Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Head to College Station to Get Back on Track
April 08, 2003 | Cowboy Football
TONIGHT -- Oklahoma State faces Texas A&M as the Cowboys try to get back on the winning track after last week's 51-50 overtime loss to Missouri in Stillwater. The Cowboys, ranked 19th in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Polls, bring an overall record of 6-1 and a conference mark of 3-1 into tonight's game. Texas A&M, like the Cowboys, will come in looking to avenge a loss. The Aggies lost at Texas Tech last week and are 5-2 overall and 2-2 in conference play. Texas A&M is ranked 25th in the AP poll and is unranked by USA Today/ESPN.
ROAD UNFAMILIAR FOR POKES -- When the Cowboys arrived in College Station on Friday, it had been 55 days (eight weeks) since they last began a football road trip. OSU is at Texas A&M after completing the longest homestand in 95 years of football at the school. Between Sept. 6 (Southwestern Louisiana) and Nov. 1 (Texas A&M), the Pokes played five games on Lewis Field and had two open dates.
INJURY UPDATE -- Oklahoma State will be without the services of senior tight end Alonzo Mayes (shoulder) but is otherwise healthy. Mayes suffered a third-degree sprain of his left shoulder last week against Missouri and is out indefinitely.
HERE TO HELP -- In the press box to assist you from the Oklahoma State angle tonight are Steve Buzzard, Will Hancock and Michael Noteware. Please don't hesitate to ask us for assistance.
POSTGAME PROCEDURES -- The Oklahoma State football dressing room is closed to the media both at home and on the road. Head Coach Bob Simmons will conduct a postgame press conference near the dressing room, following a brief cooling-off period. Requests for OSU players should be made to Steve Buzzard at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Requested players will be brought outside the dressing room following Coach Simmons' press conference. The Cowboys are scheduled to depart College Station approximately one hour after the conclusion of tonight's game.
SIMMONS TELECONFERENCE -- OSU Coach Bob Simmons will be available Sunday afternoon on a teleconference, beginning at 1:15 p.m. For writers doing follow-up stories on tonight's game or advancing the OU game, it will be an excellent opportunity to talk to the head coach. To participate in the teleconference, the toll-free number to call is 1-800-283-9738 and ask for call number 393-227, or the Oklahoma State football call. The teleconference is scheduled to last 20 minutes.
OSU FOOTBALL: Last-Minute Notes -- Oklahoma State has not won a football game within the borders of the state of Texas since September 12, 1987, when the Cowboys won at Houston by a score of 35-0. Since then, the Pokes have lost four straight (at TCU in 1990, at TCU in 1992, in Irving to Texas Tech in 1996 and at Texas in 1996). When the Cowboys face A&M tonight, they will be trying to win their third straight road game in 1997. The Cowboys defeated Iowa State and Southwestern Louisiana in back-to-back road games to open the 1997 season ... Oklahoma State is 5-8 in games away from Lewis Field ... The Cowboys under Simmons are 7-12 in conference games over the past two-plus seasons ... Tonight will mark Oklahoma State's sixth night game of the year. So far in 1997, only two games (Texas and Missouri) have been played during the day ... Oklahoma State might want to play 'em all at night. Under Bob Simmons, Oklahoma State is 10-3 in night games, with the only losses to Nebraska, Tulsa and Colorado. Two of those losses (Nebraska and Tulsa) were the first two games of his OSU career in 1995 ... Four Cowboys are well into double digits in consecutive starts and should continue their streaks today. Senior offensive guard and co-captain Josh Henson will make his 30th straight start today and 35th start of his Oklahoma State career. Offensive lineman Calvin Menephee will make his 17th straight start today while Jeremy Offutt will start for the 15th straight time and linebacker Kenyatta Wright for the 13th straight time. So far in 1997, 12 players (Henson, Menephee, Offutt, Wright, R.W. McQuarters, Andrel Waddle, Adam Davis, Kevin Williams, Cortney Mallory, Jamal Williams, Trent Alexander and Tarrell Knauls) have started every game.
NEXT WEEK -- Oklahoma State travels to Norman, Okla., to face the Oklahoma Sooners. Kickoff for the annual Bedlam game is scheduled for 1 p.m. (CST). Oklahoma State then returns to Stillwater for its final home game on Nov. 15 against Texas Tech before the regular season finale at Baylor on Nov. 22.
