Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson reached out with the football, searching for the first-down chains.
It was going to be close either way. First down, the game belonged to the Cowboys; fourth down, the fun would continue.
With the measurement right next to the Texas A&M bench, it was a tough read and many of the 76,153 at Kyle Field on Saturday were left waiting for referee Greg Burks' indication.
Burks threw up both index fingers about four inches apart, indicating the distance remaining for the Cowboys.
With just over 2 minutes left, it was still a game. For the first time in the Mike Sherman era, the final moments of a Big 12 game were going to matter.
And with OSU coach Mike Gundy on the other sideline, those moments became extremely intriguing. He was going to end it all or give the Aggies the field position -- the A&M 40-yard line -- they needed to start a drive for a possible victory.
Seconds later, Keith Toston bulled his way for 2 yards, and the fans were left to watch the final 2 minutes tick away.
Not once in A&M's six Big 12 losses last season, Sherman's first, did the Aggies' give their faithful reason to stick it out to the end. This time, Kyle Field may not have been defended, but it took a while before the natives went running off.
Sherman's expressions and words after the game let it be known the "moral victory" step is one the Aggies expected to bypass. He truly believed A&M could defeat 15th-ranked OSU, defend home turf and move on to the next responsibility.
Safety Trent Hunter, only a sophomore, has become a spokesperson of sorts for the defense if not the team as a whole, and it was quite clear that this Big 12 loss hurt more than any of those that were by an average of 25 points in 2008.
His defensive coordinator, Joe Kines, was quick and succinct in conveying that disappointment.
"The thing that hurts on this one is we went into the game expecting to win, not because of circumstances (OSU wide receiver Dez Bryant's suspension and running back Kendall Hunter's injury) but because of how we worked," Kines said. "The difference in the team now is we react to situations like a team is supposed to react, nobody is supposed to be happy or think its all right and they didn't think it was all right. They thought we should pull it off."
But the Aggies are still a work in progress and they were shown the difference between believing you can win and "pulling it off."
The Cowboys' offense put together a championship-type drive in the fourth quarter, then sealed the victory with two rushing first downs when everyone knew they were going to run -- and with Keith Toston in the backfield, where they were going to run.
Up by four points in the fourth quarter and not wanting to give the ball back to the Aggies with good field position, OSU kept possession for 16 plays and took 7 minutes, 41 seconds off the clock in going 93 yards for a touchdown that pushed the lead to 11.
A&M had done an admirable job of getting off the field up until that point. OSU was 3 of 10 on third down conversions up until the deciding drive. In going 93 yards, the Cowboys converted on third down three times.
The Aggies made a statement by getting to within five, but it wasn't enough as Toston went up the middle for 12 yards on the first play from scrimmage when the Aggies needed to make a stop.
Believing they can get it done and getting it done -- the Aggies are now at least aware of the difference.
They're also closer to making up the difference.