Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State Prepares For Baylor Bears
November 18, 2002 | Cowboy Football
Nov. 18, 2002
Oklahoma State Cowboys [5-5, 3-3]
vs.
Baylor Bears [3-8, 1-6]
Saturday, Nov. 23, 2002 * 1 p.m. [CST]
Lewis Field [48,500] * Stillwater, Okla.
radio - Cowboy Radio Network; internet broadcast - okstate.com
TV - none
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Cowboys Host Baylor
Having completed the road portion of the 2002 schedule with a record-setting win at Kansas, Oklahoma State returns to Lewis Field this week for the first of two-straight home games that will finish the regular season. The Cowboys host Baylor Saturday afternoon in a game that could be significant for both squads. The Cowboys need one more 2002 victory to become bowl eligible, but will be facing a team playing the final game under head coach (and former OSU assistant) Kevin Steele.
Records, Rankings, Kickoff
Oklahoma State will carry an overall record of 5-5 into Saturday's game against Baylor. The Cowboys evened their season record with last week's 55-20 win at Kansas. The Cowboys are also even on the league side of the ledger at 3-3. Baylor comes to Lewis Field with an overall record of 3-8 and a Big 12 mark of 1-5. Baylor's lone conference win to date came over Kansas in Waco. Neither team is ranked in the top 25 polls this week, and kickoff at Lewis Field is set for 1:05 p.m. (CST).
Looking for Number Six
The obvious story line for Oklahoma State this week is the fact that the Cowboys are looking for their sixth win on the 2002 season. Should that occur Saturday afternoon, the Pokes would realize bowl eligibility for the first time since 1997, and for just the second time since 1988.
Just a Little Bowl Talk
Obviously, gaining a sixth win would make the Cowboys bowl eligible, but not guarantee them a postseason spot. Should the Pokes wind up with a postseason invitation, Les Miles would become the seventh OSU head coach to guide his team into a bowl game, and just the third to accomplish that in the first or second season of their head coaching tenure.
Home Sweet Home
Saturday's win at Kansas snapped a four-game road losing streak. Now, the Pokes can focus on back-to-back games on Lewis Field that will end the regular season. Home has been kind to OSU in 2002. The Cowboys enter Saturday's game with a 4-1 home mark in 2002, the lone setback coming at the hands of UCLA in a game Oklahoma State led, 10-0, before falling, 38-24. OSU has won three straight at home since that early September setback.
Home Traditions
Now that the Cowboys are back home for two straight, don't forget the Lewis Field traditions. Fans are encouraged to line Hester Street two hours before kickoff as the Cowboys walk from the Student Union Hotel to Lewis Field. The other popular nuance is for fans to linger after each OSU win to sing the alma mater with the Cowboys, who will gather on the field in front of the student section at Lewis Field.
Another Streaky Series
Just like last week against Kansas, the OSU-Baylor series has been one of severe streaks. The teams have only met 20 times previously, although the series began in 1919. OSU won the first game ever played between the two schools, but Baylor came back to win nine straight. After the teams traded wins in 1972 and 1974 and again in 1983 and 1994, the Cowboys have reeled off six straight since Big 12 Conference play began in 1996.
Familiarity Both Ways
Current Baylor Head Coach Kevin Steele was a defensive assistant at Oklahoma State from 1984-86. Steele served on Pat Jones' staff that helped guide the Cowboys to back-to-back Gator Bowl appearances. Steele coached tight ends on both of those OSU bowl squads. Current OSU offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Mike Gundy spent time at Baylor. Gundy was quarterbacks coach in Waco in 1996, one year after leaving OSU and prior to a four-year stint at Maryland. Current Baylor wide receiver John Martin is the son of OSU Senior Associate Athletic Director Dave Martin.
With Three to Go
Oklahoma State needs one win in its final two regular-season games to accomplish its preseason goal of being bowl eligible. OSU finishes the season with back-to-back contests on Lewis Field against Baylor and Oklahoma. The Cowboys will be trying to become the ninth Big 12 team to be bowl eligible, thus putting themselves in competition for one of the seven (non-BCS) bowl spots guaranteed the Big 12 Conference.
