The Cowboys were not their usual up-and-down the field scoring points by the dozens.

And, OSU’s defense got pounded at times on the interior.

Still, winning two time zones away from Stillwater against a team from one of the power conferences is never to be taken for granted.

“There are no easy wins out there anymore,” OSU coach coach Mike Gundy. “You’ve got to play every Saturday.”

OSU got a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, just when Washington State appeared to be clawing back into the game, and then the Cowboys converted two drives in the fourth quarter of a 39-13 victory on Saturday at Qwest Field.

“It was a true road test,” Gundy said.

It leaves the Cowboys with work to be done and improvement to be made.

Most importantly, it leaves OSU at 1-0 and heading home for the next four games.

“That is all that matters,” OSU quarterback Zac Robinson said. “We got the win.”

The Cowboys, as one might expect in a season opener, were not that sharp.

Yet, O-State was far too good when it mattered most in the second half.

Washington State, picked to finish at or near the bottom of the Pac-10 Conference, found itself over matched at times by OSU.

The Cougars had no defensive answer for Dez Bryant, who became the dominant player in the fourth quarter.

When OSU needed first downs, to sustain drives and put away Washington State, Robinson would throw up a jump-ball to Bryant. The Cougars could not stop it. Bryant had seven catches, and twice WSU was called for obvious pass interference trying to defend him.

“We just kept going to it,” Robinson said.

Plus, the Cowboys overwhelmed Washington State on special teams plays. Two long punt returns set up OSU scores in the first half. A kickoff return for a TD sealed WSU’s fate in the third quarter.

“In an opener, it often comes down to turnovers and special teams,” Gundy said. “We were good in special teams.”

In fact, Oklahoma State was good at a lot of things, especially for the first game of the season.

“Defensively, we played really, really well early,” Gundy said.

That is very encouraging for a team that has struggled to stop folks the past three years.

Washington had just 51 yards in the first half.

The Cowboys were far from perfect on offense, but it says much about OSU that 367 yards is considered an off- night.

“The offense could have been better,” Gundy said. “As the season goes on, the offense usually gets better.”

Yet, this was a game that Oklahoma State controlled from the start. It led 10-0 just 19 minutes into the game. The Cowboys were up 15-0 at halftime and probably felt like they should have been up more (the Cougars had just three first downs in the first half ).

Even though OSU’s defense wasn’t as good in the second half, the closest the Cougars could get the rest of the way was 12 points.

WSU got the deficit down to a dozen twice in the second half, but both times OSU answered immediately.

It wasn’t a lopsided victory, but it was certainly comfortable most of the game for the Cowboys.

First, Perrish Cox returned a kickoff for a TD late in the third quarter to halt any WSU momentum from its first TD.

Then, after the Cougars scored again to get within 12 again, the Cowboys responded with two more drives to clinch the game.

It wasn’t a thing of beauty, but it was a solid, good and convincing road victory.

“I’m happy,” Gundy said.

“I thought our offense played good but not great.”

In addition, OSU’s defense was better than it has been in recent years. Washington State got just 196 yards.

The Cougars had generated virtually nothing during the first 35 minutes of this game. By the time the Cougars started finding holes on OSU’s interior defense, OSU had a solid lead.

“I’ve been saying that I feel like our defense is better,” Gundy said. “But, we still have a ways to go.”

Oklahoma State, which seemed to be somewhat erratic offensively in the first half, still jumped out to a 15-0 halftime lead. It should have been more.

The Cowboys had two drives that sputtered inside Washington’s 10. OSU settled for a couple of field goals to go with a safety and 11-yard Kendall Hunter TD run.

“It was an unusual game in the first half,” said Gundy.

“Most of the game was played inside the 20-yard line.”

And, O-State did not play well when in the red zone.

“Offensively, we can play better,” Gundy said.