Must-win Saturday for OSU: Cowboys 33, Georgia 30
Published: 9/4/2009 12:49 PM
Last Modified: 9/4/2009 12:49 PM
Oklahoma State: It doesn't matter whether the season-opening opponent is Georgia or Montana State or the New England Patriots. This is not a game you lose.
Boone Pickens, whose donations are chiefly responsible for perhaps the most comprehensive stadium renovation in college football history, presides over a ribbon-cutting ceremony before Saturday's Georgia-OSU game. On their home field, the ninth-ranked Cowboys are favored over the No. 13 Bulldogs.
It's a big day for Pickens, and it's a must-win afternoon for Oklahoma State. It just wouldn't make sense to spend $283 million on a stadium renovation and then get beat.
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Prediction: For the Saturday Tulsa World, I submitted a prediction of a Cowboy victory. OSU 33, Georgia 30. With OSU having lost two starters this (tight end Jamal Mosley and middle linebacker Orie Lemon) this week, you wonder whether the Cowboys might be a bit shaken. But I expect Kendall Hunter to make the biggest plays, and I see the home field providing a three-point edge for Oklahoma State.
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Oregon Ducks: We haven't even reached Labor Day, and these guys may wind up being the Biggest Bust of the 2009 season.
During Thursday's 19-8 loss at Boise State, the 16th-ranked Ducks were limited to 152 total yards. What happened to the Oregon team that manhandled Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl?
This was a complete embarrassment for the Ducks. Time of possession on Thursday: Boise State 42 minutes and 32 seconds, Oregon 17 minutes and 28 seconds. The final score didn't come close to reflecting the one-sided nature of Oregon's defeat.
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LeGarrette Blount: The Oregon running back should not be allowed to play another down this season.
Most Oklahomans were sleeping when Thursday's Oregon-Boise State late-night game ended. What they missed was a vicious meltdown by Blount, described by Sports Illustrated as "a vexing blend of speed and power." Was SI referring to his hand speed and punching power?
After the game ended, Blount punched Boise State's Byron Hout in the face. Hard. It was a straight right hand that landed flush. Blount had to be restrained by teammates, coaches and security personnel.
In Sports Illustrated's college football preview, Blount was quoted as saying that Oregon owed Boise State "an a - - whuppin' " When Blount failed to deliver the whuppin' in a football sense (he netted minus-5 rushing yards on eight attempts), he resorted to violence. Perhaps someone should file an assault complaint with Boise police.
After Blount nearly caused a riot in Idaho, new Oregon coach Chip Kelly said, "We'll review the thing and take appropriate action." The "appropriate action" would be a seat on the bench.
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Sports Illustrated: Oregon was one of four teams designated by SI as this season's potential Bowl Championship Series "party crashers." The other three teams featured on SI regional covers were Oklahoma State, Penn State and Ole Miss.
Was Oregon's flameout a product of the famed Sports Illustrated cover jinx or just an example of a team being grossly overrated? Is there really a jinx? We'll find out on Saturday in Stillwater.
-- Bill Haisten
Written by
Bill Haisten
Sports Writer
