The Imperfect Storm

Oklahoma State took to the field with heavy hearts Friday night after they, and the rest of the nation, woke up to news of a single-engine airplane crash that had claimed the lives women's basketball coach Kurt Budke and Miranda Serna, his assistant.  The other two were victims were Olin and Paula Branstetter, a long-time married couple who were known as avid aviators.

A moment of silence was observed to honor both Kurt
Budke and Miranda Serna.

When all was said and done, the Cowboys - favored to win by 28 points - came out on the losing the end instead, falling 37-31 in double overtime to an Iowa State team that was 0-56-2 against teams ranked in the top six.  Jeff Woody's touchdown to clinch an epic victory created a cyclone (pun intended) whose impact not only ruined Oklahoma State's shot at the national title and Brandon Weeden's Heisman campaign, but will have far greater effects when the new BCS standings are released on Sunday evening.

The defense, which has been somewhat maligned for its "bend, but don't break" approach, was the reason that the Cowboys even had a fighting chance.  Shaun Lewis returned an interception 72 yards for a touchdown to get the ball rolling, while Alex Elkins recovered a fumble to stop a scoring drive in the 3rd quarter.  Elkins also had an interception late in the game, leading to a field goal attempt by Quinn Sharp, which if successful, would have probably been the game winner.

Iowa State's offense followed a similar blueprint used by Cowboys' previous opponents.  They played "keep away" by holding the ball for 35 minutes, which resulted in them running more plays (101 to OSU's 76).  Even though they committed 3 turnovers, they still succeeded where others had failed, executing when it mattered most.

Quarterback Jared Barnett (pictured right), a redshirt freshman who was just making his third career start, played with the kind poise that is normally displayed by his counterpart on the opposite sideline.  Despite being responsible for all of his team's turnovers, he remained unfazed; throwing for 376 yards and consistently keeping plays alive using his scrambling ability.  He also gained 84 yards on 14 carries to lead the team in rushing.

If you had to judge by the way the Cyclones' defense, you would have never guessed that they statistically ranked among the worst units in the country.  Not only did they throw caution to the wind by committing to stop the run, but they sure made it count, forcing two fumbles off the sure-handed Joseph Randle.  That choice almost came back to bite them, as Weeden threw for 476 yards.

What the Cyclones lacked in a pass rush, they made up for by trying to deflect the ball every time Weeden was ready to throw it.  The resulted in tipped passes that were intercepted 3 times, including the all-important one by Ter'Ran Benton in second overtime.

Even though Justin Blackmon broke free for a 2nd quarter touchdown, defensive back Leonard Johnson managed to keep the All-American receiver in check.  Other receivers stepped up, but on a night when Weeden was misfiring, he would have preferred to have his his "go to" guy.

Oklahoma State have the next weekend off, as they join the rest of Cowboy Nation in grieving the loss of 4 family members.  At the beginning of the season, they Cowboys had set out to win the conference title, so that goal still remains intact. 

Bear down!!

In a match that had been billed as an offensive shootout, it was Oklahoma State who came out "pistols firing" in a 59-24 rout of the Baylor Bears; a performance that pretty much mirrored last year's "showdown" between these two teams.

Last November, both schools came into the game tied atop the Big 12 South standings.  The Cowboys jumped to 34-0 lead en route to a comfortable 55-28 win.  This time, the Cowboys ended the contest early, leading 35-0 lead at halftime, and were up 42-0 before Baylor got on the scoreboard.

Just like last year, it was the Cowboy's defense shutting down a potent Baylor offense, while the offense just kept rolling.

Let's proceed to The Breakdown, shall we?

Offense

In a match-up between an offense that scores a lot of points, and a defense that gives up a lot of points, the outcome will more than likely be in favor of said offense.  Such was the case as the Bears defense struggled to keep up with the Cowboys.


Justin Blackmon was back to his dominant self, catching 13 passes for 172 yards and 2 TDs, while Joseph Randle followed up last week's performance against Mizzou with yet another 4 TD performance.  Brandon Weeden's numbers may not have been "flashy", but the Pokes had only 2 scoring drives that required 10 or more plays; so it was a case of Weeden being at his efficient best.

