Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Prepare for Regular-Season Finale in Waco
November 17, 2003 | Cowboy Football
Oklahoma State [8-3, 4-3]
vs.
Baylor [3-8, 1-6]
Saturday, Nov. 22, 2003 • 11:30 a.m. [CST]
Floyd Casey Stadium [50,000] • Waco, Texas
TV - Fox Sports Net • radio - Cowboy Radio Network
internet broadcast - www.okstate.com
OSU Wraps Up Regular Season at Baylor
Oklahoma State closes out the 2003 regular season Saturday when the Cowboys face Baylor at Waco. The Cowboys will be trying to finish the regular season on a two-game winning streak, and earn their ninth regular season victory which would equal the most regular-season wins in school history. Only OSU teams in 1984, 1987 and 1988 had nine wins in the regular season, and each of those squad posted win No. 10 at a bowl game. Kickoff at Baylor's Floyd Casey Stadium is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., and the game will be televised by Fox Sport Net.
Records and Rankings
Oklahoma State travels to Waco with an overall record of 8-3 and a 4-3 Big 12 Conference record. The Cowboys snapped a two-game skid last week with a 44-21 win over Kansas at Boone Pickens Stadium. The Cowboys, who fell out of the national rankings after losing to Texas two weeks ago, jumped back into this week's rankings and are ranked 24th in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls. Baylor comes into this week's game with an overall record of 3-8 and a Big 12 Conference mark of 1-6. The Bears lost at Oklahoma last week by a score of 41-3.
Cowboys on the Road
Oklahoma State will depart for Waco early Friday afternoon via air charter. The Cowboys will hold a brief walk-through at Floyd Casey Stadium upon arrival in Waco. OSU players are not available after Wednesday of game week, but head coach Les Miles will be available briefly prior to OSU's Friday walk-through. The Cowboys are scheduled to return to Stillwater immediately following Saturday's game.
More Rankings Stuff
Oklahoma State's reappearance in the national rankings is significant. When the Cowboys take their No. 24 ranking to Waco this weekend, it will mark the first time Oklahoma State has been ranked going into the final regular-season game since 1988 when the Pokes were ranked 12th ahead of the regular-season finale against Texas Tech in Tokyo. Oklahoma State's highest late-season ranking came in 1984 when the Cowboys were ranked third prior to a 24-13 loss at Oklahoma in the final regular-season game.
After Baylor, It's Bowl Watching
After the Cowboys close out the regular season at Waco Saturday, the Cowboys will turn their attention to the postseason and what will be their second-straight bowl appearance. Bowl bids will not be extended until the BCS bowls have made their selections on Sunday, Dec. 7. Below is a compete list of Big 12 Conference bowl affiliates (other than BCS).
Bowl Date Teams Time TV Cotton Bowl Jan. 2 Big 12 vs. SEC 1 p.m. FOX Holiday Bowl Dec. 30 Big 12 vs. Pac-10 7 p.m. ESPN Alamo Bowl Dec. 29 Big 12 vs. Big 10 8 p.m. ESPN Independence Bowl Dec. 31 Big 12 vs. SEC 6:30 p.m. ESPN Houston Bowl Dec. 30 Big 12 vs. SEC 3:30 p.m. ESPN Tangerine Bowl Dec. 22 Big 12 vs. ACC 4:30 p.m. ESPN Fort Worth Bowl Dec. 23 Big 12 vs. C-USA 6:30 p.m. ESPN Strong Finishes
Strong finishes have become routine for the Cowboys under head coach Les Miles. In 2001, Miles' initial season, the Cowboys closed out the season with road victories over Baylor (38-22) and Oklahoma (16-13). Last year, the Cowboys won their final three regular-season games over Kansas (55-20), Baylor (63-28) and Oklahoma (38-28). Over the past three seasons, the Cowboys have enjoyed the month of November. In 2001, O-State was 2-1 in the season's final month. OSU was 4-1 a year ago in November, and Saturday's win over Kansas gave this year's Cowboy squad a 1-2 mark this month.
Strong Finishes II
Oklahoma State has also made a habit of finishing the regular season on a winning note of late. The Cowboys have won six of their last eight season finales. Three of those came on the road. The Cowboys won on the road in 2001 (Oklahoma), 1997 (Baylor) and 1995 (Hawaii). Below are the results of OSU's last eight regular-season games.
Eight and Counting
Oklahoma State will travel to Waco looking to accomplish something that only four other teams in Cowboy football history have accomplished. A win in Saturday's regular season finale will give Oklahoma State nine regular-season wins for just the fifth time in history. OSU won nine times in 1932, and duplicated that feat in 1984, 1987 and 1988.
What a Stretch
Oklahoma State is concluding its 2003 regular season at Waco this weekend. The Cowboys will also be looking to put an exclamation point on an incredibly successful stretch that has resulted in 14 wins in the last 18 outings. Eighteen games ago, on Oct. 19, 2002, Oklahoma State pinned a 24-21 loss on Nebraska in Stillwater. Including that win, the Cowboys went on to win six of their next seven games in the 2002 season. OSU lost its 2003 season opener at Nebraska, but went on to win seven straight following that setback. Now, after losing back-to-back games against top-ranked Oklahoma and sixth-ranked Texas, the Cowboys are back on the winning side after defeating Kansas, 44-21. A win at Baylor this week would give the Cowboys 15 wins in their last 19 games. That would represent the most successful run of Cowboy Football since the 1986-87-88 seasons when the Pokes fashioned a streak of 23 victories in 27 outings.
OSU-Baylor, Briefly
Oklahoma State and Baylor have met 21 times previously with Baylor owning an 11-10 series edge. Oklahoma State has won seven straight over Baylor, not losing to the Bears since the inception of the Big 12 Conference. Oklahoma State trails the series at Waco by a 5-3 margin, but the Cowboys have won three straight at Floyd Casey Stadium, including a 38-22 win in their last visit.
