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. 

Orange Squeeze

Oklahoma State had gone 66 years before finally winning in Lubbock last year.  So just how odd was it, that in their first visit back, the Cowboys put "66" on the scoreboard against a Texas Tech team that has nose-dived since a massive upset win over Oklahoma 3 weeks ago.  

I'm sure there have been happier days before.

The Red Raiders scored more points in that game (41) than in their next three games combined (33), and have given up a total of 159 points in that same span.  In fact, had it not been for Cornelius Douglas' fumble return for a score, Texas Tech would have wound up scoreless; which I'm pretty sure hasn't happened in Lubbock. 

The Cowboys made light work of the Red Raiders, scoring just about every time they touched the ball in the first half.  It also didn't hurt that Texas Tech was intent on shooting themselves in the foot; something that the Cowboys defense appreciated, considering that they didn't have to spend almost 40 minutes on the field.  Still, the defense recorded 3 takeaways, each of which was converted for a touchdown.

Joseph Randle had 3 rushing scores to bring his season tally to 21 TD, trailing Wisconsin's Monte Ball (23 TDs), and Justin Blackmon got to pad his stats as well; but a person making a "Heisman statement" was Brandon Weeden who went 31-37 for 423 yards and 5 TDs. 

Weeden became the school's all-time leader in touchdown passes, and is 3 scores short of matching his totals for last season.  Throughout the season, he has slowly built his resume which will receive a massive boost should the Cowboys beat Oklahoma in their season finale. 

Next up for the Cowboys is Iowa State on Friday night.  The Cyclones are on a 2 game win streak, but I doubt they'll be able to match the Cowboys' firepower.

Cowboys prevail in a "Cat and Mouse" thriller.

It may not have had the "Game of the Century" hype, but Oklahoma State vs Kansas State was where all the action was; delivering all the excitement that one could possibly ask for.

The Cowboys won 52-45, but it wasn't until K-State QB Collin Klein's pass to Tramaine Thompson in the end zone fell incomplete that they could truly get the celebration going.  A game that looked like another rout for the Pokes early on, turned in a "cat and mouse" affair, especially in the last 5 minutes which saw a total of 29 points scored between both teams.

The Breakdown.

Offense:

Weeden bounced back from 2 early turnovers to register
a career passing day.

The Cowboys seemed to be on a roll, but it was their 4 turnovers that kept the Wildcats in the game.  Justin Blackmon muffed a punt early, and lost a fumble near the goal-line later on, while Brandon Weeden threw 2 interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, rounding off a 24 point run for K-State.

Other than that, there wasn't really much the Wildcats could do to stop Weeden from hitting them up for 502 yards (a school single-game record); this only a week after getting torched by Oklahoma's Landry Jones for 505 yards (a school single-game record for OU).  With his offensive line giving him all the time in the world to execute, Weeden was literally playing armchair quarterback; picking off a secondary that not only played soft coverage, but hardly covered the middle of the field despite getting burned for big plays all game long.

Blackmon more than atoned for his costly fumbles with a 54 yard TD reception late in the game, but the rest of the receiving corp deserves some credit as well.  Tracy Moore, Isaiah Anderson and Josh Stewart combined for 15 receptions, causing more problems for an already weak secondary.

There wasn't much production from the running game, as Joseph Randle only managed 73 yards on 16 carries.  He still had three touchdowns, the last one giving his team the lead for good.  With the kind of success the Cowboys had in the passing game, Randle only had to be at his best when needed to.

Defense:

Klein gave the Cowboys more than they could handle.

A recovered fumble on K-State's opening possession helped the Cowboys take a 7-0 lead, and a James Thomas interception resulted in another touchdown to bring the score even at 24.  Unlike most teams however, the Wildcats would just not go away.

Collin Klein, who was held to 58 yards passing against Oklahoma the previous week, passed for a season-high 231 yards.  His improved passing enabled the Wildcats to mix the pass and run effectively, and play "keep away" by holding the ball for a little over 40 minutes.

While they Cowboys weren't able to force as many turnovers, a few stops here and there helped them stay ahead of a pesky Wildcat team determined to bounce back after getting routed in their previous outing.

