Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Travel To Iowa State
April 08, 2003 | Cowboy Football
Oklahoma State goes on the road for the first time since Sept. 22 this week as the Cowboys travel to Ames, Iowa, to face Iowa State. It will be OSU's second conference road trip of the season, and the Pokes will be looking not only to snap a two-game losing streak overall, but a four-game losing streak in Big 12 games. OSU's last Big 12 victory was Nov. 18, 2000, at Baylor. The Cowboys travel to Ames trying to right themselves after a 45-17 loss to Texas Saturday on Lewis Field. Iowa State, after winning at Missouri on Saturday, returns to Ames with an overall record of 4-1 and a 2-1 Big 12 mark. OSU is 2-4 overall and 0-3 in Big 12 play. Kickoff at Ames is scheduled for 1 p.m. (CDT).
Remember the Way?
Oklahoma State will be playing in Ames for the first time since the season opener in 1997. That's certainly a game current head coach Les Miles will remember. It was the first game of what would be his final season as OSU's offensive coordinator. The Cowboys toppled Iowa State, 21-14, in a game that would set the tone for the entire season. Oklahoma State went on to win six straight, finish with an 8-3 regular-season mark and face Purdue in the Alamo Bowl. The two teams did not play in either 1998 or 1999, and Iowa State recorded a 33-26 win on Lewis Field last year.
Pokes Have Had Success in Ames
In the 40-year history of Oklahoma State's football series against Iowa State, the Cowboys have enjoyed a measure of success against the Cyclones in Ames. While OSU's overall series advantage in Ames is 10-9-1, the Cowboys are 5-3-1 against the Cyclones on their home field since 1981. Two of those three losses (1993 and 1985) were by five points or fewer.
OSU-Iowa State Memory
On Nov. 19, 1988, Oklahoma State went to Ames with its No. 13 national ranking and a Holiday Bowl bid on the line against Iowa State. On a day when the temperature fell through the thirties during the game, the Cowboys found themselves in trouble early in the fourth quarter, only to be rescued by eventual Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders. Oklahoma State led, 14-13, at the half, but the Cyclones scored at the 14:55 mark of the fourth quarter to go up by a 28-21 margin. Facing a third and seven from his own 20, Sanders took an option pitch from quarterback Mike Gundy and scampered 80 yards into the end zone. OSU would go on to outscore the Cyclones 28-7 in the final quarter and walk away with a 49-28 victory. After the game, Oklahoma State accepted a bid to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego where they would defeat Wyoming. For the afternoon, Sanders rushed 32 times for 293 yards and four touchdowns.
OSU Travel Itinerary
The Cowboys are scheduled to depart Stillwater, via Champion Air charter, late Friday morning. After landing in Des Moines, OSU will bus to Ames for a light workout. That workout is closed, but head coach Les Miles will be available prior to the workout. Check with Steve Buzzard of the OSU Media Relations Office for details. Oklahoma State will return to Stillwater immediately following Saturday's game.
OSU Schedule Second Toughest
All you have to do is glance at Oklahoma State's 2001 football schedule to know that has been and will be difficult. Through six weeks of the season, the Cowboys have already played at Southern Miss and Texas A&M and hosted a top-10 Texas team. The rest of the schedule finds the Pokes at Iowa State and Oklahoma and with home games against Colorado and Texas Tech. A late November road game at Baylor is also on the list. OSU's schedule was ranked the second toughest in the country last week by an NCAA source that used cumulative record of each school's opposition. Through games of Oct. 6, OSU's 11 opponents had a combined record of 30-11.
The Toughest 10
1. Kansas
2. Oklahoma State
3. California
4. Minnesota
5. Missouri
6. UCLA
7. Nebraska
8. Colorado
Mississippi State
10. Oregon State
Massey's Kickoff Return Impressive
When Chris Massey returned a Texas kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game, the Spiro junior put his name in the Oklahoma State record book. It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown since 1993, and the longest since Barry Sanders' recorded three 100-yard returns over the 1987-88 seasons. Since 1974, there have been just seven kickoff returns for touchdowns by OSU players.
