Oklahoma State University Athletics
Football Set for Bedlam
April 08, 2003 | Cowboy Football
WELCOME HOME, POKES — By the time Saturday rolls around for Oklahoma State’s football team, it will have been 34 days since the last game in the friendly surroundings of Lewis Field. 34 days, three games and an off week since OSU bested 24th-ranked Mississippi State on September 19. This week, OSU returns home, where, with the exception of an early November excursion to Austin, it will remain for the rest of the 1998 season.
BEDLAM BATTLE No. 93 — What better way to come home than to the 93rd renewal of the fabled Bedlam Series of college football. Oklahoma State, 2-4 overall and 1-3 in Big 12 Conference play, hosts Oklahoma, 2-4 overall and 0-3 in league action. Kickoff for Saturday’s game is scheduled for 6 p.m. as O-State begins a stretch in which it will play four of its final five regular-season games on Lewis Field.
HOW THEY GOT HERE — Oklahoma’s two Big 12 Conference football programs will arrive at Saturday’s game with identical records of 2-4 overall and 1-3 in league play. Oklahoma State opened with a win at Kansas before a loss at Tulsa. The Cowboys then came back for an impressive win over No. 24 Mississippi State before losing heartbreakers to Nebraska and Texas Tech. Oklahoma opened with back-to-back wins over North Texas and Texas Christian before falling to California, Colorado, Texas and Missouri on successive Saturdays.
ON THE AIR — Saturday’s game between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma will be broadcast live on the Cowboy Network with Bill Teegins and Tom Dirato describing the action. The game will not be televised. Network television selections for Saturday include Texas Tech at Texas A&M on ABC, Baylor at Texas on fX and Colorado at Kansas on Fox Sports Net. The Big 12 Syndicated game will be Missouri at Nebraska.
UNDER THE LIGHTS — Saturday’s game will kick off at 6 p.m. and be just the third Bedlam game to ever be played entirely under the lights, all in Stillwater. The first was the 1985 Ice Bowl, won by OU 13-0. The second was in 1988, when the game was televised by ESPN and moved to night. Oklahoma won that game 31-28. As far as start times are concerned, the 6 p.m. kickoff this week represents the fourth different kickoff time for an OSU-OU game in the last five years.
BEDLAM SELLOUT — Saturday’s game has been officially sold out for more than a month. Included in the sellout crowd Saturday night will be more than 8,600 OSU students. Speaking of tickets, just a few remain for next week’s homecoming game against Texas A&M. The telephone number for OSU’s athletic ticket office is (405) 744-5745 or (800) 522-6858.
KEEP AWAY — Part of the productivity of Oklahoma State’s offense has been ball control. The Cowboys have had more time of possession in 17 of the past 18 regular-season games. Just once since the Oklahoma game of 1996 has an opponent held the ball longer than the Cowboys.
Year Opponent OSU Time Opp Time 1998 Kansas State 36:10 23:50 1998 Texas Tech 31:01 28:59 1998 Nebraska 35:10 24:50 1998 Mississippi State 38:48 21:15 1998 Tulsa 28:43 31:17 1998 Kansas 35:11 23:46 1997 Baylor 31:24 28:36 1997 Texas Tech 34:46 25:11 1997 Oklahoma 36:25 23:35 1997 Texas A&M 32:54 27:06 1997 Missouri 32:55 27:05 1997 Colorado 31:27 28:33 1997 Texas 36:08 23:52 1997 NE Louisiana 33:53 26:07 1997 Fresno State 32:10 27:50 1997 Southwestern La. 30:10 29:50 1997 Iowa State 34:33 25:27 1996 Baylor 37:54 22:06
SACK MONSTERS — Oklahoma State’s five-game sack numbers were the best in the Big 12 Conference and among the best in the country. The Cowboy defense had 18 sacks, an average of 3.6 per game, through the first five games of the season. That number tied the Cowboys with LSU and Tennessee for the ninth-best sack total in the nation. The only other Big 12 teams in the top 20 were Nebraska and Iowa State, who were both averaging 3.3 sacks per game.