Overall:

The Cowboys haven't been 9-0 since 1945, when they won the Sugar Bowl under the guidance of Jim Lookabaugh.  With only 3 games left in the season, they've positioned themselves for a BCS bowl invitation at the very least.  Anything more than that is literally "in their own hands".

Next up:

Oklahoma State travels to face a Texas Tech that's been routed in its last 2 games, and has lost 4 of their last 5 overall.  Lubbock hasn't always been kind to the Cowboys, but they were able to win there last year, and should probably do the same on this visit.

College Football Week 9: Hot, Not & Really?

 

After week 9 of College Football, I'm working on introducing a new segment called "Hot, Not & Really"; which rather speaks for itself.  Hopefully this can be a continuing theme as the season goes on.  Without further ado, let's get to it.


WHO'S HOT:


Case Keenum: The Cougars signal caller threw for 534 yards and 9 touchdowns (NINE!!) against city rival Rice.  Keenum is the NCAA's all time leader in TD passes, and should soon be the all time leader in passing yards as well.  More importantly, Houston stayed undefeated.


Oklahoma State's Defense: This unit may have surrendered a lot of yards, but lead the nation in turnover margin.  They've now forced 12 turnovers in their last 3 games; I'd have included the 4 against Kansas, but that wasn't much of a contest.


Oklahoma Sooners: It might seem too soon, but the turnaround is hard to overlook.  After getting embarrassed in a loss to Texas Tech, the Sooners bounced back to crush the previously unbeaten Kansas State; completely dominating both sides of the ball.  They've earned it.


Ohio State Buckeyes: After an off-season they would rather forget, the Buckeyes are making the most of this season.  They blew a 21-point lead in a loss to Nebraska, but responded by handing Illinois their first loss, then soiled any BCS hopes that Wisconsin had, courtesy of QB Braxton Miller's late game heroics.


Nebraska Cornhuskers: The Big Red machine are currently riding a 3 game winning streak, after receiving a rude awakening in their Big Ten opener against Wisconsin.  Their latest antics involved a dominant performance against Michigan State, leaving both teams tied for 1st place (along with Michigan) in their respective division.


Oregon Ducks: They've reeled off 7 straight wins in dominant fashion.  Doesn't matter what they wear, or how they wear it, they just wear opponents out.


WHO'S NOT:


Wisconsin Badgers: Playing within the confines of Camp Randall Stadium, the Badgers carved out a 6-0 start, and were in the running for a national title.  Then came the next 2 games out of state, and after a couple of "hail marys", they're all but out for not only the national title, but the conference title as well.


Texas A&M Aggies: A 38-31 loss to Mizzou marked the 3rd time that the Aggies held a double digit lead (they led 28-17), only to lose the game.  This was a team that most people thought would factor in the national title discussion.


Clemson Tigers: They started off their season by defeating 3 ranked opponents - including defending champ Auburn - and seemed to control their own destiny as far as the national title was concerned.  The Tigers were done in by their inability to stop Georgia Tech's "triple option" attack.


Kansas Jayhawks: They're riding a 6 game losing streak and easily boast the worst defense in all of college football.  In their last outing against Texas, the Jayhawks could only manage 46 total yards (!!!).  I could go on, but there's no fun in flogging a dead horse.


Colorado Buffaloes: They're 1-8 (0-5 in conference).  Can someone please remind me why they moved to the Pac-12?


REALLY?

Tommy Tuberville followed up a signature win
with an embarrassing loss.

Texas Tech Red Raiders: Coming off consecutive losses, the Red Raiders put on a clinic in an upset win over Oklahoma.  Just when you thought that they were finally on track, they lay an egg against Iowa State.  Did I mention that this game was in Lubbock?  In a weird twist of irony, they trailed 24-7 at the half, and conceded 41 total points; a complete reverse from the previous week when they led 24-7 at the interval, and scored 41 points.


Marquel Wade, Arkansas: The Razorback wide receiver delivered "The Cheap Shot Heard Around The World" while covering a punt that was about to be fielded by Vanderbilt's Jonathan Krause.  Wade arrived early and put a hit on Krause before he could even field the ball.  Wade was subsequently ejected from the game, and is suspended for the game against #9 South Carolina.  He has since issued an apology, and you can expect him to have learnt from this episode.

