Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Host Bears in Home Finale
November 09, 2004 | Cowboy Football
Oklahoma State (6-3, 3-3) vs.
Baylor (3-6, 1-5)
Saturday, Nov. 13, 2004 • 1 p.m. [CST]
Boone Pickens Stadium [47,800] • Stillwater, Okla.
Cowboys Host Baylor in Home Finale
Oklahoma State entertains the Baylor Bears Saturday afternoon as the home portion of the 2004 schedule comes to a close. Kickoff at Boone Pickens Stadium is set for 1:05 p.m. as the Cowboys try to snap a two-game winless streak and finish the home schedule on a positive note. Oklahoma State is 6-3 overall heading into Saturday’s game while Baylor is 3-6. OSU is 3-3 in Big 12 play while Baylor is 1-5.
Cowboys-Baylor, Briefly
Saturday’s game will mark the 23rd meeting between Oklahoma State and Baylor on the football field. Ahead of this week’s game, the overall series is tied at 11-11, with the Cowboys owning a 6-5 record in games played in Stillwater. Oklahoma State has won the last eight games played between the two Big 12 Conference schools, including the last five played in Stillwater. Baylor’s last victory over OSU came in 1994 in Waco by a 14-10 margin. There is much more on the Oklahoma State-Baylor series later in this release.
Senior Day
When Oklahoma State takes the field Saturday afternoon against Baylor, 17 Cowboy seniors will be making their final appearances inside Boone Pickens Stadium. All 17 and their families will be honored in pregame ceremonies. This year’s OSU senior class is an outstanding one, led by 11 players who have started during their Cowboy careers. Seven of of the 16 seniors are in their fifth years.
Chris Akin — 6-2, 300, OL, Weatherford, Okla. (Weatherford) ...A veteran and talented offensive lineman who has started all season at center. In fact, Akin will make his 29th straight Oklahoma State start this week, and the 30th start of his Cowboy career.
Billy Bajema — 6-5, 260, TE, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Westmoore) ... Oklahoma State’s starting tight end and a real star, not only on the field but in the classroom. Bajema was named a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete last week, just the fourth in OSU history. On the field, he has 14 catches for 223 yards and a touchdown.
Clay Coe — 6-2, 295, DL, Edmond, Okla. (Deer Creek) ... Coe has been one of the most consistent players on Oklahoma State’s defense the past three seasons. He has started all season at nose guard, and will log his 24th career start this week against Baylor. This season, Coe has 20 stops, including three behind the line of scrimmage.
Marcus Craig — 6-0, 295, DL, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Millwood) ... A defensive lineman and brother of former OSU defensive back Elbert Craig, Marcus has been a steady member of Oklahoma State’s last two bowl teams.
Jacob Dressen — 6-4, 275, DS, Mooreland, Okla. (Mooreland/Southern Nazarene) ... Oklahoma State’s deep snapper, and one of the best in the Big 12 Conference. In almost two years of handling this special teams chore, Dressen has been nearly flawless.
Cole Farden — 5-11, 200, P, Grapevine, Texas (Grapevine) ... One of the best punters in the country and possibly the best kickoff specialist in the country in 2004. Farden has been spectacular in his OSU career, averaging nearly 43 yards per punt. He has also had more than 75 percent of his kickoffs go for touchbacks. He is a candidate for the Ray Guy Award.
Paul Francis — 6-2, 185, DB, Lawton, Okla. (Eisenhower/NEO) ... Francis transferred to Oklahoma State from NEO and has contributed the past two seasons. Paul was one of the top defensive backs in the state of Oklahoma coming out of Lawton’s Eisenhower High School.
Jon Holland — 5-11, 185, DB, Oklahoma City, Okla. (John Marshall/NEO) ... Holland has put his stamp on the Oklahoma State secondary in a big way after arriving from NEO. He has started all nine games in 2004 at free safety after making 11 starts a year ago. He will forever be remembered for his game-saving interception last year against Texas Tech, and he has 57 total tackles so far in 2004.
Andre Johnson — 5-9, 185, CB, Chickasha, Okla. (Chickasha) ... Scheduled to graduate in December, Andre has made a significant contribution to the Cowboy program for the past three years. He has played both on the defensive side and on special teams.
Greg Jones — 5-9, 205, TB, Carrollton, Texas (Newman Smith) ... A talented running back who has played in seven of Oklahoma State’s nine games in 2004 and has 22 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns.
