Toston’s running, Robinson’s passing lead No. 18 Oklahoma State past Iowa State 34-8

No. 18 Oklahoma State cruises past Iowa State 34-8

AMES, Iowa — Keith Toston ran for a career-high 206 yards and three touchdowns, Zac Robinson threw a touchdown pass and No. 18 Oklahoma State bounced back from its drubbing by Texas with a 34-8 victory over Iowa State on Saturday.

Oklahoma State (7-2, 4-1 Big 12) controlled the game with a solid performance on both sides of the ball and reached seven victories for the fourth straight season, the first time in school history that has happened.

After throwing four interceptions in the 41-14 loss to Texas, Robinson was on the mark in this one and replaced his coach, Mike Gundy, as Oklahoma State’s career passing leader.

Iowa State (5-5, 2-4) was outgained 334-145 through three quarters and didn’t score until 11:50 remained in the game.

Toston, who carried 25 times, scored on runs of 2 and 17 yards as Oklahoma State built a 27-0 lead, then topped off his big day with a 1-yard TD plunge in the fourth quarter. That came three plays after he broke lose on a 69-yard scamper to the ISU 2 for the longest run of his career.

A 6-foot, 214-pound senior, Toston became the Cowboys’ main back when Kendall Hunter was sidelined by a sprained right ankle in the second week of the season. He twice had topped 100 yards, but had never approached the number he put up against the Cyclones.

His previous career best was 148 yards against Missouri State last year.

Hunter, the Big 12’s leading rusher last season, saw his most extensive action since getting hurt and showed some of his old elusiveness while carrying nine times for 47 yards.

Robinson finished 19 of 24 for 142 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown strike to Tracy Moore. He already had been the school’s career leader in touchdown passes and total offense and now has thrown for 8,065 yards.

Oklahoma State stalled on its first two drives and settled for field goals of 42 and 48 yards by Dan Bailey. But Robinson took the Cowboys on an 14-play, 98-yard drive the next time they had the ball for a 13-0 lead and their defense, along with Toston, did the rest.

Robinson capped that drive by finding Moore all alone in the left corner of the end zone, getting rid of the ball just before Iowa State’s Christopher Lyle leveled him. That moved him past Gundy, who threw for 7,997 yards in his career.

Toston’s 2-yard TD run capped an 80-yard, 11-play drive that was helped when Iowa State’s Bailey Johnson was called for a horse-collar tackle on Robinson, who threw an incomplete pass on the play.

Instead of fourth-and-5 at the Iowa State 43, the Cowboys had first down at the 28. Four plays later, Toston shot up the middle and into the end zone for a 20-0 lead.

Oklahoma State made it 27-0 after getting the ball at the Iowa State 46 following a punt that went only 21 yards. The Cowboys needed just six plays for the touchdown, Toston speeding the final 17 yards untouched.

Iowa State had hoped to get a spark with quarterback Austen Arnaud returning after he missed two games with a bruised throwing hand. But the OSU defense closed off almost everything the Cyclones tried.

They didn’t top 100 yards until the 7-minute mark in the third quarter and avoided being shut out for the first time in 64 games when running back Alexander Robinson turned a swing pass into a 45-yard touchdown play.

Arnaud finished 14 of 27 for 188 yards and three interceptions. He was sacked three times.

Alexander Robinson, the Big 12’s leading rusher with 101.6-yard average, managed 51 yards in 16 carries.