Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Face Aggies in Big 12 Matchup
October 10, 2005 | Cowboy Football
Oklahoma State (3-2, 0-2)
at Texas A&M (3-2, 1-1)
Kyle Field
Saturday, Oct. 15, 2005 • 2:30 p.m. • College Station, Texas • Cowboy Sports Network
Cowboys Travel to Texas A&M
Oklahoma State makes its first Big 12 Conference road appearance of the season and just its second road appearance overall this week as the Cowboys travel to College Station to face the Texas A&M Aggies. Oklahoma State is 3-2 overall and 0-2 in league play, looking for its first Big 12 win of the season. Texas A&M has an identical 3-2 overall record and is 1-1 in league play. Kickoff at Kyle Field is set for 2:30 p.m. (CDT), and the game will not be televised.
Remember This One?
When Texas A&M came to Stillwater for the second game of the 1988 season, the nation was just beginning to get a glimpse of Barry Sanders. When A&M left town after a 52-15 Cowboy victory, the world knew exactly how exceptional OSU's soon-to-be Heisman winner really was. Sanders rushed 20 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns in the easy win. Wearing all orange for the first time in school history, Sanders and the Cowboys scored 17 points in the first quarter, 21 in the second and 14 more in the third. Jackie Sherrill's Aggies managed a first-quarter touchdown and another in the third.
Cowboys on the Road
Oklahoma State will depart for College Station via Champion Air charter early Friday afternoon and conduct a brief walk-through at the stadium. The Cowboys will stay at Waterway Marriott in The Woodlands. OSU will return to Stillwater immediately following Saturday's game.
OSU-Texas A&M: Series History
When Oklahoma State faces Texas A&M Saturday on Kyle Field, it will mark the 21st meeting between the two schools on the football field. The two schools met only 11 times prior to the formation of the Big 12 Conference. Texas A&M owns a 14-6 series advantage, and the Aggies are 7-2 against Oklahoma State in College Station. The Cowboys did post a 38-10 win in their last visit to Kyle Field in 2003.
This Date in OSU Football History
October 15 is the anniversary of a pair of memorable games in Oklahoma State history, including one rather forgettable moment. On October 15, 1983, the Cowboys lost a 20-3 lead to cross-state rival Oklahoma and aborbed a 21-20 loss. The game included the infamous onside kick that bounced off an OSU player's helmet. October 15 is also the anniversary of a 21-14 homecoming win over Kansas State in 1977.
Tickets Remain for Final Two Home Games
Oklahoma State is on the road the next two weeks at Texas A&M and Iowa State. The Cowboys return to Boone Pickens Stadium for an October 29 homecoming contest against Texas, and play their final home game on Nov. 13 against Texas Tech. Tickets for both games are still available by calling the Athletic Ticket Office (877-ALL-4-OSU) or logging on to www.okstate.com. Tickets are also available in person at the ticket office in the east lobby of the Athletic Center, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
OSU-Texas A&M on the Air
Saturday's game against the Aggies will be broadcast live on the Cowboy Radio Network with Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb and Robert Allen describing the action. Hunziker returns for his fifth season as the radio voice of OSU football. Holcomb is the sports director of Tulsa's KOTV (CBS), and is beginning his first season as the analyst in the Cowboy broadcast booth. Allen returns for his fourth season on the OSU sideline. The radio broadcast begins one hour prior to kickoff. The game broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 145. Please note ... this channel will be Texas A&M's radio feed. Sirius Satellite Radio is only able to dedicate one channel to each game when partnered with both schools. They then take the home team's feed.
OSU Last Week
Oklahoma State fell behind Missouri 31-9 early in the third quarter before beginning a rally that would have bested last years come-from-behind win in Columbia. The Cowboys outscored Mizzou 22-7 over the final 35 minutes, but it wasn't quite enough as the Tigers survived by a 38-31 score in front of 42,000 sun-drenched patrons at Boone Pickens Stadium. Julius Crosslin scored two third-quarter touchdowns and D'Juan Woods caught a fourth-quarter touchdown pass as the Cowboys tried to snatch a last-second victory. OSU's hopes died when Al Peña, playing for an injured Bobby Reid, threw an interception with the Cowboys driving and just 55 seconds remaining in the contest. Reid, who left the game in the fourth quarter, completed 11 of 20 passes for 155 yards. Peña completed four of seven attempts for 64 yards and a touchdown. Tailback Mike Hamilton led the OSU rushing attack with 81 yards on 21 carries. On the defensive side, linebacker Rodrick Johnson had 10 tackles while defensive back Jamie Thompson added nine. Daniel McLemore had eight tackles, one for minus yardage, forced one fumble and recovered that fumble.
OSU-Missouri Game Notes
• Quarterback Bobby Reid's 155 passing yards on 11 completions marked a career high.
• Oklahoma State's 31 points against Missouri are a season high. The previous high was 23 in a victory over Florida Atlantic.
• Quarterback Al Peña made his first appearance of the season when he entered the game with 8:58 remaining in the fourth quarter.
• Julius Crosslin's third-quarter touchdown was not only his fifth of the season, it snapped a string of six-straight quarters the Cowboys had gone without scoring a TD.
Texas A&M Last Week
Shortly after Oklahoma State fell just short in its rally against Missouri, Texas A&M kicked off against Colorado at Folsom Field in Boulder. Colorado, a 34-0 winner at OSU a week ago, recorded its second-straight win over a team from the Big 12's South Division by pinning a 41-20 loss on Texas A&M. The Buffs scored the game's first 21 points, led 31-6 at the half and had a 41-6 advantage going into the final quarter. Colorado dominated the game, both on the scoreboard and statistically. CU had 26 first downs to Texas A&M's 17. The Buffs had 585 total offensive yards to the Aggies' 252, and Colorado limited Texas A&M to just 78 net rushing yards. Texas A&M's sensational quarterback Reggie McNeal completed 10 of 21 passes for 138 yards against Colorado.
More on Texas A&M
The Aggies boast one of the top offenses in the country, led by one of the top quarterbacks in the country, Reggie McNeal. Texas A&M is among the NCAA's top 25 in three offensive categories. The Aggies are averaging 206 rushing yards per game (22nd), 450 total yards per game (18th), and 34 points per game (25th). Those numbers also rank among the top four in the Big 12 Conference. McNeal is averaging 71 yards rushing per game, and his passing efficiency rating of 143.91 is fourth in the league and 30th in the country. The Aggies also have one of the top receivers in the country in Jason Carter. Carter leads the Big 12, averaging 101.8 yards per game.
Head Coach Dennis Franchione
Dennis Franchione is in his third season at Texas A&M and will bring a record of 14-15 into Saturday's game against the Cowboys. Franchione's Aggies finished 4-8 in his first season in College Station, but rebounded to a 7-5 record and Cotton Bowl appearance a year ago. The 2004 Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year has also coached at Alabama (17-8), TCU (25-11), New Mexico (33-36), Southwest Texas State (13-9), Pittsburg (Kan.) State (53-6) and Southwestern (Kan.) (14-4-2).
