TULSA WORLD HOMEPAGE | Tuesday, February 09, 2010 | WIRELESS
CONTACT US | SUBSCRIBER SERVICES | SIGN IN SIGN OUT | MY PROFILE PAGE | MY ACCOUNT

Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on RSS
Sports Extra!
Follow us on ...
OU | OSU | TU | ORU | HIGH SCHOOLS | COLLEGE FOOTBALL | COLLEGE BASKETBALL | NFL | FANTASY | OUTDOORS | GOLF | PROS | ALL




SPORTS EXTRA BLOGS
    Sports Editor
Mike Strain
Sports Columnist
Dave Sittler
The Picker
Entertaining & Infuriating

LOCAL PROS

ALL SPORTS

PHOTOS & VIDEOS

OUTDOORS

FIND A STORY

EMAIL ALERTS

SOCIAL MEDIA

RSS FEEDS

CONTACT US
BUY PHOTOS & PAGES

TULSA WORLD

ADVERTISE ON SPORTS EXTRA



Newspaper View Newspaper View      Print this story Print      Email this story Email     
Share      Bookmark Bookmark

The long, hard road

Coach Mike Gundy takes the field Saturday before the Cowboys' victory over Texas A&M. Mike Simons/Tulsa World

 
By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Published: 10/7/2008  2:06 AM
Last Modified: 10/7/2008  3:07 AM

Cowboys have four games against Top 10 teams



STILLWATER — The remaining Oklahoma State football schedule qualifies as a gauntlet.

From a rankings-and-records standpoint, the Cowboys are heading into one of the more difficult stretches in school history. Four of the seven remaining Big 12 opponents currently are undefeated and ranked among the top seven in the Associated Press poll.

"We have a great opportunity ahead of us," OSU quarterback Zac Robinson said, "and it starts this week with Missouri."

At 7 p.m. Saturday, in an ESPN2-televised showdown of high-powered offenses, the 17th-ranked Cowboys (5-0 overall, 1-0 Big 12) play at No. 3 Missouri (5-0, 1-0).

"There's so much on the line," Cowboy linebacker Patrick Lavine said. "We're 5-0. Everybody likes the feeling. There's no reason we shouldn't be 6-0."

OSU visits No. 5 Texas on Oct. 25 and No. 7 Texas Tech on Nov. 8. The Bedlam game — top-ranked Oklahoma vs. OSU — is set for Nov. 29 at Boone Pickens Stadium.

"I think we have a great setup Saturday night," Cowboy coach Mike Gundy said. "We've got a (Missouri) team that some people think may be the best in the country right now, and we've got a team in Oklahoma State that's playing pretty good football. It's an opportunity for our guys to compete against the best, and that's what they came here to do.

"The one thing I've always believed in — whether we were 5-0 or not doing very well — is to work hard all day, every day, and then go out there on Saturday and turn it loose."

Driven by QB Chase Daniel, a Heisman Trophy finalist last year, Missouri is a 14-point favorite over OSU.

During a telephone interview, Daniel said, "I think this is going to be a very highly watched football game. Everyone is going to want to see the offenses and what they can do."

As a road team matched with opponents ranked No. 3 or higher, OSU's all-time mark is 1-14. The only victory was recorded at No. 3 Colorado in 1967.

OSU and Missouri are averaging a combined total of 106 points and 1,099 yards per game. The Cowboy stars are wide receiver Dez Bryant (nine receiving touchdowns and two punt-return TDs), quarterback Zac Robinson (No. 3 nationally in pass efficiency) and running back Kendall Hunter (fifth nationally in rushing).

Among the Tiger stars are Daniel (completing 76 percent of his passes with 15 TDs against one interception), wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (a big-play specialist on receptions and punt returns) and tailback Derrick Washington (the national scoring leader with 12 touchdowns).

The OSU date is the second game in a challenging three-week assignment for Missouri. In a rivalry game last week, the Tigers smashed Nebraska 52-17 in Lincoln. After hosting OSU, Missouri plays at Texas on Oct. 18.

There is no chance, Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel said, that the Tigers will look beyond the OSU game.

"Oklahoma State is so good. If we were playing some team out of conference that was 1-5, it could be a little bit different. But I think they're one of the top teams in this league," Pinkel said. "It takes you about 30 seconds to watch video and look at what (Gundy) has done there, and look at what a great football team they have."



Bill Haisten 581-8397
bill.haisten@tulsaworld.com

Cowboys’ challenge by the numbers

OSU’s road to 5-0 and a No. 17 national ranking was mostly smooth. Now, it embarks on an extremely diccult stretch:

8-16

Combined record of first five opponents

27-8

Combined record of seven upcoming opponents

1-14

OSU’s all-time road record against opponents ranked No. 3 or higher

THE SCHEDULE

At Missouri, 7 p.m. Saturday


Record: 5-0 overall, 1-0 Big 12. AP rank: 3.

National stat rankings: No. 3 total offense (568.8 ypg), No. 3 passing offense (375.6 ypg), No. 2 scoring (53.4 ppg).

