Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State Ready For Bedlam Football
November 19, 2001 | Cowboy Football
Nov. 19, 2001
Weekly Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Depth Chart in PDF FormatDownload Free Acrobat Reader
Cowboys Finish Season at No. 4 Oklahoma
It's rivalry week in college football and that means Oklahoma State and Oklahoma will meet for the 96th renewal of the Bedlam Series. The Cowboys travel to Norman for a game that will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. (CST) and be televised by Fox Sports Net. Oklahoma State is 3-7 overall and 1-6 in Big 12 Conference action and will be facing an Oklahoma team that is 10-1 overall and 6-1 in league play. The Sooners are ranked fourth in this week's coaches poll and were third in last week's BCS poll.
Wrapping Up '01
When OSU squares off against Oklahoma Saturday it will have been 84 days since the Cowboys opened the 2001 season in muggy Hattiesburg. Oklahoma State's season, through 10 games, has been one of close calls and near misses against one of the nation's toughest schedules. An eight point loss at Southern Miss, a three point overtime loss to Missouri and a three point loss to Colorado are just three examples of games that could have swung O-State's direction with just a break or two.
Another Ranked Foe
Oklahoma State will face another nationally ranked opponent this week as the Cowboys close out a schedule rated one of the toughest in the country. OU's defending national champions are ranked fourth in the Coaches Poll this week and are one of three OSU opponents ranked among the top 14. Texas, a 45-17 winner over OSU on Oct. 13, is fifth this week while Colorado, a 22-19 winner in Stillwater on Oct. 27, is 14th. Two other OSU opponents, Texas A&M and Texas Tech received Top 25 votes this week and Division I-AA Northwestern State, a 24-0 loser to the Pokes on Sept. 29, was 16th in the I-AA poll last week.
OSU's Work Week
The Cowboys will have a fairly routine week, despite the Thanksgiving Holiday. OSU worked out Sunday night, will take Monday off then practice Tuesday and Wednesday at the normal time. Thursday's workout will be moved earlier. OSU will bus to Norman Friday afternoon for a brief walkthrough on Owen Field and headquarter at the Oklahoma City Marriott.
Cowboys, Sooners Have Been Doing This Awhile
Saturday's football encounter between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma will mark the 96th all-time meeting between the state rivals. It's OSU's longest on-going series and one of the longest in the NCAA. According the the 2001 NCAA Football Records Book, only 21 rivalries have been played more often than the OSU-OU series. Minnesota-Wisconsin top the list at 110 games. Missouri-Kansas is second at 109. Going into this season, three other rivalries have been played 95 times, including Georgia-Georgia Tech, Nebraska-Iowa State and Texas-Oklahoma.
Close Doesn't Count
The series record between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma reveals a 74-14-7 Sooner advantage. Despite Oklahoma's overall dominance, no fewer than 30 of the past 95 meetings between the two schools have been decided by 10 points or fewer. That includes last year's 12-7 OU win on Lewis Field that helped the Sooners complete an undefeated season and set them up for a national championship. Six of the 10 games decided by 10 or fewer points have occurred since 1983.
OSU-OU, By the Numbers
Most Points by OSU: 47 in 1945 Most Points by OU: 75 in 1904 Most lopsided OSU victory: 47-0 in 1945 Most lopsided OU victory: 75-0 in 1904 Shutouts by OSU: 7 Shutouts by OU: 27 Scoreless Ties: 3 OSU victories in Norman: 7 OU victories in Stillwater: 35
OSU-OU Radio/TV Notes
Saturday's game at Oklahoma will be televised to a national cable audience by Fox Sports Net. It will be Oklahoma State's fifth television appearance of the season and third to a national audience. Joel Meyers, James Lofton and Eric Clemons will be in Norman to provide the play-by-play and commentary for Saturday's game. The game will also be broadcast live on the 30-station Cowboy Radio Network with Dave Hunziker and Tom Dirato describing the action. Saturday will mark the seventh time since 1984 the Oklahoma State-Oklahoma game has been televised and the sixth time it has been sent to a national audience.