OSU LAST WEEK — Oklahoma State dropped a 52-20 decision to fourth-ranked Kansas State in Manhattan. It was a day of big plays for Kansas State. Quarterback Michael Bishop passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more and had 376 yards of total offense. Kansas State scored at least 10 points in each quarter, but the statistics favored OSU in almost every category except the score. The Cowboys had more first downs (21-15), more offensive plays (86-57) and more time of possession (36:10-23:50). Tailback Jamaal Fobbs was OSU’s leading rusher with 62 yards on eight rushes and had a game-long of 49 yards. Quarterback Tony Lindsay completed 13 of 29 for 157 yards and one touchdown. Redshirt freshman tight end Marcellus Rivers had the best day of his young OSU career with five catches for 47 yards and a touchdown. KSU quarterback Michael Bishop completed just eight of 23 passes, but those eight completions totaled 287 yards. On third down, Bishop was 6-for-10 for 271 yards passing. On other downs, he was two-for-13 for 16 yards.
OU LAST WEEK — While OSU was losing in Manhattan, Oklahoma was being dealt a 20-6 setback at Missouri. The Sooners trailed just 6-0 at the half but watched Missouri put two second-half touchdowns on the board. Oklahoma outgunned Missouri 247-210 in total yards. Eric Moore was Oklahoma’s leading rusher and passer. He had 11 carries for 43 yards and completed five of seven passes for 107 yards, including a long of 60. Oklahoma’s only scoring was provided by Matt Reeves, who kicked a 33-yard field goal in the third quarter and a 25-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
COACH BOB SIMMONS — Oklahoma State’s Bob Simmons is six games into his fourth season and will carry a career record of 19-22 into this week’s game against Oklahoma. Simmons was named OSU’s 20th head football coach on Dec. 16, 1994. Three years and six games later, he has established OSU as one of the top football programs in the Big 12 Conference. He guided the Cowboys to a 4-8 record in 1995; a 5-6 mark in 1996 and an 8-4 record a year ago. Simmons’ 1997 squad finished with OSU’s best record in a decade and made an appearance in the Builders Square Alamo Bowl. He guided the Cowboys into the national rankings a year ago, climbing as high as No. 12 and finishing 25th.
SIMMONS TO COACH IN HULA BOWL — Oklahoma State’s football boss has been selected to coach in the 1998 Hula Bowl, to be played in January in Honolulu. Simmons will help guide the north squad.
1997 HONORS — OSU’s football coach was the recipient of numerous awards following the Cowboys’ 8-4 bowl season of a year ago. He was the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year, according to league coaches. He was a regional Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association and was a finalist on several national coach-of-the-year lists. He was the Black Coaches’ Association’s National Football Coach of the Year and on the receiving end of numerous in-state awards.
Simmons’ Record As an Assistant 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 Orange Bowl 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 Oklahoma State 1996 5-6 Oklahoma State 1997 8-4 Alamo Bowl Oklahoma State 1998 2-4 Near miss vs. Nebraska Totals 3+ years 19-22
This Week’s Opponent ... Oklahoma
THE SERIES — Oklahoma has dominated the series and has a 72-13-7 overall advantage ahead of this week’s game in Stillwater. While Oklahoma State has won two of the last three, Oklahoma will head north having not lost to OSU in the last 15 encounters on Lewis Field. The two teams played to a 15-15 tie in 1992.
IN STILLWATER — Oklahoma State has had more success against its in-state rival in Norman than on its home turf. In Stillwater, Oklahoma leads the series 33-4-4 and has lost to OSU just once (1966) since the end of World War II. OSU’s four all-time victories over Oklahoma in Stillwater came in 1924 (6-0), 1930 (7-0), 1932 (7-0) and 1966 (15-14).