OSU LAST WEEK -- The Cowboys lost to Missouri 51-50 in a pair of overtimes on Lewis Field. The loss snapped a seven-game losing streak (third longest in Division IA) and left the Cowboys in a first-place tie with Texas Tech in the Big 12's South Division. Offensively, quarterback Tony Lindsay passed for 210 yards and four touchdowns and Nathan Simmons rushed 22 times for 99 yards and a single touchdown. The offensive star of the day, however, had to be tight end Alonzo Mayes, who caught eight passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns. His second touchdown came after he had suffered a third-degree AC sprain of his left shoulder.
TEXAS A&M LAST WEEK -- While OSU and Missouri had to go two extra periods to decide a winner, Texas A&M was in a struggle with Texas Tech in Lubbock. With the game tied at 13, Tech kicker Tony Rogers hit a 47-yard yard field goal that hit the left upright and went through to give the Red Raiders a 16-13 win. Texas A&M had tied the game on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Stewart to Leroy Hodge. Texas Tech marched from their own 19 into field-goal range (a 51-yard, 14-play drive) that ended with the game-winning field goal.
HEAD COACH BOB SIMMONS -- Oklahoma State's third-year head coach is 6-1 this season and 15-15 overall. Going into the eighth game of the 1997 season, he is clearly the logical choice for Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year honors and could be considered for the same honor at the national level. Simmons has turned Oklahoma State's program around in less than three years, and he's done it by recruiting class and integrity as well as talent in both his players and coaching staff. In year number three of the Simmons era, Oklahoma State is guaranteed its first non-losing season since 1988. The Cowboys are already bowl-eligible and chasing their first postseason appearance since the '88 Holiday Bowl win over Wyoming. The Cowboys, under Bob Simmons, have been ranked in the top 25 four straight weeks after not appearing in a national poll since the final rankings nine years ago. He is Oklahoma State's 20th Head Football Coach, having inherited a program that had won only 18 of its previous 66 games. The going was a little rough at the beginning. OSU lost seven of the first nine in Simmons' first season. Since that point, however, Simmons has guided the Cowboys to 13 wins in the last 21 games. Success under Simmons should come as no surprise. The Bowling Green graduate prepared himself diligently to become a head coach. He tutored under two of the most successful coaches in the history of the game. He spent seven seasons on Bill McCartney's staff at the University of Colorado and was part of seven bowl teams, three conference championships and a national championship. Prior to his stint at Colorado, Simmons served on Don Nehlen's West Virginia staff where he was part of four bowl games and five winning seasons. Bob Simmons is not just a name on the Cowboy Football stationary. He is active on the practice field, working especially with OSU's nationally rated punt-return unit.
As an Assistant Coach School Year Record Notes Bowling Green 1975 8-3 Bowling Green 1976 6-5 Toledo 1977 2-9 Toledo 1978 2-9 Toledo 1979 7-3-1 West Virginia 1980 6-6 West Virginia 1981 9-3 Peach Bowl West Virginia 1982 9-3 Gator Bowl West Virginia 1983 9-3 Hall of Fame Bowl West Virginia 1984 8-4 Bluebonnet Bowl West Virginia 1985 7-3-1 West Virginia 1986 4-7 West Virginia 1987 6-6 Sun Bowl Colorado 1988 8-4 Freedom Bowl Colorado 1989 11-1 Orange Bowl Colorado 1990 11-1 National Champions Colorado 1991 8-3-1 Blockbuster Bowl Colorado 1992 9-2-1 Fiesta Bowl Colorado 1993 8-3-1 Aloha Bowl Colorado 1994 11-1 Fiesta Bowl As a head coach Oklahoma State 1995 4-8 Won 3 of last 6 Oklahoma State 1996 5-6 3-0 vs. non-league Oklahoma State 1997 6-1 Leads South Division
BOB SIMMONS ON RADIO AND TV -- Oklahoma State's Head Football Coach can be seen each week on the Bob Simmons Television Show. The 30-minute show, hosted by former Cowboy offensive lineman Paul Blair, airs Sunday night at 10:30 p.m. on Oklahoma City station KOCB (34). It also airs on the TCI Cable system in Tulsa on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. and on Fox Sports Southwest on Thursday at 4 p.m. The Bob Simmons radio call-in show airs each Thursday on the Cowboy Radio Network from 6:05 until 7 p.m., hosted by Tom Dirato.
