OSU-Texas Tech storylines
BY JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
Saturday, November 17, 2012
11/17/12 at 3:17 AM
The sequel
Oklahoma State is playing Texas Tech for the first time since embarrassing the Red Raiders 66-6 in Lubbock last season.
"That was a very unusual game," OSU coach Mike Gundy said. "Conditions were poor and (Brandon) Weeden was throwing the ball like there was no wind at all. The kicking game didn't go in their favor and the snowball got going downhill and everybody had to get out of the way. That's really what happened."
Gundy was asked multiple questions this week about his team's mindset for the rematch. Can the Cowboys be motivated enough to bring their A-game Saturday?
"You don't really have to worry about that anymore because everybody changes so much (from one year to the next)," Gundy said, mentioning that Oklahoma beat Kansas State with relative ease in 2011 and lost to the Wildcats at home this season.
The quarterbacks
OSU senior guard Lane Taylor may have been overstating things when he said this: "We've got, like, 15 quarterbacks now that can all play."
Fifteen? How about three.
Wes Lunt has started five games, J.W. Walsh has started three and Clint Chelf has started one. OSU changes quarterbacks like Cher (warning: 1970s pop culture reference ahead) changes costumes. But the Cowboys are 6-3 and they stand at No. 24 in the coaches poll and the BCS standings.
Taylor said he and his teammates knew the quarterbacks were talented, but what wasn't known was that they would all play at a high level. He said it will be interesting to see what happens at the position next season.
What about now? OSU has been secretive about the identity of its starting quarterbacks ever since Lunt was injured in a Sept. 15 game against Louisiana.
Last dance
OSU is playing its final home game of the season. This is the earliest the Cowboys have closed a home season since 2007, when they played a Nov. 10 home finale against Kansas.
The Cowboys will say goodbye to 18 seniors (and two juniors who are seniors academically) during a pre-game ceremony. Skipping the ceremony will be senior receiver Tracy Moore and senior fullback Kye Staley. Moore, injured Oct. 13 at Kansas, hasn't played since and qualifies for a redshirt season. He's expected to return for a second senior season in 2013, as is Staley, an injury-sabotaged player who was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA.
Seniors will likely be cranked for their final appearance at Boone Pickens Stadium, but coaches sometimes worry seniors can get too emotional in farewell games.
OSU is 3-4 in Senior Day games in the Mike Gundy era.