COACH JOHN BLAKE — Oklahoma’s head coach is six games into his third season and will bring a career record of 9-20 into Saturday’s game against the Cowboys. Blake is a native of Sand Springs and a 1983 Oklahoma graduate. He was an assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys before being named coach at OU.
BLAKE VS. OSU — John Blake is 1-1 against Oklahoma State, having led his team to a 27-17 win in Stillwater in his first year (1996) and losing by a 30-7 count last year in Norman.
SIMMONS VS. OU — Bob Simmons is 2-1 vs. Oklahoma, with both wins coming against the Sooners in Norman. The Cowboys posted a 12-0 win over OU in Simmons’ first season at the OSU helm (1995).
SERIES NOTES — The series began in 1904 with a 75-0 Oklahoma win. The series has been played uninterrupted since 1910. Six times between 1915 and 1944, the teams played each other in Oklahoma City ... Oklahoma State has never won more than two straight from OU, while the Sooners have winning streaks of 19, 15, 11, 9 and 7 against Oklahoma State ... Oklahoma State’s most lopsided win over OU was 47-0 in 1945. The next year, OU won 73-12 and started its 19-game winning streak ... Oklahoma’s most lopsided win over Oklahoma State was the 75-0 rout in the very first game (1904) ... Oklahoma has scored 40 or more points on the Cowboys 22 times but has not eclipsed the 40-point mark since 1980 ... There have been 34 shutouts and three scoreless ties in the history of the Bedlam Series.
Oklahoma State (2-4, 1-3) Oklahoma (2-4, 0-3) Category Avg. Big 12 Nat’l Avg. Big 12 Nat’l Rushing Offense 203.3 6 26 186.8 7 33 Passing Offense 166.3 8 83 117.3 11 104 Total Offense 369.7 7 50 304.2 12 92 Scoring Offense 25.7 9 54 15.5 12 101 Rushing Defense 111.8 5 21 133.8 7 44 Pass Efficiency Defense 136.9 10 88 108.7 5 33 Total Defense 306.7 7 25 266.3 2 6 Scoring Defense 31.0 10 95 18.7 7 26 Net Punting 36.5 7 51 39.9 4 10 Punt Returns 7.0 10 75 11.5 5 31 Kickoff Returns 20.7 9 57 22.2 5 37 Turnover Margin 0.00 8 52 -1.17 12 104
BLOOD LINES — It will be OSU vs. OU and brother vs. brother this week in Stillwater. Oklahoma State’s defensive coordinator is Rob Ryan while Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator is Rex Ryan. They are twins born on Dec. 13, 1962, and the sons of former NFL coach Buddy Ryan.
WHAT IS BEDLAM? — It’s a term that is thrown around rather loosely when athletic teams from Oklahoma State and Oklahoma face each other. By definition in The New Merriam-Webster Dictionary it means: (1) an insane asylum; (2) a scene of uproar or confusion. Bedlam, at least in the sport of football, is well defined by a series of bizarre events surrounding many of the past 92 meetings of the two in-state rivals.
He swims, he scores ... The first-ever meeting between the two schools occurred in Guthrie, Okla., on the banks of the Cottonwood Creek. Rules of the time dictated that either team could recover a loose ball off the playing field. After a punt on this particular day, the ball wound up in the river, where an OU player swam after it, recovered it and swam for a ten-yard touchdown. OU went on to win that first encounter 75-0, and the Sooners would win the first 11 played between the two schools.
Off the rocker ... The 1983 OSU-OU game had all the ingredients of Bedlam. OSU led 20-3 in the fourth quarter and appeared headed to an easy victory. Trailing 20-18, OU called for an onside kick but, called it off a the last minute. Every OU player on the field, except the kicker, got the word. The kick was a line drive that ricocheted off the head gear of OSU’s Chris Rockins. OU recovered and eventually kicked a field goal that gave the Sooners a 21-20 win.