The OSU-Texas A&M Series
THE 13th TIME -- Saturday will mark the 13th meeting between Oklahoma State and Texas A&M on the football field. Overall, A&M has an 8-4 series advantage, and the Aggies are 4-1 against the Cowboys in College Station. Oklahoma State hasn't played at Kyle Field since 1983, when the Cowboys managed a 33-16 win.
SERIES ODD AND ENDS -- Texas A&M has the longest winning streak in the short series, having won six straight between 1914 and 1952. Oklahoma State won two straight (1983 and 1988). There have been five shutouts in the 12-year history of the series, and four of those have been by Texas A&M. OSU's lone shutout of the Aggies came in 1913 by a 3-0 count. Oklahoma State's widest margin of victory in the series came in 1988 when a Barry Sanders-led OSU team took a 52-15 win in Stillwater. Texas A&M's largest win was a 35-0 shutout in 1920 in Stillwater.
LAST YEAR -- Oklahoma State led 13-10 at the half only to watch Texas A&M capitalize on three second-half turnovers and escape Lewis Field with a 38-19 win. Oklahoma State's first-half points came on a five-yard run by David Thompson and two Tim Sydnes field goals. Texas A&M scored 28 second-half points, the first touchdown coming on a 42-yard interception return. Oklahoma State closed to within five, 24-19 with 2:26 to go in the third quarter when Brian Aikins scampered 35 yards for a touchdown. The Cowboys managed only one first down for the rest of the game as their overall record fell to 4-5.
LAST TIME AT TEXAS A&M -- Oklahoma State's last visit to Kyle Field was a memorable one. The Cowboys, under head coach Jimmy Johnson, took a 2-0 record south of the Red River and came away with a 34-15 win. Trailing 6-0 after the first quarter, the Cowboys scored three touchdowns in the second, two by flanker Jamie Harris. The Cowboys were sparked by Harris and tailback Shawn Jones, who gained 203 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown. OSU led 21-6 at the half over the heavily favored Aggies and outscored the home team 13-9 in the second half. OSU had 412 yards of total offense compared to 205 for Texas A&M. Jones' 203 rushing yards included an 80-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. OSU sparkled on the defensive side of the ball as well, highlighted by a 69-yard interception return by linebacker James Ham.
COACH R.C. SLOCUM -- Texas A&M's Head Football Coach is in his ninth season and will bring a record of 79-23-2 into Saturday's game against Oklahoma State. Overall, it is Slocum's 25th season at Texas A&M. He is one of the top five active head coaches in the country in terms of winning percentage and has a remarkable record of 45-5-1 at home during his Texas A&M tenure. Under Slocum, Texas A&M has won eight or more games in each of the past seven seasons and won 10 or more in four of those campaigns. OSU-TEXAS A&M: By the Numbers
Texas A&M Oklahoma State Scoring 263 250 First Downs 128 145 Rushing Yards 1506 1651 Average Per Rush 5.2 4.4 Average Per Game 215.1 235.9 Passing Yardage 1072 1132 Att-Comp-Int. 151-88-2 140-77-6 Touchdown Passes 7 12 Avg. Passing Per Gm. 153.1 161.7 Avg. Rushing Defense 114.6 83.0 Avg. Passing Defense 164.4 217.4 Avg. Total Defense 279.0 300.4 Fumbles/Lost 18-9 17-6 Penalties/Yards 47-386 58-528 Punts/Avg. 30-48.1 33-46.1 3rd Down Conversions 33/90 44/11 HONORS CHECKLIST
Oklahoma State, 6-1 and tied for the South Division lead, obviously has players deserving of All-Big 12 and All-American consideration. Below is a checklist of those players.
Alonzo Mayes, TE -- The best tight end in the country, period. Has 29 catches for 424 yards and seven touchdowns. One of the best performances of his career came in OSU's 51-50, double-overtime loss to Missouri. He had eight catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns. His final touchdown came after he had suffered a third-degree AC sprain of his left shoulder, an injury that may keep him out for a while. Has three or more receptions in six of OSU's seven games and at least one touchdown in five of those games. He currently ranks seventh on the all-time reception list (92) and seventh on the receiving yardage list (1,372). He was a preseason All-American and has lived up to that billing.
R.W. McQuarters, DB -- One of the most versatile players in the country. He is truly a triple threat. He plays on offense, defense and special teams and has played well on all three. On defense, he has 24 tackles, one interception and six pass break-ups. On offense, he has two receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown and two carries for 69 yards and a touchdown. As a punt returner, he has 23 returns for 393 yards, an average of 17.1 yards per return. He also has five kickoff returns for an average of 18.2 yards per return.