Fans also got a preview into the future, when running back Herschel Sims took a hand-off and raced 81 yards for a score.  Sims was a highly touted prospect out of high school, but is having to wait his turn behind Randle and Jeremy Smith; just a little thing called "paying your dues".  From the looks of it, the tradition of good tailbacks in Stillwater will continue.


Defense

An 8-0 start is surely a cause for celebration for both
Markelle Martin and the Cowboy Nation.

Baylor's opening drive stalled at the 1 yard line when the Cowboys mounted a goal-line stand, setting the tone for the rest of the afternoon.  By the time the Bears finally crossed the line, the game was no longer a contest.


The Bears controlled the clock, ran more offensive plays and even racked up more yardage than their opponents, but just couldn't score.  Maybe it was me, but the Bears seemed to be allergic towards Oklahoma State's end zone; turning over the ball three times (on downs, an interception and a lost fumble).

The Cowboys defense has a little "Jekyll and Hyde" theme going on this season.  They rank very low in terms of yards given up, yet they lead the nation in turnover margin; bend but don't break.  They might bend, but they snap back with a vengeance.


They forced 5 turnovers (2 INTS and 3 fumble recoveries) along with 2 "4th down" stops, resulting in change of possession; that might as well bring up the tally to 7 turnovers.  They also sacked Bears QB Robert Griffith III twice, severely limiting his ability to impact the game with his feet (RG3 could only muster 27 yards on 16 carries).


Overall


Once again, Oklahoma State managed to turn a "potential shootout" into a blowout thanks to yet another solid defensive effort.  Not that Baylor is a bad team; in fact the Bears are in the midst of some of the best seasons in years, but the Cowboys were just too much to handle.


Next up


Oklahoma State will be at home at against Kansas State in a prime time match up.  The Wildcats unbeaten run came to a cruel halt against Oklahoma, who exposed their inability to defend the pass; something that should bode well for the Cowboys.

Cowboys pick up tempo after a sluggish start.

Oklahoma State's encounter against Texas A&M was pretty much a tale of two halves.  And while it was the Aggies who got off to a quick start, the Cowboys were the ones laughing last after dominating the second half at every turn, winning 30-29.


The Cowboys extended their winning streak over A&M to 4 wins, after having suffered a 4 game losing streak of their own in the series (2004-2007).  Anyone who paid for a ticket to this game surely got their money's worth; this one lived up to all the pre-game hype.  Also another point to note: at least this game kicked off at a very considerable time of the day; I'll take a 2:30pm kickoff over a 12:15am kickoff any day.

Broderick Brown had himself quite the afternoon.

The most surprising stat of course is that Oklahoma State's potent offense was only held to THREE (!!!) first half points.  You'd think that a team averaging at least somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 points per game would do better, but that was not the case.  A lot of credit will of course go to A&M's defense, that had a good enough pass rush, making things harder for the abnormally poised Brandon Weeden.


However, rather than kick their opponent while down, A&M seemed to take the foot off the pedal.  They had their chances to extend the lead in the first half, and potentially put the game out of reach.  Or maybe they planned on coming back to close the deal in the second half.  I had a feeling that the tide was about to turn for the worse.

Blackmon!!  Oh no, you didn't!!

True enough, that is exactly what happened.  Oklahoma State state came back and played probably what was their most complete game in a while.  With his offensive line blocking well, Weeden went to work, finding his receivers, while the running game picked up steam of its own.


Hats off to the defense for nearly pitching a shutout against A&M's offense.  The defensive line made a point of getting to the quarterback often, and the defensive backs contested any pass that they could.  End result was 4 forced turnovers; a fumble recovery and 3 interceptions including one by James Thomas to clinch the win.  Defensive back Broderick Brown made yet another highlight reel play (why lie, he's making it look real easy), to pick off Aggies QB Ryan Tannehill, giving the Cowboys a short field.