Cold as ice ... Night football in late November can be a thrill almost anywhere, but especially in Oklahoma. On Nov. 30, 1985, a steady rain turned into steady sleet as temperatures fell before OSU’s evening kickoff against Oklahoma. The artificial turf at Lewis Field was turned into a slippery winter wonderland. In the game, Thurman Thomas became the only back to rush for 100 yards against Oklahoma’s defense but the Cowboys couldn’t find the end zone in a 13-0 defeat.
One of everything, please ... On Dec. 2, 1961, the OSU-OU rivalry was as spicy as ever. Oklahoma rallied for a 21-13 win in a game that featured scoring in almost every way possible. Points were put on the scoreboard via touchdown, field goal, safety and both types of conversions. Oklahoma State fumbled four times, losing each one.
Give ’em a hand ... In a game that Tulsa World writer Bill Connors described as “the ugliest, scariest, most misleading and expensive of Barry Switzer’s 146 football victories,” Oklahoma posted a 29-10 win in 1987. The game turned on two interception returns for touchdowns; a 10-yarder by Troy Johnson and a 95-yarder by Rickey Dixon broke the Cowboys’ back. Oklahoma won with 413 rushing yards and zero passing.
Pass the fruit ... Perhaps the most meaningful of any of the previous 92 meetings between the Cowboys and Sooners was in 1984 when the two met in Norman in the season finale to determine the Big Eight’s Orange Bowl representative. Oklahoma won the game and the trip to Miami but only after a classic battle that featured more than its share of bizarre moments, like an official stopping the clock that allowed OSU one more play in the first half — that play turned out to be a touchdown. In another wild moment, OSU quarterback Rusty Hilger dropped back to throw, dropped the ball, picked it up and threw it to Malcolm Lewis, who also bobbled it but gained enough control to streak to a 77-yard touchdown and a third-quarter OSU lead.
The best wasn’t enough ... Barry Sanders, the best college football player in the nation in 1988, rushed for 215 yards and two touchdowns, but the Cowboys couldn’t pull out a victory on national (ESPN) television. A questionable penalty put OSU in a fourth-down situation on the OU 34-yard line with time for just one play. That play was a perfectly thrown pass from Mike Gundy that bounced off Brent Parker’s chest in the end zone.
A kiss for sis ... Between World War II and 1996 (when playoffs began) there was just one time the teams played to a tie. The 1992 game in Stillwater featured an OSU team that was a two-touchdown underdog to the Sooners. OSU scored first and led 9-6 when Keith Burns returned a blocked extra point. After going into halftime tied at 9-9, the second half featured just four field goals (two by each team). The last three-pointer came off the toe of OU’s Scott Blanton as time on the fourth-quarter clock expired.
Bedlam Football from A to Z
A — Anderson, Ernest One of the best tailbacks to ever wear the OSU uniform, but in four games (1979-83), he never scored a touchdown against Oklahoma. B — Bailey, Harold OSU’s starting quarterback in the 1976 game in Norman, won by the Cowboys 31-24. C — Cutchin, Phil Oklahoma State’s head football coach from 1963 to 1968. He is one of just three OSU coaches to ever post back-to-back wins over OU. Cutchin’s Pokes did it in 1965 and 1966. D — Dominate It is exactly what Oklahoma has done in the 92-year history of the series with Oklahoma State. OU has won 72 of the 92 games played between the state rivals. E — Emerson, J.E. A letterman in 1904 and member of the first OSU team to play against Oklahoma. F — Fenimore, Bob The Blond Bomber played in four Bedlam games (1943-46) and was on the ’44 and ’45 teams that defeated OU 28-6 and 47-0, respectively. G — Gundy, Mike Poke quarterback who was heavily recruited by both schools. Had 588 passing yards in four games vs. OU. Mike’s brother, Cale, was a quarterback at OU. H — Hartman, Jack Four-year football letterman at Oklahoma