Jason Davis, P -- Another in a long line of great punters at Oklahoma State, Davis may turn out to be the best of them all. Seven games into the season, he is second in the league and seventh in the country and on his way to establishing a new career punting mark at Oklahoma State. He has 33 punts for an average of 46.1 yards per kick. His long has been 74 yards, and he has not had a punt blocked. He has averaged 45 yards or better in four of OSU's seven games, including a 51.8 yard average on six kicks against Iowa State. He kicks 'em long and high, evidenced by OSU's standing of second in the country in net punting.
Kevin Williams, DB -- Having the best season of his career and one of the top defensive seasons in the Big 12 Conference. Oklahoma State's starting right cornerback should even be considered for Defensive Player of the Year. Through seven games, he has 36 tackles and a league-leading five interceptions. One of his interceptions was returned for a touchdown. He has eight passes broken up, also a team best.
Jamal Williams, DL -- Having a great season, despite being double- and triple-teamed at times. He leads all OSU defensive linemen with 34 tackles. He has a team-leading 10 tackles for 38 yards in losses and 2.5 sacks for 30 yards. He has also blocked one kick. He has started every game at defensive tackle for Oklahoma State in 1997 after spending last year at Kemper Military.
Josh Henson, OL -- Oklahoma State's starting left guard and, like most of the OSU offensive front, having an exceptional season. This senior has 30 consecutive starts under his belt and a career total of 35 starting assignments. He is bigger, stronger and in the best physical condition of his career and it has shown in 1997. Regularly grades out extremely high.
Tony Lindsay, QB -- A redshirt freshman who is having an exceptional season. Through seven games he has completed 42 of 70 for 702 yards and seven touchdowns. His efficiency rating is 168.67, and he has thrown only three interceptions. He also has 83 rushes for 371 yards and eight touchdowns and he has one reception (vs. Missouri) for 50 yards. He has passed or thrown for 15 touchdown and has 1,073 yards of total offense, 153.3 yards per game. Was the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week after outstanding performance in 42-16 win over Texas.
Kenyatta Wright, LB -- Don't let the glittery performances of Williams, McQuarters and Williams overshadow the steady work of Wright in 1997. He is number three on the defense with 44 total tackles and he is number two (to Williams) with six tackles for loss and he also has two sacks, three passes broken up and has forced a fumble. He is the quarterback of Oklahoma State's nationally ranked defense
Note-ing Oklahoma State Football
MAYES CONTINUES ALL-AMERICAN SEASON -- Senior tight end Alonzo Mayes had his best game of the year last week, continuing to add to his super final season in a Cowboy uniform. Against Missouri, he made eight catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns. The best tight end in the country now has 29 receptions for 424 yards and seven touchdowns. Those totals give him 92 career receptions for 1,372 yards. He is the 14th player in OSU history to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in receiving and the ninth Cowboy to register 80 or more career receptions. His three touchdown receptions in the past two games have all come in the fourth quarter, and each has tied the game or given OSU a lead.
MOVING UP THE CHARTS -- Mayes continues to move up both the career reception and receiving yardage charts at Oklahoma State. Going into this week's game against Texas A&M, Mayes is seventh on the career receptions list with 92. He needs two to move past Curtis Mayfield and Rafael Denson into fifth place on that list. His 1,372 career receiving yards puts him seventh on the career list, 43 yards from passing Denson and moving into sixth place. He now has seven touchdowns this season, tied for the third-best single-season performance in OSU history, and he ranks third on OSU's career receiving TDs chart with 14. Mayes, numerically:
Career Statistics Year No. Yards Avg TD 1994 1 15 15.0 1 1995 32 421 13.1 4 1996 30 512 17.1 3 1997 29 424 14.6 7 Totals 92 1372 14.9 15
McQUARTERS ON SPECIAL TEAMS -- Junior DB R.W. McQuarters is currently ranked first in the Big 12 and fourth in the NCAA with his 17.1 yards per punt return. He also has 393 yards in punt returns this season and needs just 29 to set a school record for yardage. He has recorded four punt returns over 30 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown return against Texas. That run was his first career punt-return TD and was OSU's longest punt return for a score since 1989. McQuarters' 82-yard return against Northeast Louisiana is the sixth-longest punt return in school history.
McQUARTERS ON DEFENSE -- McQuarters has been a solid force in the Cowboy secondary, playing free safety and cornerback at various times this year. He has one interception, two fumble recoveries, one tackle for loss and six passes broken up this season.