More on the Bowls
There is certainly a lot to be determined over the next three weeks as the Big 12 season winds down. What is certain is that the Big 12 champion is guaranteed a BCS Bowl spot, and not more than two Big 12 teams can appear in BCS bowls. After the BCS bowl have made their selections on Dec. 8, the Cotton, Holiday and Alamo Bowls will pick, in that order. The five, six and seven picks belong to the Tangerine, Independence and Houston Bowls, who pick as a group, followed by the Humanitarian Bowl.
How About Coach of the Year
You might not have to look much further than Oklahoma State's sideline and Les Miles. The Cowboys' second-year head coach has the Cowboys poised for a meaningful November, and has accomplishments in 2002 that few previous O-State coaches have been able to put on their resum?s. In the last 10 games, Miles has led the Cowboys to victories over Texas A&M, Nebraska and Oklahoma, and extended fourth-ranked Texas before falling, 17-15, in Austin.
OSU-Baylor ... Remember 1983
Oklahoma State and Baylor met in the 1983 Bluebonnet Bowl at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. It would be the first of three-straight bowl appearances by the Cowboys, and it was the final game of Jimmy Johnson's coaching tenure at Oklahoma State. With a sellout crowd watching, quarterback Rusty Hilger and tailback Ernest Anderson sparked the Cowboys to a 24-14 win over the Bears. Anderson carried the ball 27 times for 143 yards and a touchdown. Hilger completed 12-of-17 passes for 137 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Hilger was named the game's Most Valuable Player, despite leaving late in the second quarter with a slight concussion. OSU held Baylor to just 134 yards on the ground, and the Cowboy secondary came up with a pair of crucial interceptions.
OSU Honors Check-List
With All-Big 12 and All-America ballots due to be filled out over the next few weeks, below are capsule bios of OSU's most likely honors candidates. There's much more in this release on both Rashaun Woods and Kevin Williams, OSU's two All-America candidates.
WR Rashaun Woods - Leads the Big 12 and is fourth in the nation in receptions per game. Woods is fifth in the NCAA in receiving yards per game. He has 1,171 yards through 10 games of the 2002 season. It is the second straight year he has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark. He had 171 yards and three touchdowns vs. Kansas on Saturday and that marked his sixth 100-yard game of the season. Woods is a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award.
DT Kevin Williams - Has been a dominant force on OSU's defensive front all season. Head Coach Les Miles says he hasn't seen a better defensive tackle in the country than Kevin Williams. After 10 games, Williams leads OSU's interior linemen with 49 total tackles. He has nine tackles for minus 39 yards and three sacks.
PK Luke Phillips - On the Lou Groza watch list for a second straight season, Phillips is OSU's second-leading scorer with 56 points. He has connected on 38 of 39 extra points and is six of eight in field goals. His long field goal in 2002 has been from 46 yards out. Phillips is three of three between 30 and 39 yards.
TB Tatum Bell - Has emerged over the last four games as one of the most effective runners in the Big 12. Bell had three straight games with 100 or more yards, including 165 vs. Texas Tech. He is OSU's leading rusher with 724 yards on 126 carries and he has scored seven rushing touchdowns and has two touchdown receptions. Bell is seventh in the Big 12 in rushing this week.
KR Chris Massey - Still one of the most dangerous kick returners in the country, Massey is third in the Big 12 and 26th nationally in kickoff returns going into this week. He has 14 returns for 343 yards, an average of 24.5 yard per return and a long of 46 yards.
P Cole Farden - Won Oklahoma State's punting chores and has been outstanding. After 10 games, Farden is averaging 42.0 yards on 47 punts. He has not had a punt blocked, killed 10 of his punts inside the 20 and sailed six more for touchbacks. Farden is 31st nationally in punting this week.
QB Josh Fields - OSU's sophomore quarterback put himself in the record books last week with an impressive performance against Kansas. For the season, Fields has thrown for 2,235 yards (single-season OSU record) and 21 touchdowns (single-season OSU record). He is number three in the Big 12 in passing this week.
OL Sam Mayes - One of several members of OSU's offensive front who have performed much better over the past three or four weeks. Mayes has been effective as he has started every game for OSU at right tackle. OSU's ground game, which is averaging nearly 140 yards per game, has been more effective in 2002 because of the work of Mayes and his O-line teammates.
