Mike Gundy’s quarterback switch doesn’t pay off in Utah’s win over Oklahoma State

STILLWATER, Okla. — It was pretty shocking.

As the second half between the Utah Utes and Oklahoma State Cowboys began on Saturday, it wasn’t Alan Bowman at quarterback for Oklahoma State, but instead Garret Rangel.

Bowman had a very tough first half, completing just 8 of 22 passes (36%) for 89 yards and an interception. With running back Ollie Gordon contained by Utah’s defense — the Utes held him to 16 first-half rushing yards — the onus was on Bowman to get the offense going.

That’s been the case all season. Gordon has yet to have a statement game, and Bowman had picked up the slack, throwing for 967 yards (No. 6 in the nation) and eight touchdowns with two interceptions this season to lead the Cowboys to a 3-0 record and a No. 14 ranking.

Though the 12th-ranked Utes didn’t sack Bowman until late in the fourth quarter, Utah’s defense clearly had him rattled.

Oklahoma State’s offense couldn’t get going from the outset, when Bowman missed two passes in a 45-second three-and-out on the first drive. Things didn’t get much better from there, as OSU only scored three points in the first half and came up empty on five of its six first-half possessions.

While Utah generally delivered good pressure and was sound in coverage, there were times when an OSU receiver would spring free, or coverage would break down, only for Bowman to misfire on the pass.

Though it was a rough first half, Bowman had been OSU’s starter for most of last year and had led the Cowboys to three victories this season, including a double-overtime win over Arkansas.

Most didn’t expect Bowman to get benched, but OSU coach Mike Gundy, looking for something to spark a passing offense that badly needed it with the rushing struggles, inserted Rangel, a sophomore.

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“Sometimes, we don’t do it a lot here, but sometimes, you’ve got to get a guy out of there and calm him down a little bit,” Gundy said. “... Things move so fast during the game that it’s hard to get that part of it, but I just felt like we weren’t getting good play and we needed a relief pitcher and get somebody else in there.”

Rangel fared even worse than Bowman, completing just 3 of 11 passes for 31 yards as OSU punted four straight times to start the second half. Near the end of Rangel’s stint, he was booed after almost every play as Oklahoma State fans grew fed up with the lack of offensive production.

That led the Cowboys to turn back to Bowman yet again with 9:26 left in the game and Utah leading 16-3.

“Garret had a tough day so we switched back, but as I said, we haven’t done that a lot here, but sometimes you’ve got to get a guy out and clear your mind a little,” Gundy said.

At first, it looked like Bowman’s confidence, which was poor before he was benched, had diminished even more since his time on the pine. He went three-and-out with two incompletions on his first drive back, then threw a ball that was intercepted by Elijah Davis on his next drive.

Bowman battled back, though, leading two touchdown drives in the late fourth quarter to make it a game. He suddenly looked more like the quarterback he was during Oklahoma State’s first three games as Utah’s defense faltered after a stellar performance to that point, leading the Cowboys on a three-play, 58-yard touchdown drive that was capped off with a 28-yard pass to Brennan Presley, then was successful on the two-point conversion to narrow Utah’s lead to 11.

After OSU’s defense forced a punt and Bowman was sacked on the first play of the ensuing drive, he found his groove again, completing five straight passes, including a 9-yard scoring strike to Rashod Owens.

Another successful two-point conversion cut the Utes’ lead to three points with 1:46 left.

Micah Bernard would get the necessary yards on third-and-3 to win the game for the Utes, but after being benched, Bowman responded well and made it a game.