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.

Too hot to Randle.

Oklahoma State beat Missouri 45-24 on the strength of a superb defensive performance as well as 4 touchdowns from running back Joseph Randle.


With the game slated for an early kickoff, some experts penciled this game as an "upset alert" given that Faurot Field can be a tough place to play.  Others speculated that it would be hard for the Cowboys to get on track having to play that early; leading me to question how many of these guys were still up when a rain delay pushed the Oklahoma State vs Tulsa kickoff to 12:15 am.


Without further ado, let's get to the breakdown of this game. 


Offense


No Blackmon?  No Problem; at least for the most part.  Justin Blackmon caught a touchdown pass to give the Pokes a 14-3 lead in the 1st quarter, but left the game after sustaining a shoulder injury.  Brandon Weeden was able to distribute the ball well, completing passes to 8 other receivers.  Tracy Moore and Michael Harrison (1 TD & a team high 71 yards receiving) were just among those who stepped up to pick up the tab.


Honors go to Joseph Randle, though.  With the game still in contention, he broke a 59 yard TD run to give the Cowboys a 21 point lead.  His third touchdown was just the icing on the cake of a game that was pretty much over.  Much like his counterpart Jeremy Smith did last week, it was Randle's turn to answer the bell, and did he ever, helping to spark an offense that was somewhat flat.


Defense

The Cowboys D rustled Franklin

The Cowboys defensive unit didn't have to spend about 40 minutes on the field this time, but they still put in a great effort.  Despite giving up 248 yards on the ground, they weren't challenged as much through the air thanks to the relentless pressure they put on Tigers QB James Franklin.


Franklin, one of the best dual threat QBs in the country, was limited to 184 yards passing, and 55 yards rushing but committed 4 turnovers; including one (a fumble) at the Cowboys goal line when Mizzou had a chance to pull within 7 points.  The Cowboys converted that turnover for a touchdown; just one of three turnovers that provided the 21 points that they scored in the second half.


Overall


Oklahoma State found a way to win, just like it seemed the momentum was getting away from them.  Someone has stepped on either side of the ball, and this has been the recurring them in their last 3 road games (this one included).  It's a testament to the team's resolve, which will continue to be tested, as 3 of their last 4 opponents will be ranked teams.


Special mention: "The Shout Outs"


The Cowboys defense have now forced 7 turnovers in their last 2 games.  Jamie Blatnick had a forced fumble as well as 2 tipped passes that resulted in interceptions by Shaun Lewis and Richetti Jones.  Lewis also recovered a red zone fumble (forced by Wilson Youman) closing the door on a scoring opportunity for Mizzou.


Joseph Randle ran to rescue - literally -, scoring the Cowboys' last 4 touchdowns (he had a TD reception in the first half).  His final total was 138 yards rushing on 14 carries, and 13 yards on 1 reception.


Next up:


The Cowboys head back home and prepare for an afternoon kickoff against Baylor; a team they routed 55-28 last year, despite all the pre-game hype.  Despite the phenom that is Robert Griffith III (RG3), Oklahoma State should be able to come away with the win, on the strength of having a better defense than the Bears.

Smith paces Cowboys win over Texas.

Oklahoma State had yet to win consecutive games against Texas since the formation of the Big 12.  Mack Brown had yet to lose a game the weekend after the Red River Rivalry.  On Saturday, something had to give, and it was Oklahoma State who came out on top, with a 38-26 win to extend its winning streak in the series to 2 games.


Last year, the Cowboys halted a 12 game skid against Texas with a 33-16 in win Austin, marking the first time since 1944 that they had left town with a win.  At the time, the Cowboys were on the rise, while the Longhorns were in free-fall; only a season removed from playing for a national championship.


After getting torched by Oklahoma QB Landry Jones the previous week, the Longhorns secondary had their work cut out for them; having to face a high-octane offense led by 1st team All-Conference QB (Brandon Weeden) and Biletnikoff Award Winner (Justin Blackmon).  The outlook did not seem very good.


