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PetroSun INDEPENDENCE BOWL
Shreveport, LA - Dec. 28, 2006 ESPN, 4:30 p.m. ET Tickets | History | Bowls Schedule
 (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Bobby Reid directed the Cowboys to their first bowl win since 2002. Cowboy Way
Oklahoma State played in four games decided on the last play during the regular season. The Cowboys lost all four. Their script flipped in the Independence Bowl. Jason Ricks' 27-yard field goal with 8.9 seconds left lifted OSU to a 34-31 win over Alabama. Story
• Highlights  | GamePlan: Watch the archived Independence Bowl
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It was a tale of two halves when Oklahoma State and Alabama faced off in the Independence Bowl. The Cowboys were in complete control with a 10-point lead through two quarters, but the Tide got rolling after intermission. It wasn't pretty offensively for Alabama, but the Tide were able to find some balance with several different ball carriers chipping in on the ground and QB John Parker Wilson spreading the ball around to nine different receivers through the air. Javier Arenas' 86-yard punt return kept Alabama alive midway through the fourth-quarter, cutting the deficit to seven points with 10:50 remaining. Just moments later Oklahoma State fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Bama capitalized with a game-tying run from true freshman OT Andre Smith -- that's right, offensive tackle Andre Smith. In the end, though, it was the Cowboy defense that came up with a big stop to set up the final score. Mike Gundy's team is young, which explains the mental mistakes and the near collapse. The good news is that most of the key cogs return in 2007, including sophomore QB Bobby Reid and junior RB Dantrell Savage. Reid continues to make some errors in judgment, but he also is a big-play threat as a runner and receiver. Savage got rolling on the ground early and never stopped. He finished with 112 yards on 19 carries and came up with some big runs down the stretch that helped his team hold off the surging Crimson Tide.
-- Todd McShay