State who played against the Sooners four years and coached against them 16 years while head basketball coach at Kansas State. I — Ice Bowl The now-infamous 1985 game, moved to night for TV. Sleet and freezing rain made it almost impossible to play. OU coach Barry Switzer later said, “These were the worst conditions I’ve ever seen any game played under.” OU won 13-0. J — Johnson, Jimmy OSU head coach from 1979-83. Also served as defensive line coach at OU from 1970 to 1972. K — Kolb, Jon Oklahoma State All-American who was on the last Cowboy squad to defeat the Sooners in Stillwater. The 1966 Pokes recorded a 15-14 win on December 3 on Lewis Field. L — Lewis Field The site of 38 Bedlam battles dating back to 1913, when it officially opened. OSU has won only four times vs. OU in games played on its home field. M — Monsoon You could blame OSU’s 1993 performance against OU on heavy rain that pounded Owen Field throughout the game. OU won 31-0. OSU had one first down (gained by penalty), 33 rushing yards and minus two passing yards. N — Norman The home of the University of Oklahoma. O — O’Neal, Leslie Oklahoma State All-American who played in four Bedlam games (1982-85). He is now a 13-year NFL veteran and starts for the Kansas City Chiefs. P — Parker, Brent He was a four-year letterman at Oklahoma State and the target of Mike Gundy’s final-play pass in 1988. The pass deflected off of Parker in the end zone, and OU held on to win. Q — Quorum There’s usually one when these two teams get together. In fact, over the last four years, the OSU-OU game has drawn 248,958 fans, an average of 62,239 per game. R — Rockins, Chris It was off of Rockins’ headgear in 1983 that the Sooners’ onside kick bounced, caroming right back into the hands of OU’s Scott Case. The Sooners then kicked a field goal and won 21-20, overcoming a 20-3 fourth-quarter deficit. S — Stillwater The city in which 41 of the 92 games played between OSU and OU have taken place and the home of Oklahoma State University. T — Thomas, Thurman OSU’s all-time leading rusher and a two-time All-American. In four games vs. OU, Thomas rushed for 369 yards, including 173 in the 1987 game in Norman. U — Uphill Where you were going on the old artificial surface at OU’s Owen Field when running from the sideline to the crest in the middle of the field. V — Vaughn, Lawson OSU kicker who had seven of his team’s 15 points in the 1992 tie in Stillwater. W — Worn-out A good synonym for the word “bedlam.” X — Xenophobia What a good number of each school’s fans have for the other team. (look it up.) Y — Yankees Has nothing to do with Bedlam. Actually, it’s an editorial note as to who is going to win the World Series and just to see if you’ve actually read this far. Z — Zachary, Ziegler, Zentic, Znamenacek, Zabel The only five guys with a last name beginning with Z that have ever lettered for either school.
THREE LOSSES, BUT SOME BRIGHT SPOTS — Although OSU has lost its last three games, the Cowboys have shown in those three games that they can compete with the nation’s best. Here are some highlights from the Cowboys’ past three contests:
Opponent Stat (Nat’l Rank) OSU Note Nebraska Rushing Offense (2) Held ’Huskers to 73 rushing yards — four in first half Rushing Defense (4) Simmons: first back in two years to gain 100 yards vs. NU Scoring Offense (6) NU held almost 20 points under its average Texas Tech Rushing Offense (5) Williams held under 100 yards for first time Rushing Defense (4) OSU gains 195 yards, more than double TTU’s average Kansas State Scoring Defense (1) OSU’s 20 is triple KSU’s average Rushing Defense (1) OSU gains 141, double KSU’s average Total Defense (1) OSU rolls up 328 yards
ELDER COMING INTO HIS OWN — Freshman P Scott Elder has had an impressive rookie campaign, stepping into OSU’s regular punting duties as a true freshman. After averaging under 40 yards per kick in each of OSU’s first two games, Elder has averaged 44.59 yards in the four games since and has hit seven punts for over 50 yards.