About the Opposition
Oklahoma State's 2002 schedule has been a demanding one, to say the least. Consistently ranked among the 40-toughest schedules in the country, the Cowboys' 2002 slate has featured six teams that are either currently ranked or have been ranked in the top 25 this season. Three OSU opponents (Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas State) are ranked among the top 15 in this week's polls.
Cowboys Last Week
It was a record-setting day for Oklahoma State in Lawrence, Kan. The Cowboys defeated Kansas, 55-20, in a game that saw several offensive records fall by the wayside. The Cowboys scored early and often, en route to their most lopsided Big 12 victory since a 50-22 win over Baylor two years ago. The Cowboys scored 13 points in the first quarter, 21 in the second, 14 in the third and seven in the fourth. After KU forged a 7-7 tie with 4:46 left in the initial quarter, the Cowboys scored 20 unanswered points on three of quarterback Josh Fields' six touchdown passes. OSU had 549 yards of total offense and averaged 9.3 yards per offensive play against Kansas. The Pokes had 152 net rushing yards and 397 net passing yards, 354 of which were by Fields.
Productive Day
Oklahoma State took advantage of almost every offensive opportunity in Saturday's win over Kansas. The Cowboys had possession of the football for 19:38, compared to 39:19 minutes of possession time for Kansas. Oklahoma State had 13 offensive possessions, scoring touchdowns on eight of those. The Cowboys had six drives of 60 or more yards, including a 12-play, 80-yard drive in the second quarter. That was OSU's most time consuming scoring drive of the afternoon, taking 3:05 off the clock.
Adding it Up
The 55 points on Oklahoma State's side of the Memorial Stadium scoreboard were the most points the Cowboys have scored since scoring 62 vs. Wyoming in the 1988 Holiday Bowl win. It was the most points scored by the Cowboys in a Big 12 Conference game and the most points scored in a league game (Big 12 or Big Eight) since a 63-point explosion against Kansas in 1988.
Big Plays
If you want big plays, Saturday's 55-20 win at Kansas provided many. The Cowboys had four scoring plays of 35 yards or more, including a 35-yard pass from Fields to John Lewis, a 41-yard scoring strike from Fields to Tatum Bell, a 69-yard bomb from Fields to Rashaun Woods, and a 93-yard fumble return by Terrence Robinson. Another big play came from Fath' Carter and Thomas Wright, who blocked and returned a KU punt for a touchdown in the third quarter.
Fields on Fire ... Records Fall
Sophomore quarterback Josh Fields had a record-setting day against Kansas on Saturday. He established a personal best with 354 passing yards, ranking as the third best single-game passing day in OSU history. When Fields completed a 16-yard pass to Billy Bajema late in the first quarter, he became just the second OSU quarterback to pass for 2,000 or more yards in a single season. Current offensive coordinator Mike Gundy had 2,000 or more in three seasons. Fields set a school record with six passing touchdowns vs. Kansas, and his 21 touchdown passes in 2002 also establishes a new single-season record. And he's not finished. Through 10 games, Fields has thrown for 2,235 yards, a new single-season record at Oklahoma State.
Fields in Big 12 Rankings
Oklahoma State's quarterback is keeping some pretty good company in Big 12 statistical rankings. Fields is third in the league in completions per game (17.7) and has the fifth-best yardage total among league quarterbacks.
Rashaun Woods ... Simply the Best
What more can be said about Oklahoma State's sensational wide receiver? Going into Saturday's game at Kansas, the talented junior had incredible numbers. His seven-catch, 171-yard performance against KU last week puts him on the verge of breaking literally every OSU and conference receiving record.
The Numbers, Please
Through 10 games, Woods has caught 79 passes for 1,171 yards and 11 touchdowns. For his career, Woods has caught 188 passes for 2,523 yards and 21 touchdowns. He has gone over the 100-yard mark 11 times in his OSU career, including six times in 2002. Twice this season alone, he has had 170 yards or more in a single game. He has led the Big 12 Conference in receptions per game and yards per game all season, and has consistently been among the top five in the NCAA all season.