On the ensuing drive, Justin Blackmon had a moment that he would have loved to take back if possible.  He found himself in single coverage (why again would you single cover this guy?), and after making a catch and running for what was a sure touchdown, he fumbled the ball which went through the end zone for a touchback.  Had he not fumbled (or at least if he'd been able to recover it in the end zone for a score), that touchdown would surely clinched the game for his team.  However, it only served to make things a little more interesting.  Luckily, the defense stepped up again with Justin Gilbert (who returned a kickoff for a score, only to have it erased due to a holding call), making the most of a poorly thrown pass by Tannehill.


It's been almost 30 years (maybe more) since Kyle Field hosted a game in which both A&M and its opponent were ranked in the Top 10.  So for Oklahoma State to win a game of such magnitude and in a very tough environment, the momentum will probably snowball all the way to (and maybe through) Bedlam (I don't know that December 3 could get here fast enough).  You really want to measure the negatives against the positives, but judging how the team bounced back, it's all positive.


Also the days leading up to the game had been very trying as the team was in mourning following the death of Angela Spencer, wife of Linbebackers' coach Glenn Spencer.  Coach Spencer had to be hurried home during the Tulsa game, and was able to spend few moments by his wife's side before she passed away.  So it was only fitting that the team send her off in style.  RIP Angela Spencer.


Oklahoma State will be off this weekend, before they return to action against Kansas.  Hopefully their momentum won't take the weekend off either. 

Oklahoma wards off Tiger upset bid.

The last time Oklahoma faced off against Missouri, they were ranked #1 in the newly released BCS rankings, but were left picking themselves off the mat after the Tigers sprung an upset in Columbia, MO.  It was the third successive week in which the top ranked team fell on the road; Alabama lost to South Carolina a fortnight earlier, and Ohio State followed up with a loss to Wisconsin the week after.


This time around, Oklahoma made sure not to stumble, despite a slow start in which they trailed 14-3, ending the 1st quarter at 14-10 after a Ryan Broyles touchdown catch.  In the absence of Kenny Stills and Trey Franks, Jazz Reynolds and DeJuan Miller had to step up and fill the void.  Both receivers were starters at some point earlier in their careers, but due to various issues (Miller suffered a season ending knee injury, while Reynolds was suspended due to violation of team rules), they had been firmly supplanted by the aforementioned duo.  Reynolds came up with a huge 39 yard reception in the 2nd quarter that possibly shifted the game's momentum in favor of the hosts.


Oklahoma was eventually able to wear down their opponents with a short passing game, and running the ball taking time off the clock.  Also defensively, they made enough plays to hold off the Tigers until the game was beyond reach.  It may not have been the most satisfying performance, but a win's a win, right?


Landry Jones to Ryan Broyles seems to be the key to get this offense going.  In their previous match against Florida State, they hardly connected much after the opening drive.  Jones went over 400 yards passing (AGAIN!!) and Broyles had yet another 10+ reception, 100yd receiving game; numbers that seem to be pedestrian to these two guys.

Despite giving up a lot of yards, OU's defense clamped
down when it mattered the most.

It was nice to see coaches try to get Roy Finch involved, including him in the kickoff return unit.  With Brennan Clay and Dominique Whaley getting the lion's share of the carries in the running game, the only time Finch gets to see the field is while on the sideline.  It would be nice to get him more touches, but that's really up to the coaches.


This was clearly not Oklahoma's best defensive showing.  They gave up 532 yards and two big scoring plays; L'Damian Washington's catch and run for 45 yards & score, as well as Henry Josey who ran 48 yards for a touchdown off an option pitch.  They didn't force any turnovers either, but you can credit Mizzou for protecting the ball.  The defensive unit played really well in between the 1st and 4th quarters, so that's a positive. 


At the end of the day, Oklahoma got the result that it wanted, and it's a lot easier to fix any errors - be they mental or tactical - after a win than a loss.

Off to the races

Coming off the best year in the school history, Oklahoma State showed that they haven't slowed down, and won't be doing so anytime soon; and they have the uniforms to prove it.