RIVERS STANDS OUT IN MANHATTAN — Redshirt freshman TE Marcellus Rivers had a breakout performance against Kansas State, collecting five receptions — the most by an OSU receiver this year — for 47 yards and a touchdown. The TD, which came on a leaping circus catch over a K-State defensive back, was Rivers’ second this season.
SIMMONS BUSTS OUT — Junior TB Nathan Simmons had a career-high 148 yards in the Mississippi State game as he crossed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for his career. He followed that performance with probably the best game of his career, rushing for 114 yards against Nebraska. He became the first back in two years to gain over 100 yards against the ’Huskers, who came into the game with the nation’s fourth-best rushing defense. Simmons is now eighth in rushing (80.67 ypg) in the run-dominated Big 12 and ranks 48th nationally. Simmons’ 62-yard rush against Kansas was OSU’s longest since 1995, when David Thompson went for a 91-yard run against Kansas State.
DEFENSE SHINES — Nebraska entered its contest with OSU with the second-best rushing offense in the nation. However, the Cowboys turned in a remarkable performance, holding the ’Huskers to an amazing four yards on the ground in the first half and 73 yards for the game. OSU became the first team to hold Nebraska under 100 yards rushing since Miami in the 1992 Orange Bowl, and the Cowboys are the first Cornhusker opponent to do so in regular-season play since 1976. The Cowboys have held three of their six opponents under 100 yards rushing; Nebraska’s previous season low had been 236 yards against UAB. OSU, now ranked fifth in the Big 12 and 21st in the nation in rush defense (111.8), was the first team this season to hold Texas Tech’s Ricky Williams under 100 yards rushing.
WRIGHT PERFORMS AS EXPECTED — Junior LB Kenyatta Wright, a preseason candidate for the Butkus Award, has lived up to his billing in OSU’s first five games. Wright leads the Cowboys in tackles (45) and sacks (four for 31 yards). He led the OSU defense’s impressive performance against Texas Tech, garnering 10 tackles — two for losses — and one fumble recovery.
HOWELL’S FIRST CATCHES ARE BIG — Sophomore WR Ethan Howell certainly made the first reception of his collegiate career count. Junior QB Chris Chaloupka and Howell connected on a 64-yard pass in the fourth quarter at Tulsa; it was Howell’s first-ever catch, and it was OSU’s longest pass play since Gary Porter hit Shannon Culver for an 80-yard gainer against Missouri in 1992. Howell and Chaloupka weren’t finished, though; on the next two plays, they connected on passes of 10 and 21 yards, leading to Brian Aikins’ one-yard score on the next play. Against Nebraska, Howell topped his Tulsa performance, catching his first touchdown pass — a 67-yard toss from sophomore QB Tony Lindsay to tie the game in the fourth quarter.
LINDSAY AVOIDS SOPH SLUMP — Lindsay was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 1997, and although he has had some ups and downs, his play this year would seem to indicate he’ll continue his success. Lindsay had his best passing night of the year — completing 11 for 17 attempts for 201 yards, including a career-long 64-yarder to Terrance Richardson — against Mississippi State. Lindsay connected with Howell for a 67-yard touchdown against Nebraska, the longest pass play by an OSU team in six years. For his career, the sophomore has now accounted for 24 TDs (13 rushing, 11 passing).
CENTURY/MILLENNIUM MEN — OSU’s tailback duo of Simmons and sophomore Jamaal Fobbs combined for an impressive evening against Mississippi State. Both Fobbs and Simmons went over the 100-yard rushing night for the game, and each topped the 1,000-yard rushing mark for his career. Their performance marked the first time two OSU backs ran for 100 yards in a game since Andre Richardson and David Thompson accomplished the feat against Iowa State in 1996. OSU’s tailback tandem makes OSU the only Big 12 team with two rushers among the league’s top dozen.
