Oklahoma State's three previous seasons had a clear mark of distinction. The Cowboys would play three or four nonconference games, have an off week, and then begin Big 12 Conference play.

This year's schedule brought a twist. The conference wanted a league game for this particular weekend for TV and designated the OSU-Texas Tech game in Stillwater to fill the slot. Eight of the other 10 conference schools will open league play next weekend, when the Cowboys and Red Raiders will complete their nonconference schedules.

Coach Mike Gundy liked how the previous schedules laid out because of the open date prior to league play. OSU's open date on this year's schedule is Oct. 27.

"One thing that concerns me with 85 scholarship athletes is not having open dates. Our open date is the end of October, which means we've been at it for 12 weeks," Gundy said. "That's a long time for college players to go and the demand on their bodies both mentally and physically without an open date. Where we're at this point of the season, we're OK because we don't have a choice."

Gundy's ideal 12-game schedule would have open dates dropped in af ter the opening September stretch of games and in early November.

"That would help your depth and help your guys get fresh," Gundy said. "The thing people forget is that this becomes a grind on them in the academic setting. They have both the academic grind and the football grind."

Working relationship: Quarterback Zac Robinson had no concerns adjusting to a new center last week after starting center David Washington broke his leg. Other than a fourth-quarter fumbled snap last week at Troy, Robinson had no issues with backup center Andrew Lewis.

After starting the first three games at left guard, Lewis will take over Washington's role as starting center. Playing center, though, is nothing new to Lewis. The redshirt sophomore spent his first two seasons working at center with Robinson as his quarterback partner.

The two had several hundred practice snaps, so lack of familiarity was not a problem.

"He knows what he's doing. We know each other well," Robinson said of Lewis.

Pressure principle: OSU only has four sacks in three games due to an inability to establish a consistent pass rush. Texas Tech only has allowed two sacks in 178 pass attempts through three games.

Linebacker Jeremy Nethon said the Cowboys have to defy those odds in order to disrupt Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell.

"You don't want to say you can't get a sack because it hasn't happened much. But there's still a chance and you have to put pressure on him," Nethon said. "They might get rid of it quick, but we want to put enough pressure on him to make him throw it quicker than he wants or make sure there's enough people around them and people in his face."

Series history: Texas Tech leads the all-time series 20-11-3. With the exception of in-state rival Oklahoma, the Cowboys have played Texas Tech more than any other member of the Big 12 South Division.