy offense fell flat after that prolific first half, and even a 60-yard punt return on a reverse couldn’t spark a comeback. The Tigers were shut out in a half for the first time since a 13-3 loss to Kansas on Oct. 29, 2005, when they also went scoreless in the second half.

“The first half, they was killing us. We were basically beating ourselves by missing so many tackles,” cornerback Perrish Cox said. “That was our main focus and one of our main adjustments that we went in for at halftime.”

Oklahoma State started Big 12 play with back-to-back wins despite being without Bryant and top running back Kendall Hunter, who missed his fourth straight game because of a sprained ankle.

Anyiam had only nine career catches coming into the game, but had a breakout performance as Bryant watched from the sideline in a black hooded sweatshirt. Anyiam had eight catches in the first half, including the go-ahead score with 2 seconds left when he darted in front of Kevin Rutland to catch Robinson’s 8-yard pass and make it 24-17.

“Hubert can be that person every game,” Cox said. “We face him at practice every day. He’s fast, quick. As long as he can get the ball in his hands, he can make big plays.”

Oklahoma State has won three straight games without Bryant, who has applied for reinstatement after he lied to the NCAA about a meeting with former NFL player Deion Sanders during the offseason.

“With Dez Bryant down, that kind of hurt us a lot,” Cox said. “We can’t wait for him to get back. Hubert backed him up, and I think he’s a pretty good backup.”

OSU never looked back.

Blaine Gabbert threw for 325 yards on 22 for 44 passing but also had a career-high three interceptions for Missouri. Danario Alexander caught nine passes for a career-high 180 yards but had only 19 yards after halftime.

After going without an interception in the first four starts of his career, Gabbert has five in the last five quarters. He led receiver Jerrell Jackson too far and the ball clipped off of his hands before safety Lucien Antoine plucked it out of the air and raced 26 yards up the OSU sideline for a touchdown that put Oklahoma State up 17-14 in the second quarter.

“Four turnovers to zero,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. “You’re not going to win very many games there.”

Gabbert threw an interception to end Missouri’s first drive of the second half, and the Tigers only managed one first down and 17 yards in the third quarter. Mizzou’s drives in the fourth quarter stalled at the 21 and 10 on fourth-down stops by OSU.

“I told the team it’s been a long time in watching and being involved in Oklahoma State football as a coach and a player that we had that many crucial stops in big situations,” Gundy said. “We were really proud of our defense.”