Against Kansas
Woods' 27-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter put him over his yardage total of last season, and he will go into the Baylor game just 107 yards shy of Hart Lee Dykes' all-time single-season receiving record. His 69-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter was the longest of his career. Woods extended two extraordinary streaks in the Kansas game. He has now caught at least two passes in 28-consecutive games and at least four passes in 21-straight games. Saturday at Lawrence, Woods became just the second player in Big 12 history to reach the 2,500-yard mark.
Kevin Williams ... Best Def. Tackle in the Country
Oklahoma State Head Coach Les Miles continues to say there may not be a better defensive tackle in the country than Kevin Williams. OSU's senior from Fordyce, Ark., has continued to turn in impressive performances in 2002, despite considerable double-team action.
More on Kevin Williams
Through 10 games, Williams is fifth on the Cowboy defense in total tackles, and is tops among defensive linemen. His 10-game totals include 40 solo tackles and nine assists. He also has nine tackles for minus-39 yards, including three sacks for minus-25 yards. He registered double-digit tackle performances against both Texas and Nebraska.
Tatum Bell Sparks Ground Attack
While junior tailback Tatum Bell failed to register a fourth-straight 100-yard rushing game, he has continued to spark the OSU offense on the ground, and has a chance to become OSU's first 1,000-yard rusher since Reggie White in 2000. Through 10 games (Bell has played in eight), Bell has carried the ball 126 times for 724 yards. He has scored seven touchdowns, and is averaging 5.7 yards per carry. He is 276 yards short of 1,000 with two games to play, meaning he would need to average 138 vs. Baylor and Oklahoma to reach the coveted 1,000-yard mark. Bell's numbers against Texas Tech two weeks ago included 22 carries for 165 yards and two touchdowns. It was the fifth 100-yard rushing day of his career, and he has five of OSU's last six 100-yard games. After having the sixth-best day ever against a Nebraska defense, Bell tagged Texas A&M for 145 yards on 25 carries. Bell scored three touchdowns against the Aggies, all in the first half.
Moving Up
Bell's surge over the past six games has resulted in a dramatic move up the Big 12 season rushing chart. Going into this week's game against Baylor, Bell is seventh on the league rushing list.
Eaton, Bajema, Wohlgemuth Earn Academic Honors
Three Oklahoma State players were named to the 2002 Verizon Academic District team. Kyle Eaton, Billy Bajema and John Wohlgemuth were all first-team selections on the elite list, and OSU had more first-team selections than any school in the district. All three will now appear on the national ballot to determine Academic All-America status.
For Starters
Oklahoma State has had several players start every game of the 2002 season. In fact, 11 (five on offense and seven on defense) have drawn starting duty in all 10 games to date. On the offensive side, Kyle Eaton (LT), Sam Mayes (RG), Jason Russell (RT), Billy Bajema (TE) and Josh Fields (QB) have started every game. On the defensive side Kevin Williams (DT), LaWaylon Brown (NG), Paul Duren (LB), Darrent Williams (CB) Chris Massey (WS) and Elbert Craig (S), have started all 10.
Kyle Eaton Awarded Prestigious Scholarship
OSU offensive lineman Kyle Eaton was named a 2002 College Football National Scholar-Athlete last week by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. It is the most prestigious academic honor in college football, and recognizes OSU's starting left tackle for incredible accomplishment in the classroom. Only 14 student-athletes from every division of college football were recognized with this honor, and Eaton is one of just six from Division I-A. All 14 will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and will be recognized at the College Football Hall of Fame dinner at New York's Waldorf-Astoria on Dec. 12. One of the 14 will be awarded the HealthSouth Draddy Trophy as the top scholar-athlete in the nation, increasing the scholarship to $25,000.
Offensive Explosion
The 55 points scored against Kansas are the most by an OSU offense since a 62-14 win over Wyoming in the 1988 Holiday Bowl. It bettered the 52 points the Cowboys scored earlier this year vs. SMU. In the 155 games since the '88 Holiday Bowl win, Oklahoma State has now scored 50 or more points just four times, including 50 points in a 1997 loss to Missouri and 50 in a 2000 win over Baylor on Lewis Field.
