Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys In Search Of Sixth Straight Win Over Kansas
November 05, 2007 | Cowboy Football
The Home Finale
The Oklahoma State Cowboys will play their final home game of the 2007 football season when they host the Kansas Jayhawks Saturday night at Boone Pickens Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
TV Time
For the second consecutive week, Oklahoma State will appear on ABC air as part of the ESPN on ABC package. This week's game marks OSU's first appearance in the prime time window. The television appearance will be the seventh of the season for the Cowboys. They made national cable appearances against Georgia (ESPN2), Troy (ESPN2), Texas Tech (FSN) and Texas A&M (FSN), and a regional network appearance against Texas (ABC). OSU was also part of the FSN pay-per-view package at Nebraska.
For The Record
Oklahoma State enters the contest at 5-4 overall and 3-2 in Big 12 play. The Cowboys' two Big 12 losses have been by a total of four points. Both games were decided in the final seconds. The Jayhawks are one of the surprise teams in the country. Kansas is 9-0 overall and leads the Big 12 North with a perfect 5-0 record. Ohio State, Kansas and Hawaii are the only undefeated teams left in 2007.
Senior Send Off
A total of 21 Cowboy seniors will be playing their final game in Boone Pickens Stadium when the Jayhawks visit Stillwater. The senior roster includes receiver Adarius Bowman, running back Zach Carter, safety Clint Coe, running back Julius Crosslin, defensive lineman Maurice Cummings, receiver Tommy Devereaux, defensive end Marque Fountain, defensive end/linebacker Rod Johnson, offensive lineman David Koenig, defensive back Billy Lewis, running back DeAaron Martin, receiver Jon Morris, linebacker Jeremy Nethon, running back Chris Offor, defensive end Nate Peterson, running back Dantrell Savage, tight end Paschal Smith, defensive back Martel Van Zant and linebacker Donovan Woods.
Noting The Seniors
The Cowboy senior class includes receiver Adarius Bowman, who will end his career, statistically, as one of the most productive wideouts in school history. Offensive lineman David Koenig has started 33 straight games entering the KU contest, Julius Crosslin is one of the all-time leading scorers in school history and defensive end Nate Peterson is among OSU's all-time leaders in quarterback sacks. Dantrell Savage and Jeremy Nethon were offensive and defensive MVPs of the 2006 Independence Bowl and linebacker Donovan Woods has started at three different positions. Defensive back Martel Van Zant is one of the most inspirational and popular players in OSU history.
The Cowboys Quickly
Oklahoma State has won four of its last six games, but is coming off of its first home loss of the season. OSU is third in the Big 12 South standings with games remaining against Kansas, Baylor and Oklahoma. OSU is eighth nationally in total offense (499.3 yards per game) and seventh in the country in rushing (246.3 yards per game).
Scouting The Jayhawks
Kansas may be fielding one of the best teams in school history. The Jayhawks are No. 10 in total offense (489.7 yards per game), second in scoring offense (46.2 ppg) and seventh in total defense (288.3 yards per game). KU has already recorded road wins at Kansas State, Colorado and Texas A&M. Kansas is rated among the top 15 in the country in 11 statistical categories, including second in scoring defense (13.4).
Kansas And Oklahoma State
The all-time series with Kansas, which dates back to 1923, finds OSU with a narrow 29-28-2 lead. The Cowboys have won five straight in the series and since 1969 Oklahoma State hold a 23-7-2 advantage. The series is tied, 13-13-1 in Stillwater. Those numbers also improve for the Cowboys in recent years. Kansas won eight of the first 11 games in Stillwater while the Cowboys are 9-4-1 at home since 1972. It should be noted that OSU's record against the Jayhawks includes a 1980 KU forfeit in the OSU win column. The actual on-field score in 1980 was 14-14. During their current five-game winning streak against the Jayhawks, the Cowboys have averaged 44.8 points.
The North And South Of It
Oklahoma State is 2-0 against the Big 12 North this season and the Cowboys have won four straight against the North overall. OSU has won nine of its last 13 games against the North, dating back to 2003. Going back to 2002, OSU is 11-5 against the North Division.