Robert Jones — 5-11, 190, CB, Midwest City, Okla. (Carl Albert/NEO) ... A two-year starter in the Oklahoma State secondary, Jones has 42 tackles, a pass interception and a team-leading three fumble recoveries in 2004. He will make his 22nd career start when the Cowboys face Baylor Saturday afternoon.
Sam Mayes — 6-3, 320, OL, Austintown, Ohio (Fitch) ... One of Oklahoma State’s best offensive linemen, Sam was a preseason All-Big 12 and All-America selection, and has started 36 games in an Cowboy uniform. He started 11 games in 2003 and has started all nine so far in 2004, a string of 20 consecutive and 36 overall.
Preston McIntyre — 6-0, 225, LB, Burns Flat, Okla. (Burns Flat/Southern Nazarene) ...Preston came to Oklahoma State from Burns Flat via Southern Nazarene. Has been an important part of the program for the past two years.
Efe Mowarin — 6-1, 310, DL, Tulsa, Okla. (Memorial/NEO) ... Efe has become an anchor on Oklahoma State’s defensive line after transferring from NEO. He has started the last seven games after logging three starts a year ago. He has 14 tackles, three of which have been behind the line of scrimmage.
Seymore Shaw — 5-11, 215, TB, Shawnee, Okla. (Shawnee) ... Talented tailback who has seen considerable action the last two weeks against Oklahoma and Texas. For the season, Shaw has played in nine games and has 195 yards and a touchdown. He has a chance to regain a year of eligibility if he graduates by next August.
Darrent Williams — 5-9, 175, DB, Ft. Worth, Texas (O.D.Wyatt) ... One of the top defensive backs in the country heading into 2004. He was a preseason All-Big 12 selection and Thorpe Award candidate, but has been sidelined for more than a month with an injury. He still leads the country in punt returns.
John Wohlgemuth — 6-1, 185, WR, Fairview, Okla. (Fairview) ... Has been versatile and steady in his OSU career. John contributed as a wide receiver a year ago and this year has been Oklahoma State’s holder in extra-point and field-goal situations.
Remember the Walk
Oklahoma State players and coaches will walk from the Atherton Hotel at the Student Union to Boone Pickens Stadium approximately 2-1/2 hours prior to Saturday afternoon’s kickoff. The Walk has become one of the more popular and exciting tradtions at OSU. Before every home game, thousands of fans line Hester Street to greet the Cowboys as they walk to the stadium.
Off the Field: Football Graduation Rate at 87 Percent
In NCAA figures released last week, Oklahoma State’s graduation rate for student athletes is up 20 percent from the last reporting period, and exceed that of the general OSU student population. OSU student-athletes who entered school in the Fall of 1997 had a graduation rate of 60 percent, compared to a 40 percent rate of the last reporting period. Oklahoma State’s football athletes had a graduation rate of 87 percent. Thirteen of 15 football players who entered as freshmen in 1997 have graduated.
Bajema Named NFF Scholar-Athlete
Oklahoma State senior tight end Billy Bajema was named a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete last week, one of the highest academic awards given to college football players. Bajema is one of eight student-athletes from division I-A to earn the award, and one of 15 players representing all four NCAA divisions. Bajema possesses a double major in business administration and pre-medicine, and is a two-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection and CoSIDA Academic All-District selection. He has received Oklahoma State’s Academic Achievement Award three times, and is a six-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll. He has also received President’s Honor Roll and Dean’s List recognition three times.
OSU-Baylor, On the Air
There is no live television planned for Saturday’s game between Oklahoma State and Baylor. The game will be broadcast live on the Cowboy Radio Network, with Dave Hunziker, Tom Dirato and Robert Allen describing the action. The network broadcast begins one hour before kickoff. The Oklahoma State Radio Network is a property of Host Communications, Lexington, Ky. The game broadcast can be heard across the state of Oklahoma on more than 30 radio stations.
National Rankings: OSU Ranked Eighth Straight Week
Oklahoma State suffered a road setback for the first time in 2004, but the Cowboys are still ranked in both major Top 25 polls. The Cowboys are 24th this week in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. The Cowboys were No. 19 a week ago. In this week’s Associated Press Top 25, Oklahoma State is 25th. The Cowboys broke into the national rankings the week of Sept. 21, and have risen as high as No. 15.