Even after Dana Holgorsen's move to West Virginia (eventually ascending to the head coaching job), new offensive coordinator Todd Monken has fit in well as the Cowboys will be looking to settle for nothing less than the 11 wins from last season.  Of course being ranked in the Pre-Season Top 10 - due in part to the return of QB Brandon Weeden and WR Justin Blackmon - helped raise expectations in Stillwater.  After coming oh so close to earning a berth in BCS games the last 3 seasons, not too many people are surprised by the "BCS or Bust" mode.

The Cowboys opened up with a 61-34 win over the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette, and will have a very tricky set of fixtures in their next 3 games.  They play Arizona at home, before taking to the road to face Texas A&M and Tulsa.  None of these games are "gimmes"; they are capable of losing them just as they are of winning them.  That being said, they'll more than likely be favored in all 3.

Outside of Weeden and Blackmon, running back Joseph Randle stepped in to fill the shoes of the departed Kendall Hunter.  During spot appearances last season, Randle showcased his ability as an all-purpose back; he's a very good receiver out of the backfield and can run between the tackles as well as around the corners.  He may not have that "make the first man miss" ability like Hunter, but it's not like there's been a downgrade at the position.

Also making an impact were receivers Tracy Moore, Isaiah Anderson and Michael Harrison. Since Blackmon will more than likely receive a lot of double teams from defenses (not like it'll matter), and Josh Cooper doing a lot of damage underneath, Weeden will need vertical options down the field who are also physical enough to battle for jump balls should the need arise.  Anderson and Harrison did well on the road against Kansas State - a game in which Blackmon was suspended - when they received extended playing time.

There was a some discontent among "Poke Nation" after the Cowboys gave up 34 points to the Ragin' Cajuns.  That would be a concern to anyone, but for what it's worth, this game wasn't much of contest by the time the 4th Quarter came around.  What would the Cajun faithful say about their team which gave up 61?  Just wondering.

Arizona will be the Cowboy's first major test of the season, but they should be fine if they just keep doing what they're doing.  The team has yet to lose a Thursday night game under Mike Gundy, and I doubt that this will change in this fixture.

A measure of revenge.

Last weekend when Nebraska held on to upset Texas 70-67, not only did they ruin the Longhorns chance at reclaiming the #1 ranking, but it also brought another thought to my mind; REVENGE!!! 

Husker fans couldn't bear another loss to Texas

After all that Nebraska has been in the least year (plus a few months give or take), they were finally able to come up with a win against Texas.  Maybe I'm the only who saw it, but I'm sure Husker fans were kind of feeling it too. 

Let's face it, Nebraska isn't exactly known for their basketball prowess; they're a football school.  So to deal a defeat to Texas (and a darn good Texas team too) on the hardwood wasn't really expected by anyone outside of Lincoln, NE.  Nebraska fans, please don't take it personal if nobody thought that you'd win.  For what it's worth, Nebraska has played well down the stretch, and that form really counts for something.

(R-L) Hunter Lawrence nails the game winning fg in the 2009 Big 12
title game, while Garrett Gilbert led Texas to an upset win in Lincoln.

One can only wonder what Kinnie is thinking

Nebraska fans can still remember the 1 second that was added back to the clock at the end of the 2009 Big 12 Title Game; enabling Texas to kick the game winning field goal and advance to the National Championship game.  Then to rub salt onto the wounds, Texas (who were on a 2 game losing streak) beat #5 Nebraska in Lincoln.  What's crazy is that Texas (who are 9-1 against Nebraska in the Big 12 era) only won one more game after that; against Florida Atlantic (from the vaunted Sun Belt Conference).

As if that wasn't enough, there was that game against A&M in College Station, where all the calls just seemed to go against Nebraska.  Big Red couldn't even get any love in the last ever Big 12 Title game; fans preferring the other Big Red (more like crimson, but you get the point).  

Nebraska wanted to leave the Big 12 with a bang!!  Win the last ever title game, then stick it to Texas and Dan Beebe a.k.a the Commish.  That didn't happen.  Their reward for losing?  A second consecutive trip to the Holiday Bowl to play against Washington; a team that Nebraska had torn to shreds earlier in the season.  They couldn't even get Boise State in there??  It didn't matter because when Nebraska lost, they all of a sudden became the punchline to any and every joke.  They just could not catch a break.

