Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Prepare For Bulldogs
September 03, 2001 | Cowboy Football
Sept. 3, 2001
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Cowboys Host Bulldogs in Home Opener
Oklahoma State opens the home portion of its 2001 football schedule this week as the Cowboys entertain Louisiana Tech. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Lewis Field as the Cowboys try to even their season record at 1-1. OSU opened the season last week with a 17-9 loss at Southern Mississippi. Louisiana Tech will come to Stillwater with a record of 1-0 after posting a 36-6 win over SMU Saturday in Shreveport.
It's Louisiana Tech for the First Time
Saturday night will mark the first-ever meeting between Oklahoma State and Louisiana Tech on the football field. The Bulldogs also represent the fifth team from Louisiana to appear on an OSU football schedule. The Cowboys have played Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, LSU and Centenary. It is also the first of two-straight first-time opponents for the Cowboys. Next week's opponent, Northern Arizona, is also a first-time football foe for O-State.
Tickets
Tickets for Saturday night's home opener and season tickets for the 2001 campaign are still available at the Athletic Ticket Office. OSU's home schedule, in addition to La. Tech and Northern Arizona, features Missouri, Texas, Colorado and Texas Tech. The ticket office is located on the north side of the Athletics Center. Tickets can also be purchased by calling toll-free, 1-877-ALL-4-OSU.
Orange Peel Week
The home football opener for OSU must also mean it's Orange Peel week. This year's Orange Peel will be Friday night at Lewis Field and will feature comedian David Spade, as well as musical entertainment from Sister Hazel and Blues Traveler. Orange Peel is in its sixth year, and the student-run production has featured entertainers including Bill Cosby, Jeff Foxworthy, Randy Travis and Sinbad.
On the Air
Saturday night's game will be broadcast live on the Cowboy Radio Network with stations in Oklahoma from border to border. The network is distributed by Cowboy Sports Properties, a division of Learfield Communications in Jefferson City, Mo. Dave Hunziker is in his first season as the radio voice of OSU football and basketball. He replaced Bill Teegins, who was one of 10 victims in the January plane crash in Colorado. Hunziker is joined in the booth by Tom Dirato. The network broadcast begins one hour prior to kickoff. There will be no live television of the La. Tech-OSU game.
A New Tradition
Before Oklahoma State opens the home season next Saturday, the Cowboys will participate in a new OSU tradition. Two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff, the Cowboys, accompanied by a pep band and OSU cheerleaders, will walk from the Student Union Hotel to Lewis Field. The team will exit the Student Union and walk north down Hester Street to the west ramp of Lewis Field. Fans are encouraged to line the route as the Cowboys walk to the game. Weather permitting, Oklahoma State players will stage the walk prior to every 2001 home game.
Home Openers
Oklahoma State has fared very well in home football openers. In fact, since 1901, OSU is 65-28-5 in home openers and that represents a .691 winning percentage. The Cowboys have won five-straight home openers, dating back to a 64-21 loss to top-ranked Nebraska in the 1995 season opener. Since 1969, Oklahoma State is 26-6 in home openers with the losses coming to Arkansas (1978), West Texas (1980), Houston (1986), Texas Tech (1989), Arizona State (1991) and Nebraska (1995). Oklahoma State's longest streak of wins in home openers is 10 between 1926 and 1935. The Cowboys are opening their home schedule against a team from Louisiana for just the second time in 100 years. OSU opened against Louisiana-Lafayette in 1999 and posted a 24-7 win.
Remember This One?
The final scoreboard result was an embarrassing 28-12 loss to Houston on Lewis Field in the home opener in 1986. OSU had opened with road games at Southwestern Louisiana and Tulsa and carried a 1-1 record in the home opener. The significance of this game came in the lockerroom at halftime when head coach Pat Jones informed true freshman MIke Gundy he would start the second half. Gundy took every snap of the second stanza and responded by completing 12-of-22 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown. For Cowboy fans, it was just a taste of things to come for OSU's current assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. Gundy would go on to become OSU's all-time leading passer and total offense leader.
OSU Last Week
The Cowboys opened the season with a tough road game at Southern Mississippi and absorbed a 17-9 loss. Quarterback Aso Pogi passed for 294 yards and wide receiver Rashaun Woods had 10 catches for 139 yards, but the Cowboys could not find the endzone. OSU's only points came off the foot of kicker Luke Phillips. Phillips, making his first collegiate game appearance, was perfect on three field goal attempts. His longest was 41 yards. The Cowboy offense was victimized by four lost fumbles, one on the first drive of the game.
If These Only Counted
Oklahoma State had more passing yards (294-297), more total yards (339-330), averaged more yards per play (5.3-4.3) and had more possession time (30:28-29:32). The only numbers that count, however, are those of the final score and Southern Miss was able to hang on for the opening day win.
Cowboy Defense Shines in Second Half
Oklahoma State's defensive unit basically shut down the Southern Miss attack in the second half of Saturday's game. The Golden Eagles did not score in the second half and were held to seven first downs. OSU's defenders limited Southern Miss to 23 second-half rushing yards and 79 second-half passing yards. The defensive effort was sparked by senior Dwayne Levels, who was credited with 11 tackles, eight of which were solo stops. Terrence Robinson had six tackles, including two for losses.
Offense Produces, Except on Scoreboard
Oklahoma State's offense moved the ball effectively against a good Southern Miss defense, but the Cowboys couldn't find the endzone. Quarterback Aso Pogi passed for 294 yards, his third-best single-game performance, and his completion rate was phenomenal. The Lawton sophomore completed 26-of-38 on the afternoon. Receiver Rashaun Woods had a career day against the Eagles. Woods caught 10 passes for 139 yards, including a 42-yarder on the opening offensive play for the Cowboys. The Cowboys could not find the endzone, however, despite having the ball nine times of the Southern Miss side of the 50-yard line.
Elder Looks Sharp
Senior punter Scott Elder appeared to regain his form from the 1998 season with an outstanding day against Southern Miss. Elder punted six times for an average of 42.7 yards, including a long punt of 55 yards. Elder averaged 41.9 yards per punt as a freshman in 1998, but dipped to 39.3 in 1999 and 37.6 a year ago.
Phillips Finds the Mark
There was also a positive sign in another part of Oklahoma State's kicking game. Sophomore kicker Luke Phillips, seeing his first playing time in an OSU uniform, was perfect on all three field goals he attempted. Phillips' first field goal found the mark from 41 yards out with 9:01 left in the first quarter and gave the Cowboys a 3-0 lead. His second effort was good from 25 yards out and cut the USM lead to 7-6. His third field goal split the posts from 32 yards out with 5:05 left in the third quarter and would prove to be the final points put on the scoreboard by either team.
