Anyiam fills in for Bryant with 119 yards, TD as No. 16 Oklahoma State beats Missouri 33-17

No. 16 Cowboys top Mizzou 33-17 without Bryant

STILLWATER, Okla. — Hubert Anyiam filled in for ineligible All-American Dez Bryant with 10 catches, a career-high 119 yards and the go-ahead touchdown as No. 16 Oklahoma State beat Missouri 33-17 Saturday night.

Zac Robinson threw for 227 yards and Lucien Antoine added an interception return for a touchdown as the Cowboys (5-1, 2-0 Big 12) snapped a four-game losing streak on their home field against the Tigers (4-2, 0-2).

Missouri’s pass-heavy offense fell flat after a prolific first half, and even a 60-yard punt return on a reverse couldn’t spark a comeback as the Tigers were shut out in the second half.

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 with a sprained ankle.

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 as they limited Missouri to only 80 yards in the second half after giving up 313 in a first half that was all about offense.

Anyiam had only nine career catches coming into the game, but had a breakout performance as Bryant watched from the sidelines 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.

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.

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 as OSU prevented a comeback.