So when Nebraska beat Texas in the most unlikeliest of venues, I'm guessing all this stuff must have been running through the minds of the Husker faithful as they stormed the court.  I just got this feeling, that they weren't just celebrating an upset of a highly ranked opponent; it was a lot more than that.  It was for the 1 additional second that cost them a conference championship.  It was making up for failing to exact revenge in their next meeting.  It was for the mistreatment they felt they've received, getting kicked to the curb because Texas wields the power.

This was just more than your ordinary upset; it was a measure of revenge.

Coming back to a city near you: by public demand!!

Cowboy Nation can now breath a sigh of relief, because Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon will be returning for another season.  While it was almost certain that Weeden would be coming back, no one would have been surprised had Blackmon declared for the NFL draft; where he was guaranteed to be a first round pick.

Both Blackmon and Weeden had sensational seasons, while helping lead Oklahoma State to it's best season yet.  They set individual school records in passing and receiving, breaking records that were set by Josh Fields and Rashaun Woods in 2002; who weren't too bad of a dynamic duo themselves.  They also earned first team All-Conference honors.

Brandon Weeden started off as an unknown, and by season's end, he was a first team All-Conference quarterback; the first from Oklahoma State since Clarence Highfill in 1932.  It is safe to say that everybody now knows who he is. 

Justin Blackmon, the Biletnikoff Award winner and first team All-American, was a highlight reel in motion.  He was so explosive that the only person who's been able to stop him so far, was the Carrollton (TX) Police Officer who arrested him in late October.  Defenders who tried to "single cover" him, could only recall the name and number on the back of his jersey while he sprinted toward to the endzone for another score.

In 2002, Fields and Woods helped lead OSU to it's first Bowl game since 1997

What this means is that Oklahoma State will likely earn a high pre-season ranking, that would put them in a position to contend for both a conference title and a possible BCS Bowl berth.  Since there won't be a conference championship game to worry about, this feat should be a little bit easier.

With a lot of starters returning on both offense and defense, and Bedlam returning to Stillwater for the second year in a row, I would highly encourage you to go out there and get your tickets now.  You wouldn't want to miss this show.

Third time's a charm; Glendale here we come!!!

Hopefully, we have all by now got over the fact that Oklahoma will be playing the Connecticut Huskies, the Big East champions.  I don't think I'm wrong in assuming that most OU fans were hoping for a rematch with Stanford (from last year's Sun Bowl), or maybe a showdown with Ohio State or Arkansas.  What we got instead, was a team with an 8-4 record and is ranked #26 in the BCS standings (I didn't know that they went that far).

Before I get on the "Oklahoma's going to blow out UConn" bandwagon, you'd be surprised at how much these two teams have in common on their road to Glendale, AZ.  Both teams were written off after losing 2 conference games.  They both put in strong defensive performances down the stretch, to go along with a combined 9 game win streak (4 for Oklahoma, 5 for UConn).  They both won their last conference games by a field goal (UConn beat South Florida 19-16 on last minute field goal, while Oklahoma beat Nebraska 23-20).

That being said, if there was anytime that Oklahoma needed to end its 5 game losing streak in BCS games, this would be it.  Oklahoma however is in a "no-win" situation.  If they win, well, they were supposed to.  If they lose, then it's another BCS bust.  Oklahoma's last BCS win was against a Washington State team that has gone 35-61 since that Rose Bowl.  Since then, Oklahoma has been the punchline to many a joke in Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, Boise and Morgantown.

Last time Oklahoma was in a "no-win" situation like this one, it was against a Boise State team that was making it's first appearance in a BCS bowl game.  In defense of the Broncos, they had posted a record of 85-16 (4-2 in bowl games) going into that match-up.  They were a well coached team and knew how to execute; and I really don't have to tell you how the game ended.

Then came West Virginia.  A team that had lost their coach 3 weeks before playing OU.  Prior to that, they had fallen a game short of playing in the National Championship game.  So you'd be forgiven for thinking that they would be lacking any inspiration or motivation going into the Fiesta Bowl against a red-hot Oklahoma team.  What many people overlook is the fact that the Mountaineers were riding a 32-5 record (2-0 in bowl games), and were very much a championship calibre team.  So they had EVERY reason to show that they still had some fire left.  And did they show up ever!!!  Playing the way they did, they could have beaten ANY team that night.