Texas opted to play "keep away" by running the football, knowing that it would be impossible to match the Cowboys' firepower.  On paper, the strategy seemed to work rather well, with the Longhorns holding the ball for close to 40 minutes.  However, the lack of a legit passing game, 3 turnovers and the offense getting turned back at crucial times, proved too much to overcome.


With the Texas offense struggling earlier in the season, seemingly a carryover from last year, Mack Brown pulled starting QB Garrett Gilbert in favor of a rotation between Case McCoy and David Ash at the position.  The move rejuvenated the Longhorns offense, but it all came undone at the hands of Oklahoma, with both QBs struggling against a much superior defense.

The Cowboys defense harassed Ash all afternoon

There was a lot of speculation as to whether Brown would keep the rotation, or just stick to one player.  Ash got the nod ahead of his counterpart, who many a Longhorn faithful see as a carbon-copy of his more famous sibling, Colt.  There's no denying that Ash is talented, and while he played like that at times, he was clearly overwhelmed by the Cowboy defense.


The Cowboys' offense spent quite some time on the sidelines, and it wasn't hard to see why they were out of rhythm whenever they got back on.  Brandon Weeden had a rather off day, but still managed to connect with Justin Blackmon for the Pokes only passing TD; breaking a 7-7 tie.


They were able to stay ahead of the Longhorns thanks to 2 big TD runs by Jeremy Smith (30 & 74 yards, respectively), when the game seemed rather too close for comfort.  Smith's first score came only a few minutes before half-time with the Cowboys only ahead by 4; while his second one gave his team an insurmountable 14 point lead.


Normally brought in for short yardage duty as well as goal line situations, Smith was able to showcase not just strength but speed as well, leaving the Longhorn defenders in his wake on both scores.  A highly rated prospect out of powerhouse Tulsa Union, he may be behind Joseph Randle on the depth chart, but is still very valuable when it comes to helping moving the chains.  Smith tallied 140 yards on only 7 carries, to earn game MVP honors (in my book at least).


Defensively, you'd have to commend the Cowboys for their effort; given that they were on the field for what seemed like an eternity.  Despite a few close calls, they kept the Longhorns at bay getting stops when it mattered.  All that being said, they still get a pie in the face after falling victim the infamous Statue of Liberty play that propelled Boise State to an unlikely Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma.  Cowboy fans can no longer "poke" fun at OU fans (it's the best I could come up with) regarding that play.


The performance might have been below par - I'm sure the Cowboys were expecting to play a lot better - but there's a lot of good things to take away from this win.  The offense was effective in generating points given their limited possession, while the defense held their end of the bargain.  


Jeremy Smith and Justin Gilbert (kickoff return for a TD) provided 3 pivotal plays that ensured the Cowboys stay undefeated ahead of their showdown against Mizzou.

Asphyxiation & Meltdown (A&M)

It's been almost 10 years since Texas A&M kicked off with a preseason Top 10 ranking.  All it took was a fortnight for them to drop out of the Top 20, after yet another second half meltdown; this time at the hands of the Arkansas Razorbacks, a one time South West Conference rival.


One week after watching a 17 point half-time lead disappear against Oklahoma State, the Aggies seemed determined to put that performance behind them with 5 first half touchdowns (all rushing), racing to a 35-17 lead before the interval against their future SEC division foe.  Once again, they came out flat in the second period, getting outscored 25-3.


For a while, the Aggies seemed to be in control of the game, running the ball at will against an Arkansas defense that couldn't stop the run even if they tried.  As a team, A&M totaled 381 yards on the ground; Christine Michael ran for 230 yards and 3 TDs on 32 carries, Cyrus Gray had 95 yards and 2 TDs on 17 carries, while QB Ryan Tannehill pitched in with 56 yards on 5 carries.  On any day, if you passed those stats onto someone, they'd probably tell you that the Aggies won.  However, despite getting gushed for all those yards, Arkansas came up big when it mattered the most, stopping Michael for no gain on a rush attempt on 4th & 2 late in the game.


