Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Louisiana
Cowboys Drop Louisiana-Lafayette, 24-7
September 04, 1999 | Cowboy Football
Sept. 4, 1999
By OWEN CANFIELD
AP Sports Writer
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) - Oklahoma State opened its season with a victory Saturday night but suffered a potentially devastating loss when quarterback Tony Lindsay injured his left knee.
Two long scoring plays helped the Cowboys take control in the second half and beat Louisiana-Lafayette 24-7. Otherwise they looked flat on offense, even with Lindsay, who got hit on the left knee while throwing a pass late in the second quarter.
The defense did its part, holding the Ragin' Cajuns to 61 total yards, the second-lowest total by an OSU opponent. The Cowboys held Kansas State to 29 yards in 1947.
Oklahoma State (5-6 last season) is hoping for a return to its eight-victory form of two years ago, but Lindsay is the key to those plans. He is in his third year as the starter, and none of his reserves had taken a college snap before Saturday.
Lindsay was helped off the field and to the dressing room and didn't return to the sideline. The extent of his injury was not immediately known.
B.J. Tiger, a third-year sophomore, took over for Lindsay and completed 6-of-13 passes for 109 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Howell in the third quarter. Tiger played in the defensive backfield and on special teams a year ago.
Ben Bowling, a freshman who led his high school team to state titles in 1997 and '98, entered with 6 1/2 minutes to play. His first pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown, although he directed a nice drive to run out the clock in the closing minutes.
Jamaal Fobbs had a 68-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and finished with 95 yards on nine carries.
Oklahoma State scored on its first possession, driving 61 yards in 11 plays and aided by a personal foul against the Ragin' Cajuns. Nathan Simmons, who is coming off a knee injury suffered last season, scored on a 2-yard run.
The Cowboys did little the rest of the half. They had first-and-10 at the ULL 13-yard line midway through the second quarter, but three plays netted minus-9 yards and Tim Sydnes missed a 39-yard field goal.
A 39-yard punt return by Terance Richardson gave Oklahoma State the ball at the 24, but Lindsay got intercepted and hurt on the next snap.
Louisiana-Lafayette, which until a few weeks ago was known as Southwestern Louisiana, had seven first downs. The Ragin' Cajuns outgained Oklahoma State 61-22 in the fourth quarter, but that proved to be the highlight of their night.
Their touchdown came when linebacker Gerald Stewart grabbed Bowling's wobbly pass and returned it seven yards for a score with 5:46 remaining.