Notable: The Tigers have prevailed in eight of their past 11 meetings with OSU. The past seven games were decided by an average of 5.6 points.

Vs. Baylor, 2 p.m., Oct. 18


Record: 2-3, 0-1

National stat rankings: No. 17 rushing (218.0 ypg), No. 42 total offense (397.6 ypg).

Notable: Dating to 1972, the Bears have lost in seven consecutive games at Stillwater.

At Texas, Oct. 25


Records: 5-0, 1-0. AP ranking: No. 5.

National stat rankings: No. 6 scoring (47.2 ppg), No. 4 scoring defense (11.4 ppg), No. 3 rush defense (51.8 ypg).

Notable: Recent OSU-Texas contests have been defined by second-half Cowboy meltdowns. OSU is 2-20 against the Longhorns and has not won in Austin since 1944.

At Texas Tech, Nov. 8


Record: 5-0, 1-0. AP rank: No. 7.

National stat rankings: No. 1 passing (439.0 ypg), No. 2 total offense (583.4 ypg), No. 5 scoring (48.2 ppg).

Notable: Since winning at Lubbock in 1944, the Cowboys are 0-8-2 on the Red Raiders’ home field.

Vs. Iowa State, Nov. 1


Record: 2-3, 0-1

National stat rankings: No. 34 scoring (32.2 ppg), No. 12 kickoff returns (25.6 ypr).

Notable: Since the Big 12 was formed, the series is tied at 3-3.

At Colorado, Nov. 15


Record: 3-2, 0-1 Big 12

National stat rankings: No. 89 total offense (325.6 ypg), No. 61 total defense (354.2 ypg).

Notable: The Cowboys won big (42-14) at Colorado in 2004, but before that they were dealt five consecutive lopsided losses in Boulder.

Vs. Oklahoma, Nov. 29


Record: 5-0, 1-0 Big 12. AP ranking: No. 1.

National stat rankings: No. 4 scoring (49.6 ppg), No. 5 total offense (540.0 ypg), No. 11 total defense (256.2 ypg).

Notable: Sooners’ last three wins in Stillwater were by five points (12-7 in 2000), three points (38-35 in 2004) and six points (27-21 in 2006). In 2002, OSU won 38-28 at Stillwater, erasing OU from national championship contention.

By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer

Newspaper View Newspaper View      Print this story Print      Email this story Email     
Share      Bookmark Bookmark


COMMENTS 
      Add your comment Show: Most Recent Comment First

11 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
Report Comment Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you.  -- Web Editor Jason Collington
 

 
Report Comment
gus, (10/7/2008 7:15:49 AM)
Say it isn't so that OSU has scheduled Bacone JC and Northeastern A&M for next year's schedule
Report Comment
buster, TULSA OK (10/7/2008 7:57:00 AM)
Gundy says players come to osu so they can play the best teams in the nation.
Players go OU to be on the best team in the nation.
Report Comment
OKState28, (10/7/2008 8:43:50 AM)
Buster, you are a typical Sooner fan! We will see how good your Sooners really are on Saturday.
Report Comment
OutPickMyNose, (10/7/2008 9:40:07 AM)
Gus, Georgia and Houston plus Rice = tougher schedule then OU next year, tool bag. Keep up the loser OU bandwagon work! Buster, thanks for the opinion. However, I don't think OU has been the best team in the nation for the last 7 years. Thanks though.
Report Comment
mgsooner, (10/7/2008 11:35:30 AM)
Another glorious 7-5 season for the Cowboys!
Report Comment
buster, TULSA OK (10/7/2008 1:07:45 PM)
Your right okstate28 I am a typical sooner fan. You are a typical OSU fan you always
rely on texas and others to beat the sooners, because OSU ain't gonna!

OSU does have a very good team; GO COWBOYS BEAT MIZZO TIGERS!
Report Comment
OutPickMyNose, (10/7/2008 1:37:07 PM)
OU bandwagon fans are always on the OSU articles? Wonder why?
Report Comment
Dad, Up North (10/7/2008 3:11:04 PM)
Should be a fun game to watch....................last to score wins.
Report Comment
AG1, (10/7/2008 3:34:06 PM)
Hey Butter I think that's OU scheduling to put a lickin on SW Mississippi Farm Animal T & A.
Report Comment
2curious, Tulsa, OK 74104 (10/8/2008 6:39:50 AM)
I'm a sooner fan that will be watching both games with equal attention. What a great day for college football!!!!!!!! Good luck OSU...knock the hell out of Chase Daniels!!!

Boomer - Sooner
Report Comment
Dave in Houston, (10/8/2008 8:23:17 AM)
Listening to 610 AM here in Houston. Andre Ware just gave OSU some love saying, "I won't be surprised if OSU comes out of Columbia with a win".

I wish I shared the same optimism. I'd love a win but admittedly, I'd be happy with a close game. Please OSU...just don't embarass us now that the nation will be watching. Please!!!
 

 
Add Your Comment 
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.

 
Post Your Comment
 



Home | About Tulsa World | Advertise With Us | Privacy | Usage Agreement | FAQ and Help | Contact Us | Today's Headlines
Copyright © 2010, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved.