| Year Game Played: | 1974 |
| Game Name: | Fiesta Bowl |
| Subheader: | 4th edition |
| Football Season: | 1974 |
| Visitor Name Short: | Oklahoma State |
| Visitor Nickname: | Cowboys |
| Visitor School: | Oklahoma State University |
| Home Name Short: | BYU |
| Home Nickname: | Cougars |
| Home School: | Brigham Young University |
| Visitor Record: | 6–5 |
| Visitor Conference: | Big 8 |
| Home Record: | 7–3–1 |
| Home Conference: | WAC |
| Visitor Coach: | Jim Stanley |
| Home Coach: | LaVell Edwards |
| Visitor Rank Ap: | NR |
| Visitor Rank Coaches: | NR |
| Home Rank Ap: | 17 |
| Home Rank Coaches: | 15 |
| Visitor 1Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 3 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 6 |
| Home 1Q: | 6 |
| Home 2Q: | 0 |
| Home 3Q: | 0 |
| Home 4Q: | 0 |
| Date Game Played: | December 28 |
| Stadium: | Sun Devil Stadium |
| City: | Tempe, Arizona |
| Mvp: | Kenny Walker (OSU RB) Phil Dokes(OSU DT) |
| Odds: | BYU [1] |
| Attendance: | 50,878 |
| Payout: | 201,898 each |
| Us Network: | CBS |
| Us Announcers Link: | List of announcers of major college bowl games |
| Us Announcers: | Ray Scott, Wayne Walker |
The 1974 Fiesta Bowl was the fourth edition of the college football bowl game, played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona on Saturday, December 28. Part of the 1974–75 bowl game season, it matched the unranked Oklahoma State Cowboys of the Big Eight Conference and #17 BYU Cougars of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). After falling behind early, underdog Oklahoma State won 16–6.[2] [3] [4]
See main article: 1974 NCAA Division I football season.
See main article: 1974 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team.
See main article: 1974 BYU Cougars football team.
The kickoff was shortly after 2 p.m. MST, following the Sun Bowl, both televised by CBS.[5] The weather in Tempe was cloudy with light rain.
A shoulder injury to BYU quarterback Gary Sheide late in the first quarter led to a defensive battle. After completing four of five passes for 43 yards and leading the Cougars to two field goals, he was knocked out of the game, hit from behind by Cowboy defensive lineman Phil Dokes.
Oklahoma State quickly took advantage, as Tony Buck returned an interception of BYU backup Mark Giles to the Cougar 26-yard line. Three plays later, Kenny Walker took a pitch and raced around the left end for a twelve-yard touchdown run to lead by a point at halftime.
Oklahoma State scored again in the third quarter on a 42-yard field goal by Abby Daigle to take a 10–6 lead. With under ten minutes left in the game, BYU began a long drive from their own two. Giles marched his club all the way to the OSU 28 on short passes and runs, but turned the ball over on downs when a fourth down pass fell incomplete. The Cowboys then took control of the ball and clock and scored with 1:14 remaining on a forty-yard halfback pass play from Leonard Thompson to Gerald Bain.[2] [3] [4]
Walker finished with 35 yards rushing and was named the offensive player of the game; Dokes took the defensive honor.
| Statistics | OSU | BYU | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First downs | 14 | 17 | |
| Rushes–yards | 55–147 | 36–120 | |
| Passing yards | 77 | 181 | |
| Passes | 7–18–0 | 15–31–3 | |
| Return yards | 64 | 3 | |
| Total offense | 73–224 | 67–301 | |
| Punts–average | 7–41.9 | 6–41.8 | |
| Fumbles–lost | 6–0 | 3–1 | |
| Turnovers | 0 | 4 | |
| Penalties–yards | 12–84 | 9–66 |