Oct. 13, 2001 Chris Massey, 97 yards vs. Texas
Sept. 11, 1993 Rafael Denson, 89 yards vs. Southwest Missouri State
Sept. 10, 1988 Barry Sanders, 100 yards vs. Miami (Ohio)
Nov. 14, 1987 Barry Sanders, 100 yards vs. Kansas
Sept. 5, 1987 Barry Sanders,100 yards vs. Tulsa
Nov. 12, 1983 Harry Roberts, 90 yards vs. Missouri
Nov. 17, 1979 Ron Ingram, 82 yards vs. Kansas State
Brrrrr......Another OSU-Iowa State Memory
Sixteen years has not erased the memory of how cold it was in Ames, Iowa, on Nov. 23, 1985. It was even colder for the seventh-ranked Cowboys after a 15-10 loss. The announced game time temperature was 20 degrees, but the wind chill was miserable. Legend has it that OSU's athletic trainers could not keep water from freezing on the sidelines and that All-America tailback Thurman Thomas had to be coaxed off the bus when the Cowboys arrived at the stadium. Thomas was the nation's fourth-leading rusher going into the game, but an inspired Iowa State defense held him to a season-low 54 yards. OSU trailed, 9-0, in the first quarter and 12-3 at halftime. OSU's only touchdown came on a one-yard sneak by Ronnie Williams. The Cowboys had a second-quarter field goal by Brad Dennis. The loss was just the second of the season for the Pokes, who accepted a second-straight Gator Bowl bid after the game. The Cowboys followed the Iowa State loss with a 13-0 loss to Oklahoma in Stillwater and finished the regular season with an 8-3 record. The loss would drop the Cowboys from seven to 17 in the following poll.
OSU-Iowa State on the Air
Saturday's Oklahoma State-Iowa State matchup will be broadcast live on the Cowboy Radio Network to approximately 30 stations across Oklahoma. Dave Hunziker is the radio voice of Oklahoma State football and basketball. Hunziker is in his first year in the OSU booth after replacing Bill Teegins, one of 10 who died in last January's plane crash. Tom Dirato, a veteran of OSU football and basketball broadcasts, provides analysis, and Joe Riddle is the network producer. There will be no television for this week's OSU-Iowa State game.
OSU Last Week
Oklahoma State started strong against 11th-ranked Texas, but the Cowboys couldn't close the deal in a 45-17 loss on Lewis Field. A nine-yard pass from Aso Pogi to Rashaun Woods gave the Pokes a 7-0 lead with 10:33 left in the first quarter. After a Texas turnover, OSU put more points on the board with a career-long 48-yard field goal by Luke Phillips. OSU's 10-0 lead lasted until the 13:09 mark of the second quarter when the Longhorns scored on a one-yard run by Chris Simms. The Horns knotted the game at 10-10 at the 9:27 mark on a 23-yard field goal by Dusty Mangum. The final 6:13 of the second quarter proved disastrous for OSU. Texas scored three touchdowns over that span, the final one coming on a 16-yard pass from Simms to Roy Williams to give UT a 31-10 halftime advantage. It was an advantage OSU could not overcome in the second half. OSU's defense held the Texas offense to just two touchdowns in the second period, but the only points OSU could put on the board came on Chris Massey's 97-yard kickoff return. OSU came into the game with one of the stingiest defenses in the country against the rush, but allowed Texas 241 net yards. Cedric Benson accounted for 131 of those yards and, in doing so, became just the second back this season to rush for more than 100 yards against the Oklahoma State defense.