A&M had been faced with "4th & short" situations during the 3rd quarter.  With the Razorbacks still reeling, A&M opted to punt rather than go for the kill.  The decision to punt on both occasions gave Arkansas some confidence that they could stop the Aggies, which is what they eventually did.  The momentum started to swing in their favor and next thing you know, Arkansas comes out on top.

Weeden (l) and Wilson both combined to torch the
Aggies for 948 yards through the air.

The running theme during these two losses has been the porosity of the Aggies pass defense.  Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden passed for 438 yards, while Arkansas' Tyler Wilson went bananas, passing for 510 yards.  Along with the 900+ yards, both QBs combined for 5 touchdowns and no interceptions.  You'd figure that maybe the Aggies would make the necessary adjustments, seeing that there was nothing unpredictable about what Arkansas or Oklahoma State was doing, but whatever they did probably didn't work.  With a lot of "pass happy" schools on the Aggies remaining schedule, you can be sure that those teams will be taking notes and studying some film.


It has been 16 years since Texas A&M beat a team from the SEC, but with them moving on to that conference, they may not have to wait any longer.

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. 

Different venue, same script.

So it may not have been the Alamo Bowl, but not much seems to have changed between Oklahoma State and Arizona since their last encounter in December.


The Cowboys got off to a fast start, scoring on their first three possessions.   Brandon Weeden looked he was going to complete every pass he attempted, Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith looked like they were going to run over, around or through any defender in sight, and Justin Blackmon looked like he was going to catch everything thrown in his direction.  Oklahoma State operated with surgeon-like precision, and machine-like efficiency jumping to a quick 21-0 lead.


Then either Arizona got a little better, or the Cowboys got bored; but somewhere along the way, someone took their foot off the pedal.  Arizona finally got on the scoreboard in the second half, and had enough chances to actually turn a potential blowout into a contest, but credit to the Cowboys defense for hanging tough and making plays when they needed to.

Arizona really had no answer for Justin Blackmon

The Wildcats suffered from the same problems that plagued them in their last encounter against the Cowboys.  They could move the chains, make some plays, but just could not score.  The running game was held in check, and while they gained momentum with their passing game, they faltered at crucial moments; such as turning over the ball on downs despite reaching their opponents goal line.


What left me scratching my head for a few moments was the Wildcats execution on defense. For some reason they opted for a "man-to-man" approach leaving Justin Blackmon free to take their lunch money.  The end result; 12 catches for 128 yards and 2 touchdowns.  They probably forgot that he's the current Biletnikoff Award winner.


If this is any indication, it looks like the sun will be setting on Arizona a little faster than they are planning.  Their next two games will be against Oregon and Stanford; two teams that will  feature heavily not only in the conference title race, but also the in the national picture as well.  Luckily, Arizona plays in the Pac-12 South Division, and with USC on probation, might actually get to make something out of whatever's left.


Oklahoma State's next plays Tulsa next; a game that serves as a great warm-up ahead of their showdown against Texas A&M the week after.  I wonder what uniforms they'll break out next.

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.

The State of O...M...G!!

There is a chance that for the first time since 2007, both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will miss out on March Madness.  What on earth has happened to basketball in the State of Oklahoma??

OSU found the going tough against A&M

Oklahoma State who started the season with an 11-1, record have gone 5-9 since.  Their last win was over Oklahoma in Bedlam Showdown.  Quite frankly, there had to be a winner in that game, so it doesn't really tell you much, if anything at all.

The Cowboys have been a "Jekyll and Hyde" kind of a team this season (okay, maybe all the time, but you know what I trying to get at here).  They are quite capable of playing with the best of them (they beat #17 Kansas State convincingly, and also beat #15 Missouri).  At other times, they look clueless and seem to have no fight at all (blowout losses to Texas, Texas A&M; a loss to Nebraska??).

Good thing is that they have a winning record, but to play in the big dance, they'll need to win the Big 12 tournament.  They might be lucky to even earn an NIT berth; a tournament which they played in from 2006-2008, but failed to make it past the first round in each trip.


The going hasn't been any easier for Oklahoma


Oklahoma started off 3-0, then went on a 5 game losing streak that was highlighted by a loss Chaminde, a Division II school.  They are currently riding a 5 game losing streak and by this time next week, it will probably be up to 7 (OU play Texas A&M and Kansas on Wednesday and Saturday, respectively).