OSU Last Week
Oklahoma State bagged its first Big 12 win of the season and snapped a five-game losing streak in the process with a 38-22 win over Baylor in Waco. A pair of young defensive backs stepped up in OSU's win. Darrent Williams intercepted two passes and returned both for touchdowns and Kirk Milligan also intercepted a pair of Baylor passes. The Cowboys were also sparked by freshman quarterback Josh Fields who replaced injured starter Aso Pogi and completed 10 of 18 passes for 161 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Wide Receiver John Lewis had the biggest game of his young OSU career with seven receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown. Rashaun Woods had four catches for 46 yards and a touchdown. Tailback Tatum Bell had a good day against the Bears with 88 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown. On the defensive side, linebacker Dwayne Levels had a career-high 20 tackles. The OSU defense allowed three Baylor quarterbacks to pass for 315 yards and six Baylor runners accounted for 202 net rushing yards.
Oklahoma Last Week
While Oklahoma State was in Waco defeating Baylor, Oklahoma was in Lubbock continuing its push for the Big 12 title game and possibly another shot at a national championship. The Sooners defeated Texas Tech 30-13 in a game that might not have been as close as the final score indicated. Oklahoma held Texas Tech and its dynamic offense to just 247 total yards and one touchdown. OU led just 13-10 at the half but outscored Texas Tech 17-3 in the second half to nail down its 10th win of the season. Oklahoma had 110 rushing yards and 274 passing yards against Texas Tech. Quentin Griffin led the OU ground game with 14 carries for 71 yards. Quarterback Nate Hybl was 33 of 50 for 274 yards and three touchdowns.
95 Years of Bedlam Memories
The word "Bedlam" is by far the most often-used word in describing the Oklahoma State-Oklahoma rivalry in all sports. The stories of how the phrase "Bedlam Series" came into existence are varied. The most logical and best represented involves a faculty member who used the word in describing an early OSU-OU wrestling match. However the term came into being, the Bedlam Series in football has produced almost every scenario imaginable. From a floating football in the very first meeting in Guthrie to OSU's lopsided successes in the mid-1940's to OU's dominance in the fifties and sixties to the Ice Bowl in 1985 to OSU's celebrated 12-0 win in 1995, the constant is that whenever these teams face each other it is likely to be memorable. 1904-1916: Pass the Pain Killers The first 11 years of the OSU-OU series produced 11 Oklahoma victories. Not only did the Sooners win the first 11, they didn't allow OSU a point through the first eight games of the series. Oklahoma outscored OSU 240-0 between 1904 and 1913. OSU's first touchdown against the Sooners came in the 1914 game, won by OU 28-6.
1917-1934: Finally, Some Success
Oklahoma State's first taste of success against OU came on Thanksgiving Day of 1917. The game was played during war time and in Oklahoma City OSU had 214 yards to OU's 71 and the Tigers (Cowboys) recorded a 9-0 win. The game was witnessed by 5,000 and the Daily Oklahoman described it this way: "The 1917 Aggie eleven achieved a clean-cut, decisive victory. Coach Pritchard's players worked with machinelike precision and teamwork, pitted against the individualistic play of the Sooners, turned the trick where so many Aggie teams before them had failed."
1944-1945: Two OSU Wins, Two Major Bowls
The 1944 and 1945 games between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma set the tone for two of OSU's most decorated seasons of intercollegiate football. OSU's 28-6 win in 1944 completed a 7-1 regular season and gave the Pokes a berth in the Cotton Bowl against Texas Christian. OSU would defeat TCU 34-0 in a game that would set the stage for another remarkable season in 1945. The '45 season saw OSU roll to seven straight wins before the season finale at Norman. Ranked eighth in the nation, OSU rolled to a 47-0 win behind All-American Bob Fenimore. The victory completed OSU's first and only unbeaten regular season, to date. The Cowboys finished the year with a 33-13 win over St. Mary's in the Sugar Bowl.
1946-1964: The Sound of Prosperity Fleeing
The jubilation of OSU's 47-0 win in 1945 and subsequent Sugar Bowl victory had barely subsided when Oklahoma reversed the fortunes in 1946 with a 73-12 win on Lewis Field. The OU win was a harbinger of things to come. Oklahoma would win the '46 affair and it would be 19 years before OSU would taste victory again over the Sooners. Oklahoma's string of 19 straight is still the most consecutive wins in series history and included five shutouts.
1965-1966: The Thrill of Victory
Oklahoma's 19-year string of dominance was broken in 1965 but by the narrowest of margins. OSU won by a 17-16 margin thanks to a field goal by Charlie Durkee. The Cowboys scored 14 second-quarter points, including a four-yard run by Walt Garrison, but could manage only three points in the second half. Oklahoma State repeated a one-point win a year later in bitter cold conditions at Lewis Field. Big plays abounded for OSU, especially by Charles Trimble who blocked an OU field goal attempt.