McQUARTERS ON OFFENSE -- In addition to his regular duties on defense and special teams, McQuarters has started five games at wide receiver for the Cowboys and has recorded two receptions, including a 58-yard touchdown catch against Fresno State. He recorded the first rushing touchdown of his career when he took a reverse 56 yards for OSU's first score against Missouri. McQuarters now has OSU's longest scoring plays of the year by rush, pass and punt return.
SIMMONS SHINES -- Somewhat lost in the postgame analysis of Saturday's wild game was the performance of Nathan Simmons, who came within one yard of chalking up his second 100-yard rushing day of the season. Simmons now leads OSU in rushing yards per game (80.17) and is ranked eighth in the Big 12 in that category. Simmons gained a career-best 106 yards against Northeast Louisiana to lead the Cowboys' season-best 274-yard rushing output.
PASSING ATTACK SHOWS ITSELF -- OSU gained 319 yards through the air against Missouri, marking the first time OSU has topped the 300-yard mark in passing since the 1989 Iowa State game. The Cowboys' 319-yard output in the air tied for the Cowboys' sixth-best mark all-time. Junior WR Sean Love's 61-yard pass reception from Tony Lindsay in the third quarter was the longest reception of his career and OSU's longest play from scrimmage this season. Love's third-quarter touchdown reception was the first score of his career.
LINDSAY SHINES IN CONFERENCE GAMES -- Redshirt freshman QB Tony Lindsay has saved his best performances for Big 12 games. In those four contests, he has gained an average of 78.5 yards on the ground and 126 yards through the air. He tied a school record by throwing four touchdown passes against Missouri, and his 210 yards vs. the Tigers are OSU's individual season high. His performances against Texas and Colorado (he gained 126 yards on the ground in each game) tie for the 11th-best rushing days ever by an OSU freshman and mark the first time a Cowboy QB gained 100 yards on the ground since Harold Bailey rushed for 130 in 1977. Lindsay's quarterback rating of 168.7 leads the Big 12 and would be second in the nation if he had the requisite 15 attempts per game. Lindsay's seven touchdown passes are one shy of the school freshman record set by Mike Gundy in 1986.
THE CENTURY MEN -- Lindsay is the third player, joining Simmons and freshman TB Jamaal Fobbs, to rush for 100 yards this season. The last time OSU had three different players gain 100 yards at least once in the same season was 1984, when Charles Crawford, Shawn Jones and Thurman Thomas topped the century barrier. The Cowboys' rushing trio has helped the team to a No. 11 national rank in rushing offense (235.9 yards per game). This season marks the first time since 1974 (Terry Miller and Skip Taylor) that two Cowboy freshmen have rushed for 100 yards in single-game performances.
FOURTH-DOWN GAMBLERS -- The Cowboys have gone for it on fourth down in several key situations this season, and it has paid off. The Cowboys are 11 for 13 in fourth-down conversions; aside from a kneel-down at the end of the Iowa State game, the only unsuccessful attempt came in last week's Missouri game.
KEVIN WILLIAMS: DEFENSIVE BIG-PLAY MAN -- Senior CB Kevin Williams has picked off a pass in five of the Cowboys' first seven games; he's the first Cowboy in five years to record five interceptions in a season. His 40-yard interception return for a touchdown against Colorado was OSU's first INT returned for a score in three years; he also provided the biggest play of the Iowa State game when his fourth-quarter pick set up OSU's winning touchdown. Williams currently ranks fifth nationally and first in the Big 12 with 0.71 interceptions per game; he has eight picks in his OSU career.
TURNOVERS -- The Cowboys' new "46" defense has forced 19 turnovers this season, and OSU has converted those into 11 touchdowns and a field goal. OSU scored just twice off turnovers in 1996, and both were field goals. The Cowboys are now plus-seven in turnovers this year; OSU has not finished a season in the black in turnover margin since 1993. The Cowboys' turnover margin of +1.00 ranks second in the Big 12 and 15th in NCAA Division I-A.
DEFENSE SHOWS MAJOR IMPROVEMENT -- In 1996, Oklahoma State finished the season ranked 97th in the nation in rush defense. Through six games in 1997, the Cowboys rank sixth in the nation and second in the Big 12 in rushing defense, allowing just 83.0 yards per game. Texas' Ricky Williams came into the Oct. 4 game averaging 147 yards per game and having rolled up 249 in the 'Horns' previous game, but OSU held him to four first-half yards and 79 overall. The Cowboy defense battered Fresno State into minus-20 yards rushing Sept. 13, the second-best rush defense in OSU history. The shutout of Fresno State marked OSU's first at home since 1987, and the 137 yards total offense by FSU was the best defensive performance by an OSU team since 1984. Five of the Cowboys' seven opponents have gained less than 100 yards on the ground.
