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.