1967-1982: One Shining Moment
After Oklahoma State's back-to-back victories in 1965 and 1966, Oklahoma returned to a position of dominance in 1967. The Sooners would win nine straight, including five straight in Stillwater. Oklahoma State's one bright moment in this 16 year stretch would come in 1976. Sparked by Terry Miller and Harold Bailey, OSU stunned fifth-ranked Oklahoma 31-24 in Norman. OSU would use the victory in Norman as a springboard to five wins in its final six games and earn the school's first and only Big Eight football title. OSU would finish the 1976 season with an 8-3 record and post a 49-21 win over BYU in the Tangerine Bowl.
1983-1994: Big Games, Bizarre Moments
If there is one particular era that can be remembered for meaningful games and truly bizarre situations, it would be the 12 seasons from 1983 to 1994. Jimmy Johnson's final game against OU as OSU's head coach is right at the top of the list. OSU led 20-3 in the fourth quarter only to watch the Sooners snatch the victory with a late field goal. The '83 game is most memorable for the onside kick that bounced off Chris Rockins' head gear to set up the winning field goal. The 1984 game may still rank as the most significant in the modern-day history of the series. When the two teams met in Norman on November 24, the stakes couldn't have been any higher. Oklahoma State was number two and OU number three in the UPI Poll and the order was reversed in the AP poll. With a Big Eight title and Orange Bowl berth on the line, Oklahoma came from behind to take a 24-14 win. The following year featured the Ice Bowl. Enough said. The 1988 game on Lewis Field may have clinched the Heisman Trophy for Barry Sanders although it ended on a sour note with the Cowboys throwing at the OU endzone for a win that wouldn't occur.
1995-2000: Sustained Success
First-year head coach Bob Simmons and his 1995 Cowboys erased 18 years of frustration with a 12-0 win over Howard Schnellenberger's Sooners on Owen Field. It would signal a run of success for OSU over Oklahoma. The Cowboys under Simmons would win three of four from OU, including a 30-7 win in Norman in 1997 and a 41-26 win on Lewis Field the following season. While Oklahoma dominated the 1999 game in Norman, the Cowboys finished the 2000 season and the Simmons era with a 12-7 loss to the eventual national champions.
Tough Stuff
OSU Coach Les Miles, his staff and players are not into moral victories, but the Cowboys' 2001 schedule has consistently been ranked one of the toughest in the country. According to the NCAA and sorted on cumulative record of opposition, O-State's current slate is the sixth toughest in the land. Oklahoma State 11 regular season opponents have a combined record of 56-34 ahead of this week's games.
OSU Honors Candidates
All Big 12 and All-American teams will soon be named. For those who haven't voted, below are Oklahoma State players deserving of consideration.
Rashaun Woods, WR, 6-2, 195, So. Has more receiving yards (894) than any other receiver in the Big 12. His average of 89.40 yards per game is number two in the league and he's 10th nationally with an average of 7.2 catches per game. He's on the verge of setting Oklahoma State's single-season reception record held by All-American Hart Lee Dykes. He's had four games with 100 or more yards this season and has caught at least four passes in each of Oklahoma State's 10 games to date.
Chris Massey, KR, 6-0, 205, Jr. Shattered Barry Sanders' single-game kickoff return yardage record with 208 yards on five returns, including a 92-yarder against Texas Tech. After 10 weeks of the season, Massey leads the Big 12 and tops the nation with his average of 36.8 yards per return.
Dwayne Levels, LB, 6-2, 250, Sr. Oklahoma State's talented linebacker is one game from wrapping up his OSU career. He leads the Oklahoma State defense with 105 total tackles. In Oklahoma State's first 10 games, Levels has been in double figure tackles six times. He had a season and career high 20 tackles last week at Baylor and had 13 two weeks ago against Colorado. Against CU he also had his second career interception and he returned it 57 yards for a touchdown.
Elbert Craig, S, 6-2, 205, So. His season was slightly detoured when he missed the Baylor game with a dislocated finger. He has 94 tackles in nine games and that is his career best. Had a run of five straight games with double digit tackles, including a 16 tackle performance against Missouri on Lewis Field. He had 11 tackles at Texas A&M, 13 against Texas and 12 against Iowa State.