SYDNES REDISCOVERS TOUCH -- Sophomore PK Tim Sydnes struggled early in the year, making just one of his first five field goal attempts. However, Sydnes was one of the most important figures in the Cowboys' victory over Colorado. He hit all four of his field-goal attempts, keeping OSU in the game in the first half when the Cowboy offense couldn't crack the goal line. And one of the more understated keys of OSU's fourth-quarter magic against CU was Sydnes' 35-yard PAT after the game-winning touchdown. Sydnes missed two long attempts against Missouri but has made his last seven kicks from inside 50 yards.
THOMPSON LEADS DEFENSIVE EFFORT -- Junior DB Ricky Thompson hasn't received quite the same attention as teammates McQuarters, Jamal Williams or Ricky Williams, but Thompson is quietly having an outstanding year. He led the team in tackles with 11 against Texas and continues to hold the overall team lead with 55, including 28 unassisted. Thompson earned his first interception in the Missouri game; has also recorded two tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass break-ups and one fumble forced this season.
SIMPSON STEPS FORWARD IN FOURTH QUARTER VS. CU -- Senior CB Maurice Simpson couldn't have picked a more crucial time for the first interception of his OSU career. Simpson made a diving catch of John Hessler's pass with under three minutes to play against Colorado, setting up OSU's game-winning touchdown. He also had perfect man coverage on a long Buff pass attempt during CU's unsuccessful two-minute drill. Simpson had a team-best two pass break-ups in the game.
OSU'S DAVIS ONE OF THE BEST -- Senior P Jason Davis, coming off one of the best seasons in OSU history, is well on his way to another superb year. In this season's first seven games, Davis is averaging 46.1 yards per kick, just above the OSU single-season record of 45.5 and ranked second in the Big 12 and seventh in the nation. Of his 33 punts, 24 have gone for more than 40 yards, and 13 have gone for more than 50. Currently averaging 44.8 yards per kick (92 punts for 4,118 yards) in his career, Davis is on pace to best the OSU career punting record of 44.4 yards per kick established by Greg Ivy in 1994-95. OSU is currently ranked second in the NCAA and first in the Big 12 in net punting (44.0 yards per kick).
FABULOUS FOBBS -- Redshirt freshman TB Jamaal Fobbs set a school freshman rushing record with his 217-yard effort at Southwestern Louisiana on Sept. 6. Fobbs broke the record previously held by Thurman Thomas, who gained 206 yards in 1984 against Kansas State. Fobbs leads the team in rushing yards (549) and is second in pass receptions (11 for 130 yards). Fobbs is ranked ninth in the Big 12 with 78.4 rushing yards per game.
FRESHMAN WATCH -- Fobbs and Lindsay are on their way to two of the best freshman rushing seasons in OSU history. With 549 yards through seven games, Fobbs already ranks fourth all-time among OSU freshman running backs and is well ahead of the pace set by the backs ahead of him, Andre Richardson (343 through seven games and 774 total), Thurman Thomas (310 and 688) and Rafael Denson (309 and 568). Lindsay's 371 net rushing yards put him within range of fifth-place David Thompson, who gained 198 yards through seven games and finished with 466 in his freshman year.
NOTING THE COWBOYS -- The Cowboys have gone over 300 yards total offense in 13 straight games and have scored 30 points in six straight for the first time since 1988 ... The Cowboys' 29-point halftime lead against Texas was the biggest since a 38-7 bulge against Southwest Missouri State in 1993 ... OSU scored more points (15) on its first two possessions against Texas than the Cowboys had in any previous single game against Texas. The Cowboys' previous scoring high against the Longhorns was 14 points, scored in last year's 71-14 loss ... OSU's victory over Colorado marked the Cowboys' first win over a ranked team at home since 1978, when OSU defeated 13th-ranked Colorado 24-20 ... The Missouri game marked the first time in 1997 that OSU has lost a coin toss ... Junior QB Joe Phears has attempted just three passes this season but has completed all three, including a 50-yard toss to fellow QB Lindsay in the Missouri game; his passing efficiency is an amazing 254.00.
