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Cowboys' Revenge Tour just getting started

Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter looks for daylight against Troy. The sophomore running back rushed for a game-high 169 yards with two touchdowns. STEPHEN HOLMAN/Tulsa World

 
By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Columnist
Published: 9/28/2008  2:10 AM
Last Modified: 9/28/2008  2:33 AM

 STILLWATER — Don't look now, but this Cowboys Revenge Tour 2008 just might turn out to be a real hoot for Oklahoma State.

It certainly had a record-setting crowd hooting and hollering Saturday night at Boone Pickens Stadium as OSU romped to a 55-24 win over Troy (Ala.) University.

Here's the really good news for OSU supporters: The Cowboys' fun may have just begun.

If OSU continues to play as well it did while toying with the Trojans before the largest home crowd (52,463) in school history, last night's impressive win could turn out to be a mere warm-up act.

It sure won't take long to find out.

OSU has every intention of making the Revenge Tour's second stop occur right back here Saturday when Texas A&M comes to town as both teams open Big 12 Conference play.

Avenging a nonconference loss is one thing. And that's what the Cowboys did as they made up for an embarrassing 41-23 loss at Troy in last season's third game.

But doing it to a fellow Big 12 member is twice as nice because the importance of winning increases tenfold in conference play.

Troy and Texas A&M were just two teams OSU has on its payback list. There are several others who inflicted painful losses on the Cowboys a year ago.

OSU blew a 17-0 halftime lead to lose 24-23 at A&M. Three weeks later, the Cowboys suffered the mother of all meltdowns when their 35-14 fourth-quarter lead at home against Texas vanished when the Longhorns rallied to hand the Pokes a gut-wrenching 38-35 loss. And then there was the embarrassing 49-17 Bedlam loss at Oklahoma.

Troy, Texas A&M, Texas and OU. One down, three tour stops to go.

Texas A&M (2-2), still trying to find itself under new coach Mike Sherman, should be no problem this weekend. The Aggies had to battle yesterday to edge a 21-17 win over winless (0-4) Army.

No. 7 Texas (4-0) on the road Oct. 25 and No. 2 OU (4-0) at home in the regular-season finale on Nov. 29 figure to be the toughest tour stops. But this bunch of Cowboys is starting to look like it can compete with any team on its schedule. Especially on offense, where the Cowboys blistered a Troy defense a week after the Trojans (2-2) gave No. 13 Ohio State all it could handle before losing 28-10 to the Buckeyes on the road.

The linchpin of the Revenge Tour is fourth-year coach Mike Gundy. All of us were wrong when we questioned Gundy's decision to take on the play-calling duties when offensive coordinator Larry Fedora left after last season.

Gundy's adaptation to his added duties has been seamless. OSU dominated Troy from the get-go, as Gundy called all the right plays to enable the Cowboys to score five TDs on their six first-half possessions.

Just like the halcyon days under Fedora, OSU still has excellent offensive balance as it rolled up 612 yards. QB Zac Robinson threw for 254 yards and three touchdowns (all to wideout Dez Bryant), while running backs Kendall Hunter (174) and Keith Toston (114) both rushed for over 100 yards as OSU picked up 358 yards on the ground.

The offense scored more than 50 points for the third straight game. And it may have to continue at that clip if the defense doesn't improve from the 416 yards it surrendered to Troy.

In defense of the defense, the Cowboys did come up with three turnovers that the offense immediately turned into touchdowns.

Gundy denied any interest last week in gaining revenge against Troy. But it didn't look that way when he called for a fake punt deep in his own territory. Twice. When a penalty nullified the first attempt, Gundy immediately ordered another from OSU's 32-yard line with a 45-24 lead in the fourth quarter. Punter Matt Fodge promptly picked up the first down.

"We challenged our guys tonight," Gundy said. "And now we have to keep pushing forward."

That's right. The only direction to take the 2008 Revenge Tour is dead ahead.
By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Columnist

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4 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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aball, (9/29/2008 10:56:41 AM)
OSU has a "Revenge List" of teams that have crushed them over the years? Oh my, it terms of length, it has to rival even Santa's "Naughty and Nice" list.

Good job Cowboys. See ya in November.
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Bixby Jeff, (9/29/2008 12:52:29 PM)
aball, nice job using hyperbole to twist a list of 4 teams into a list the size of every Christian child in the world. Are the ou fans getting nervous? They sure do spend a lot of time on these comment areas putting down OSU.
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Dave in Houston, (9/30/2008 8:48:39 AM)
aball "OSU has a "Revenge List" of teams that have crushed them over the years? Oh my, it terms of length, it has to rival even Santa's "Naughty and Nice" list."

Nah, it's about the same length as the OU players' criminal history.
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aball, (9/30/2008 9:07:31 AM)
Couldnt resist...had to stir the pot a little.

Good luck on your games...all except one.
 

 
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