So in this third trip, I'm sure that Oklahoma will look at where they've failed in their past trips to the Fiesta Bowl.  Whether it may be conservative play calling, execution on both sides of the ball, over confidence; I really don't know.  Even though they'll be highly favored against Connecticut, Oklahoma will be playing with a chip on its shoulder.  And that is when they play best.

Maybe now they'll understand.

In the wake of the Bedlam showdown last Saturday, I'm sure some Oklahoma State fans haven't quite yet come to terms with the outcome.  It's not hard to understand why.  They were flying high and their star couldn't have shone any brighter; picking up landmark wins against Texas Tech, Kansas State and Texas.  It had also been forever and a day since they last went undefeated on the road in conference play.  Meanwhile Oklahoma had faltered along the way, with losses to Mizzou and Texas A&M.


This certainly had to be the year; they had vanquished Texas and the only thing standing between them and a Big 12 Title game, was Oklahoma.  All the pieces seemed to fit.  Playing at home against a team, whose struggles on the road have been well documented; and a prime time television audience to sweeten the deal.  Just about every analyst out there had picked Oklahoma State to win; you can thank Lee Corso for that (by the way, he says, "you're welcome!!").


When all was said and done, the result was another Oklahoma win and this is maybe why, if possible, you should tell Lee Corso to never pick your team.  As an OU fan, I've witnessed it enough times to know that there's not a lot of good that comes out of him wearing the mascot head of your school.  That being said, believe it or not Cowboy fans, but in some weird, twisted way, Oklahoma fans can kind of relate to how you were feeling after Saturday night.  I know it sounds crazy, but just stay with me and I'll take you on a trip down memory lane.


In 2001, #3 ranked Oklahoma headed into that Bedlam showdown, needing a win to book their place in the Big 12 Title game in Dallas (the irony).  They were the defending national champions and, despite a loss to Nebraksa (more irony), there were still in a good position to play in the Rose Bowl (the site of that year's championship game).  Oklahoma was riding a 19 game win streak in Norman and were hosting a 3-7 Oklahoma State team.  How hard could it be, right??  Not to say that they underestimated OSU; but c'mon, a 3-7 team coming to your backyard?


If only games were won on paper.  Even though Oklahoma scored early, they didn't have much going for them.  Oklahoma State sacked quarterback Nate Hybl about 7 times (maybe more), intercepted him 3 times (including a late desperation heave to seal the game) and shut down running back Quentin Griffin; in the process, they held Oklahoma to negative yardage in rushing.  In the meantime, the Cowboys were slowly but surely chipping away at the lead.


Then in the 4th quarter, with about 1:43 (or something like that) left in the game, Josh Fields threw a fade to the corner of the end zone, that was caught by receiver Rashaun Woods for a touchdown, giving OSU their first lead of the game.  I could have sworn I heard a pin drop in Owen Field at that moment.  With that touchdown, everything was gone!!  A shot at a Big 12 title, a trip to the Rose Bowl to defend their national title.  It was gone!!  Out the window.  I couldn't begin to tell you how much that really hurt.  It did.  


In Austin however, Texas players and fans were celebrating like they had just reclaimed the Alamo.  They had just clinched the south division title, courtesy of Oklahoma State, and an outside chance to play in the national championship game.  All they had to do was win the Big 12 title and hope for some weird scenarios to take place.  Well, Texas lost to Colorado in that game, but that's not the point I'm trying to make.


Back to Bedlam.  Even though Oklahoma has been to three other national championship games (they lost all three, but that's not the point either), that 2001 Bedlam loss was one that was just a little too hard to swallow.  In some ways, it was "the one that got away".  There are certain things in sports that you can never quite understand, until they happen to you.  And until Oklahoma State was in the same position, on the brink of something special, even historic, only to have it taken from you right under your nose, you'd never quite understand.  Maybe now you will.