Terrance Davis-Bryant, WR/KR, 5-9, 185, Jr. One of the most dangerous and effective kick returners in the Big 12 and in the nation and Oklahoma State's second-leading receiver. He is eighth in the Big 12 in all-purpose running, fifth in the league in kickoff returns and fourth in the Big 12 in punt returns win an average of 13.19 yards per return. His receiving numbers through 10 games include 35 catches for 324 yards, an average of 9.3 per reception.
Luke Phillips, K, 6-0, 160, So. A finalist for the Lou Groza Award which annually goes to the best place kicker in the country, Phillips has been very good and very consistent for Oklahoma State in 2001. Through 10 games Phillips is perfect on 26 extra point attempts and is 12 of 14 in field goals. Phillips is 24th in the country in field goals.
Scott Elder, P, 6-1, 200, Sr. Elder is having the most effective season of his OSU career. He has punted 53 times for an average of 43.2 yards per punt. He is on a pace that would give him the ninth-best single-season punting average in Oklahoma State history. He is 25th in the NCAA in punting this week and is one of the reasons Oklahoma State is second in the league and 19th nationally in net punting.
Kevin Williams, DL, 6-5, 275, Jr. What better endorsement than from a teammate and when Dwayne Levels was asked who should be considered for All Big 12, Williams was one of the names he mentioned. He has been solid all season and his numbers reflect just that. Through 10 games, Williams has 31 tackles but nine of those have been behind the line of scrimmage. He also has 4.5 sacks, two pass deflections, two quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery.
OSU Football Notes
Spreading the Wealth
When Baylor's defense tried to stifle All-Big 12 candidate Rashaun Woods last week, another Cowboy receiver rose to the challenge. John Lewis had his best day in a Cowboy uniform with seven receptions for 131 yards. Not only was it Lewis' best single-game effort of the season, it was the third-best of the season by any OSU receiver. Rashaun Woods had 144 against Northwestern State and 139 against Southern Miss for the top two performances. Perhaps the most notable number from Lewis' big day was an incredible average of 18.7 yards per reception.
Impressive Trio
With Woods, Davis-Bryant and Lewis leading Oklahoma State's pass catching corps, the Cowboys have three receivers who have combined for 127 receptions and 1,615 yards through 10 games. For the season, Lewis tops all OSU receivers with his average of 19.9 yards per reception. Woods is averaging 12.4 yards per catch and Davis-Bryant is averaging 9.3 yards per catch. The three have combined for five 100-plus yard receiving days this season.
How About These Cowboys
If ever Oklahoma State's defense needed someone to step up, it was Saturday at Baylor. Consider the following: With Kobina Amoo (broken leg) and Michael Cooper (knee) out for the season and Elbert Craig (hand) out for at least the Baylor game and Ricklan Holmes suspended for an indefinite period, OSU went to Baylor with two true cornerbacks and looking for someone to rise to the challenge. The challenge was met by a pair of youngsters who had impressive games in the clutch. True freshman Darrent Williams, making just the third start of his career (Texas and Iowa State were the others), set the tone for the entire game by picking off a Baylor pass on the Bears' first possession and returning it for a touchdown. He would later intercept another Baylor pass and scamper 81 yards for another touchdown. While some early records are sketchy, it would appear as if Williams has become the first player in OSU football history to return two interceptions for touchdowns in the same game. Enter Kirk Milligan who was also forced into action in the Texas game and was making his third career start. All this Oklahoma City junior did was intercept two Baylor passes, deflect two more passes and register four tackles.
Unflappable Fields
Another true freshman earned some stripes on Saturday. Stillwater's Josh Fields entered the game with less than four minutes to play in the first quarter when Aso Pogi suffered an injury. Fields responded by completing 10 of 18 passes for 161 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In the process he became the first true freshman quarterback to toss a touchdown pass for OSU since Ben Bowling. He also gave the Cowboy offense a steady hand. He entered the game on a second and 10 play from the 50 yard line and promptly guided the Cowboys to their second touchdown of the game. He rushed for eight yards and completed passes for 36 yards on the touchdown march. After the game his head coach said "it appeared like he was a little unflappable."