A Case for the Defense
Texas' offensive numbers against Oklahoma State on Saturday were due, in part, to a 36:13-23:47 edge in time of possession. The Texas offense ran 83 offensive plays to Oklahoma State's 53, and had 479 yards of total offense. Despite allowing 241 rushing yards last week, the Cowboy defense is still ranked 18th in the nation against the rush. Oklahoma State will head into the seventh game of the season allowing an average of just 120.3 yards per game. The Cowboys are fifth in the league in rushing defense, behind Nebraska, Texas A&M, Texas and Kansas State. Following is a detailed look at Oklahoma State's season defending the run.
Opposing Rushers Not Finding Endzone
Through six games, Oklahoma State's defense has allowed only three rushing touchdowns. The Cowboys held Northwestern State, Louisiana Tech and Southern Miss without a rushing touchdown, and has allowed one each to Texas, Missouri and Texas A&M. The Cowboys had not allowed a run longer than 19 yards until last week against Texas. Through six games, Oklahoma State's opponents have gained 722 net yards on 232 carries. That's an average of just 3.1 yards per carry.
Iowa State Last Week
The Cyclones traveled to Columbia, Mo., and left town with a 20-14 win over the Tigers. Ennis Haywood rushed for 120 yards and a pair of touchdowns as Iowa State ran its season record to 4-1 and the Cyclones won for the seventh time in their last eight games. The game was tied, 14-14, late in the fourth quarter before a pair of field goals by Tony Yelk put Iowa State on top for good. For the game, Iowa State had 207 rushing yards and 75 yards through the air. The Cyclones dominated time of possession with 33:08, compared to 26:52 for Mizzou. Iowa State was penalized 10 times for 60 yards, but did not lose a turnover. The Cyclones did force two Missouri turnovers, an interception and a fumble.
Sweet Endings.....Another OSU-Iowa State Memory
The 1990 edition of Oklahoma State football traveled to Ames for a season-ending battle with the Cyclones. Thanks to tailback Gerald Hudson, it was a sweet ending for the Pokes. Hudson riddled Iowa State's defense for a career-high 264 yards on 27 carries. Hudson, who would lead the NCAA in rushing, scored just one touchdown, but Cowboy special teams took up the slack. The OSU special teams accounted for 19 of the 25 points with 12 points coming off the leg of kicker Cary Blanchard, who nailed four field goals.
Rashaun Woods: Best in the Big 12
Oklahoma State's talented, sophomore receiver continued his impressive season Saturday with eight catches for 81 yards and a touchdown against Texas. His 2001 on-the-field performance should be proving to college football observers that he very well could be the best receiver in the Big 12 Conference. After six games, Woods leads the Big 12 in receiving yards per game (95.90) and is third in the NCAA in receptions per game (7.83).
Woods' Season Numbers
Through six games this season, Woods has caught 47 passes for 573 yards. He is averaging an amazing 12.2 yards per reception and 95.5 yards per game. He had 100 or more yards in two of OSU's first five games, and came within two yards of a third. He has now caught at least four passes in each of OSU's six 2001 games and has at least two catches in 13-straight games. He is on a pace that would give him one of the top all-time single-season performances in Oklahoma State history. If he continues to average his current 95.5 yards per game through an 11-game schedule, Woods would finish the season with 1,050 yards, which would be the second-best single-season in Cowboy football history. Hart Lee Dykes tops that list with 1,278 yards in 1988. Woods' current season total of 573 yards is already OSU's 16th best. Woods' 902 career yards moves him into 20th on the career receiving list, just 33 yards from passing John Chesley and moving into 19th place.
T.D. Bryant Still a Triple Threat
Oklahoma State's Terrance Davis-Bryant continues to show why he is one of the most dangerous offense weapons in the Big 12 Conference. Saturday against Texas, Davis-Bryant had three kickoff returns for 52 yards and two pass receptions for 13 yards. Davis-Bryant is a home run threat as both a receiver and returner, and is near the top of several league stat categories. Additionally, he is 14th nationally in punt returns going into this week's games. He is 44th nationally in kickoff returns and 67th in the NCAA in all purpose running.