Number Games
Some of the top individual and team performances in Cowboy history have come against the Jayhawks. Some of those are featured below.
• A 536-yard team rushing effort by the Cowboys in a 1988 win. It is still the second best total in OSU history.
• Three of the top four passing games in OSU history came against Kansas (429 yards in 1989, 411 yards last season and 397 yards in 2002). The school record of 430 yards was set last week against Texas.
• OSU's single-game total offense record of 717 yards was set against Kansas in 1988.
• OSU had 603 yards against Kansas last season (No. 10 all-time at OSU).
• Barry Sanders tied an OSU record with a 100-yard kickoff return for a score against KU in 1987.
• In 1981, OSU's Larry Roach booted the longest field goal in Cowboy history against Kansas (56 yards).
• Barry Sanders tied a school record with five rushing TDs against Kansas in 1988.
• Quarterback Mike Gundy set the individual game passing record against Kansas in 1989 with 429 yards. That record was broken last week by Zac Robinson.
• Mike Gundy also set a school completion percentage record in that game by hitting 27 of his 35 attempts (77.1 percent).
• Last season, Adarius Bowman set a school record and recorded the 11th best game in NCAA history with 300 receiving yards (and four touchdowns) against the Jayhawks.
• Bobby Reid set Oklahoma State's single-game total offense record last year with 457 yards in Lawrence. That record was also broken last week by Zac Robinson.
• Cowboy kicker Cary Blanchard tied a school record by going 9-for-9 on extra points in the 1988 OSU win over the Jayhawks and OSU's Greg Ivy set another school record by averaging 57.2 yards per punt in 1995 against KU.
Last Year In Lawrence
It was a tale of two halves in Lawrence. The Kansas Jayhawks held a 17-0 halftime lead over the Cowboys and seemed to be in control of an OSU team looking for its first league win. Midway through the third quarter, Bobby Reid found Adarius Bowman on a 54-yard TD play. OSU then recovered an onside kick and Reid completed the possession with a 29-yard TD run. Those scores started the Cowboys on a monumental run as OSU scored 42 points in the last 23:19 of the game in a 42-32 win. That total included 21 points in a span of 3:41 (without the help of any KU turnovers). Reid set the school record with 457 yards of total offense (since broken by Zac Robinson) and Bowman set a school record with 300 receiving yards.
Last Time In Stillwater
Vernand Morency, subbing for an injured Tatum Bell, rushed for 269 yards, including 170 in the third quarter as OSU broke open a close game in an eventual 44-21 win. The Cowboys ran for 295 yards while Kansas countered with 259 passing yards. The victory helped OSU to an appearance in the Cotton Bowl.
Ranking The Opposition
Oklahoma State's win over No. 25 Kansas State was the first for the Cowboys over a ranked team since OSU defeated No. 20 Nebraska, 41-29, in 2006. Under Mike Gundy, OSU is 3-6 against the top 25, including a 1-2 record this season (a loss at Georgia, a loss to Texas, and the Kansas State win). OSU's last win over a member of the top 10 came in 2002 when the Cowboys defeated No. 3 Oklahoma, 38-28.
BPS Success
Oklahoma State has won four of its last five home games and six of its last eight heading into the Kansas contest. Against the Jayhawks, Oklahoma State will be looking to continue the offensive roll it has been on inside the friendly confines. Some numbers to ponder from the last 12 games played at Boone Pickens Stadium:
• OSU has a 9-3 record in its last 12 home games.
• OSU has gone over 400 yards of offense in nine of its last 12 game homes.
• In six of its last seven games at Boone Pickens Stadium, OSU has reached at least 488 yards in total offense.
• Eight of the 12 games have seen the Cowboys score at least 39 points.
• OSU has scored over 40 points seven times in its last 12 home games, including three of its four home games this season.
• The 35 points OSU scored against Texas are the fewest the Cowboys have scored at home this season.