Anybody following OU basketball is wise enough to know that this team won't be going places this year.  However, they will appreciate the effort of this squad compared to last year's squad that featured Willie Warren, Tommy Mason-Griffin and Keith "Tiny" Gallon; three players who embodied the "me, first" persona to perfection. 

This OU team is still too young (Cade Davis, pictured above, is the lone senior on the team), and it's not really where it needs to be; so for those of you calling for Jeff Capel's head, you gotta have some patience.  Players like Blake Griffin don't just show up to your door everyday. 

I guess when it's time fill in my March Madness bracket, I won't have to worry about being biased toward OU or OSU.  Not good, but, oh well.

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.

Miles won't say "adieu" to the Bayou!!

For some who apparently likes to eat grass, the turf in Ann Arbor didn't look that much greener.  For the second time in three years, Les Miles turned down an offer to coach his alma mater.

It was reported that Miles would accept the job if it were offered to him, but as we have now found out, that is not the case.  I'm sure Michigan were willing to break the bank to bring back one of their own.  Miles played for the legendary Bo Schembechler and even worked as an assistant coach for both Bo and Gary Moeller.  That would surely make him Michigan Man, right?

Here's an interesting fact to ponder, maybe some trivia if you may.  Les Miles has recorded as many wins over Ohio State as Michigan since 2001; one!!  This came courtesy of a 38-24 win over the Buckeyes in the 2007 BCS title game.  Consider yourself guidanced (I borrowed that line).

Who's that guy next to Bo?

In my opinion, I think Les Miles made a good decision to stay in Baton Rouge.  Louisiana is a state that is full of talent and unlike states such as Florida, Texas, California and Pennsylvania; LSU doesn't have a "big-time" in-state rival, which means that he will get the best players year in and year out.  The number of top rated recruiting classes he has brought in during his time at the Bayou will serve as evidence.

At Michigan, he would have to fight Ohio State for talent in Ohio, Penn State for talent in Pennsylvania, Michigan State for in-state talent, Illinois for talent in that state, Virginia Tech and Virginia for their talent and so on.  We also know what would happen if losses to Ohio State keep mounting.  Michigan fans might not want to admit it, but Ohio State have OWNED the Wolverines in this decade; that's just real talk.

Michigan are in a "win-now" mode.  They want results right now and there is no doubt that Miles can deliver.  He is in his 10th season as a head coach and he has proven that he can beat the big boys.  In 2001, he led a 3-7 Oklahoma State team to an upset victory over Oklahoma, the defending national champion.  He compiled a 28-21 record during his time in Stillwater, which was highlighted by 3 consecutive winning seasons and 3 straight bowl games.  Oklahoma State had not enjoyed that much success since the 1980's.  And even though Cowboy nation might try and deny, Les Miles kick-started the run of success that has trickled over into the Mike Gundy era.  And that is how, as Les Miles would say, you let 'er rip!!

The Mad Hatter with the mad bling

When Nick Saban left the Bayou for South Beach after the 2004 season, Les Miles took over the program and continued to win.  In six seasons, he's led LSU to: four 10-win seasons, at least 13 wins over ranked teams, 2 SEC title games (including a win in 2007) and a 5-1 record in bowl games; starting with a 40-3 massacre of Miami in the 2005 Peach Bowl (Miami hasn't quite been the same since), through the 2007 national title, and a Cotton Bowl win over Texas A&M (LSU's first since 1966).

While you can question his clock management skills (don't even get me started), the one thing you can't questions is his ability to recruit, coach and win.  At LSU, he's in a much better position to contend for and win a national championship, than at Michigan.  No disrespect to Michigan, but the man has a good thing going on at LSU and I don't know that many people who would want to trade in a good situation for a supposedly "better" one.  Actually, I do; Rich Rodriguez (see my article Coach, interrupted, which talks about how in three seasons, he turned Michigan from a storied program into a Big Ten punching bag).

So the next time Les Miles feels like chomping the turf at Tiger Stadium, you can at least be assured he knows that the grass isn't always greener on the other side.