FLAGS HAVE FLOWN — A disturbing trend in OSU’s 2-4 start has been the frequent appearance of penalty flags. The Cowboys have been flagged 63 times for 506 yards this season — an average of 84.3 yards per game — and have committed over 100 yards in penalties three times, including 11 flags for 132 yards at Texas Tech. The Cowboys on pace to break the school-record mark of 797 penalty yards set last season; prior to 1997, the school record had been 712 yards, set in 1951.
FABULOUS FOBBS — Fobbs scored on rushes of 55 and three yards against Mississippi State, notching two rushing scores in a game for the first time in his career. He gained 104 yards against the Bulldogs, and he now has 10 touchdowns in his career (seven on the ground) and four rushing scores this year. Fobbs’ 49-yard run against Kansas State was his second-longest of the season and the third-longest of his career.
RICHARDSON COMES TO LIFE — Junior WR Terrance Richardson had his best game of the season against Mississippi State, grabbing four Tony Lindsay passes for 106 yards. He became the first wide receiver at OSU to catch passes totaling 100 yards since Rafael Denson in the 1994 Colorado game (tight end Alonzo Mayes topped the century mark once in each of the last three seasons). His 64-yard reception from Tony Lindsay in the first quarter was the longest reception of his career.
FOURTH-DOWN SUCCESS CONTINUES — OSU converted 12 of 17 fourth-down attempts last season, one shy of the school record, and that trend continued in the Kansas game. The Cowboys went for it twice in Lawrence and were successful both times. Both attempts extended drives that eventually went for scores. Last season, eight of OSU’s 12 successful fourth-down conversions extended scoring drives. OSU is 8 for 12 on fourth down this season, including two memorable plays against Nebraska — freshman P Scott Elder’s 22-yard pass to junior DB Evan Howell on a fake punt and Lindsay’s crucial pass to senior WR Sean Love with 10 seconds left.
OUR BALL — After holding onto the ball for 36:14 at Kansas, OSU had won the time-of-possession battle in 13 straight regular-season games, a streak that was snapped in Tulsa’s victory over OSU. The Cowboys’ record during the 13-game streak was 10-3. OSU returned to its ball-hogging ways against Mississippi State, holding the ball for nearly 39 minutes. The Cowboys’ 71 rushing plays against the Bulldogs are the most since the team ran 75 times against Kansas State in 1976. OSU possessed the ball for 36:10 against Nebraska, marking the fourth time in this year’s six games that the Cowboys have had the ball for over 35 minutes. The Cowboys have now won the time-of-possession battle in 17 of the past 18 games.
CHALOUPKA PROVIDES A SPARK — Chaloupka saw his first playing time as a quarterback (he played at Kansas as a kick holder) in the Tulsa game, and he made the most of his opportunity. Chaloupka directed OSU on scoring drives of 96 and 87 yards and completed nine of 14 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. He also directed the Cowboys on fourth-quarter touchdown drives against Texas Tech and Kansas State, capping each with scoring passes.
NOT IN OUR HOUSE — The Basketball Cowboys’ 78-game home non-conference winning streak gets all the press, but the OSU football team has an impressive streak of its own. The Cowboys have won 13 straight games against non-league foes on Lewis Field after the Sept. 19 victory over 25th-ranked Mississippi State.
NOTING THE COWBOYS — Senior FB Brian Aikins’ first-quarter touchdown against Texas Tech was not only the 10th of his career and his third this season; it was also OSU’s first touchdown against the Red Raiders since 1989 ... Junior PK Tim Sydnes has made 43 of his last 44 PAT attempts ... Junior LB Billy Stone picked off a fourth-quarter pass against Mississippi State for the second interception of his career. The first came in OSU’s 12-0 victory over Oklahoma in 1995 ... Junior TE Garrett Steggs’ 41-yard second-quarter reception against NU was the longest of his career and just his third catch this season ... The 24-17 loss to Nebraska marks the closest game in the series since the ’Huskers won 14-10 in Stillwater in 1983 ... OSU’s loss to Kansas State is the Cowboys’ 27th consecutive against a top-five-ranked team.
