Saturday’s game was a stormy affair for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, as Arizona State defeated OSU 42-21 at Boone Pickens Stadium. The game was halted at halftime by a severe thunderstorm accompanied by lightning, that caused a 2 ½ hour delay to the start of the second half.

Following a 3-0 start to the season, the Cowboys have now lost six straight games and sit last in the Big 12 standings, with a record of 3-6 overall, 0-6 Big 12.

Oklahoma State could not stop the balanced attack of Arizona State (6-2, 3-2 Big 12). The Sun Devils converted 10 of 16 third downs while gaining 225 yards on the ground and 304 through the air for a total of 529 yards of offense. The Cowboys’ numbers paled in comparison; 84 yards rushing, 186 passing and a total of 270.

“On defense, we gave them opportunity after opportunity and couldn’t get off the field,” said OSU head coach Mike Gundy. “In the second half, we couldn’t put anything together offensively and couldn’t put anything together in the throwing game. We gave up four and a half yards a carry rushing, and we only averaged three, which that’s always going to be a big factor, unless there’s a considerable difference in turnovers. If the other teams are out rushing you by one yard, yard and a half per carry, it’s going to be a tough day.”

ASU was led by Cam Skattebo who ran for 153 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Skattebo is the Big 12 leader in all-purpose yards (161.6) and he became the first ASU player since 2015 to have more than 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game.

Arizona State led 21-14 at halftime. The Sun Devils lead included a pair of touchdown passes from Sam Leavitt to Skattebo.

Brennan Presley and Ollie Gordon II scored touchdowns in the first half for OSU.

It appeared the Cowboys would start the second half on a high note, as Kyler Pearson returned the second-half kickoff 63 yards for a touchdown, but a holding penalty nullified the play. OSU did not score in the third quarter and got a late touchdown with 4:11 remaining in the game when Sesi Vailahi carried the ball 11 yards into the end zone.

OSU quarterback Alan Bowman completed 17-of-30 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown and one interception.

ASU’s Leavitt finished the game with 20-of-29 passing for 304 yards and three touchdowns.

Gundy admitted much of the team’s failure this season falls on the shoulders of the coaching staff. Whether there will changes made in personnel is yet to be seen.

“We’re playing one next Saturday, and I expect guys to come out and fight their butts off in practice,” Gundy said. “They practiced well last week. We need to do a better job of coaching, in my opinion. I need to evaluate the video tonight. I’m not so sure that I’ve agreed with our schemes. I don’t think it was awful, but there were some things I don’t really agree with that I probably could have done better. We needed a better job of coaching, and we need to make a few plays.”

In the meantime, Gundy credited ASU for what they did right.

“They made some plays, their quarterback made some good plays,” Gundy said. “In the second half we got down two scores. They caught us in a lot of man coverage and got us picked and made big plays on us. We were in a little bit of desperation to try to get the ball back, based on the clock, and that didn’t help us.    So, I wish we could have played better, and I wish we could have coached better, but you’ve got to move on to the next one.”

OSU will play at TCU this Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m.