The day before the game, a tragic plane crash occurred that killed Oklahoma State women's basketball coach Kurt Budke and his assistant Miranda Serna.
Before the game, Jack Trice Stadium observed a brief moment of silence for the lives lost in the plane crash.
Iowa State scored 17 straight points to tie the game, but quarterback Jared Barnett was intercepted with 2 minutes to go, and the Cowboys were immediately in field goal range.
On the first play of the second overtime, a pass by Heisman candidate Brandon Weeden was tipped and intercepted by Ter'Ran Benton, giving Iowa State a golden opportunity to pull off the upset, which they did after a series of plays that culminated in running back Jeff Woody running into the endzone.
With Oklahoma State's loss, Alabama jumped back to second in the BCS standings, and remained there for the remainder of the season.
[5][6] Citing the plane crash and the subsequent loss, Weeden called it "one of the hardest days in Oklahoma State history.
They were 9–0 and ranked #8, just 3 wins away from making the College Football Playoff, and were playing on the road against Iowa State.
However, the Cowboys would lose their final 2 regular season games, and as a result did not make the College Football Playoff.