Pogi Moving Up Career List
After just 16 games of his OSU career, quarterback Aso Pogi has passed for 2,655 yards. His career numbers continue to grow, and he continues to move up the career OSU passing chart. Going into this week's Iowa State game, Pogi is sixth on OSU's all-time passing chart. He passed Ronnie Johnson on that list Saturday night. Ahead of this week's game, Pogi needs just nine yards to pass Tony Pounds (2,663) and move into OSU's all-time top-five career passers. His current position coach, Mike Gundy, is Oklahoma State' all-time passing leader with 7,997 yards.
Levels and Robinson Linebacker Leaders
Senior Dwayne Levels and junior Terrence Robinson continue to provide leadership for the Oklahoma State defense. In Saturday's loss to Texas, Levels was credited with 10 tackles, including seven unassisted stops. He was also credited with two tackles for loss, a pass deflection and a quarterback hurry. Three times in OSU's first six games, Levels has been in double-digit tackles. He led the OSU defense a year ago with 95 total tackles, and is second on the tackle chart this season with 54. After six games, Robinson is third on the OSU tackle chart with 43 stops, five of which have resulted in minus-10 yards. Saturday against Texas, Robinson was credited with six total tackles.
For Levels, Hard Work Pays Off
Levels is a leader on the OSU squad by example. His off-season work habits have him in the best physical condition of his career, and the respect he has earned from his teammates is evident by him being elected a captain. Oklahoma State's defensive anchor is just three hours short of a degree, and will graduate with majors in business and marketing. He has 17 career starts under his belt and started every game of the 2000 season. His numbers a year ago were very good. He led the Cowboy defense with 95 total tackles. Nine of his tackles were behind the line of scrimmage, and he had three pass deflections, three quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery to his credit. For his OSU career, Levels has 230 total tackles and 19 tackles for losses. He needs just three more tackles in 2001 to move into the top 25 list for career tackles at Oklahoma State.
Craig Tops OSU Defense
Elbert Craig, Oklahoma State's sophomore safety, continues to turn in impressive performances. Against Texas on Saturday, Craig was the game's leading tackler with 14. Five of his tackles against the Longhorns were unassisted. For the season, Craig tops the OSU tackle chart with 65. His total numbers include 28 solo tackles, 37 assists, two tackles for minus-four yards, one interception, one pass deflection and one quarterback hurry. Saturday marked the fourth-straight game Craig has registered double-figure tackles. He had 16 last week against Missouri, 14 the week before against Northwestern State and 11 at Texas A&M.
Phillips Adds to Impressive Numbers
Sophomore Luke Phillips has given the Cowboys a solid look in the kicking game. Through six games, Phillips is perfect on 14 extra-point attempts and is 9-of-11 in field-goal attempts. Against Texas last week, Phillips connected on a career long 48-yarder to give the Cowboys a 10-0 first-quarter lead. He is OSU's leading scorer with 41 points. Phillips is third in the Big 12 and tied for 16th nationally in field goals.
More Stats and Stuff
Punter Scott Elder is fifth in the Big 12 and 31st in the NCAA with his 42.9 average ... Aso Pogi is fourth in the Big 12 in both completions per game and passing efficiency. He trails only Kliff Kingsbury (Texas Tech), Mark Farris (Texas A&M) and Chris Simms (Texas) in completions per game. In passing efficiency, his 125.66 rating trails Eric Crouch (Nebraska), Kingsbury and Seneca Wallace of Iowa State. OSU's sophomore quarterback is 37th in the NCAA in passing efficiency ... As a team, Oklahoma State is 18th in rushing defense and 34th in total defense. the Cowboys are 23rd in net punting and 11th in both punt and kickoff returns ... On the injury front, the Cowboys expect to have both Roger Bombach and Michael Cooper back for the Iowa State game. Bombach (elbow) and Cooper (shoulder) missed the Texas game after suffering their injuries against Missouri.