Massey's Performance One for the Books
Junior Chris Massey shattered an Oklahoma State record two weeks ago against Texas Tech. It was a record held by Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders since 1987. Against Texas Tech, Massey had five kickoff returns for 208 yards, 57 more than Sanders had in a game 14 years ago. One of Massey's returns went for 92 yards, the eighth longest in Oklahoma State history. His effort against Texas Tech boosted his season total of 515 return yards and that puts him on top of the kick return chart for both the NCAA and Big 12.
Massey in Big 12 and NCAA Rankings
Oklahoma State's talented junior tops the NCAA statistical chart in kickoff returns this week with his average of 36.79 yards on 14 returns. He obviously also tops the Big 12 chart in the same category.
OSU Specialists Continue to Shine
Perhaps the most marked area of improvement for Oklahoma State this season has been in special teams play. Under the coordination of Joe DeForest, OSU's special teams continue to provide big plays and consistent performances. The Cowboys are number one in the league and number one in the country in kickoff returns and the Pokes are third in the Big 12 but eighth nationally in punt returns. OSU is second in the Big 12 and 19th in the NCAA in net punting and all three Oklahoma State kickers are having very good seasons. Punter Scott Elder is 25th nationally in punting and placement specialist Luke Phillips is 24th in the latest NCAA statistics. Add to this list freshman Cole Farden who has been stellar in his duties on kickoffs and you have OSU special teams that are among the best in the country.
Rashaun Woods: An All-Big 12 Season
Oklahoma State wide receiver Rashaun Woods is one game from completing his sophomore season and he continues to prove he may be the most talented receiver in the league and the country. Through 10 games Woods' numbers continue to be amazing. He has caught 72 passes for 894 yards and nine touchdowns. He is averaging 12.4 yards per reception and 89.4 yards per game. He had four receptions against Baylor for 46 yards and he has had at least four catches in every OSU game in 2001.
Move Over, Hart Lee
Woods on the brink of breaking one long-standing record and registering one of the best single-season receiving performances in Oklahoma State football history. He now has 72 season receptions and trails record holder Hart Lee Dykes (74) by just two receptions. Woods' 894 receiving yards this season is already the fourth-best single-season total. While it is unlikely he can catch Dykes' single-season record of 1,278 yards (he's 384 yards short), he is within reach of Hermann Eben's mark of 937 yards in 1970 and Dykes' mark of 978 yards in 1987.
Note-ing the Cowboys
Injury Slows Pogi's Record Chase
Oklahoma State sophomore quarterback Aso Pogi left last week's game in the first quarter with an injury and did not return. He is expected to be available for this week's game at OU and he is still within striking distance of several OSU passing records. Although he had just 33 yards vs. Baylor, he has 1,827 yards for the season and is 173 yards short of becoming the second quarterback in OSU history to pass for 2,000 yards in a single season. That feat has actually been accomplished three times but all by the same quarterback. OSU's offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, Mike Gundy, passed for 2,000 or more in 1987, 1988 and 1989. Gundy's best season and the OSU single-season record came in 1989 when he completed 164 of 287 for 2,203 yards and 14 touchdowns.
One Record Falls, Another in Sight
Oklahoma State's sophomore quarterback has 177 completions for the year and that's an OSU single-season record. Pogi's mark bests the old record of 170 held by Mike Gundy in 1987. Pogi can also break Gundy's single-season attempt record in short order. Gundy had 287 attempts in both 1987 and 1989. Pogi has an identical 287, needing just one attempt vs. OU to move past Gundy. A year ago, Pogi broke Gundy's freshman passing record at Oklahoma State and he's within striking range of Gundy's sophomore passing record. Gundy passed for 2,106 yards as a sophomore in 1987 and Pogi would need to pass for 267 yards this week to break that record.
20 Tackles at Baylor Tops Levels' Career
Oklahoma State senior co-captain was officially credited with 20 tackles in Oklahoma State's 38-22 win over Baylor last week. It was a career high for Levels and added another chapter to his already outstanding Cowboy career that will come to a close this week at Oklahoma. The defensive captain has led by example on the field and off. He has 20 career starts under his belt and is just three hours short of graduating with majors in business and marketing. His 20-tackle performance against Baylor gives him 105 for the season and that's the best on the Cowboy defense. His stat line also includes 10 tackles for minus 24 yards, four pass deflections, two quarterback hurries and a pass interception against Colorado that he returned for a 57-yard touchdown. Levels now has 281 career tackles and that is 13th on OSU's career tackle chart.
