Oklahoma State University Athletics
Game Notes - OSU vs. Ole Miss
December 22, 2009 | Cowboy Football
Dec. 22, 2009
No. 21/18 Oklahoma State vs. RV/RV Ole Miss
2010 AT&T Cotton Bowl :: Sat., Jan. 2, 2010 :: 1 p.m. :: Dallas Cowboys Stadium (71,167 cap.)
TV: FOX (Pat Summerall, Daryl Johnston and Krista Voda)
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb and Robert Allen)
National Radio: Westwood One (Brad Sham and Terry Donahue)
Internet: okstate.com
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The Postseason
The Oklahoma State Cowboys will play in the 20th bowl game in school history on Jan. 2 when they face the University of Mississippi Rebels in the 74th AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. It is a rematch of the Jan. 2, 2004, SBC Cotton Bowl. Ole Miss won that game by a 31-28 count.
The Teams
Oklahoma State is 9-3 overall and finished 6-2 in Big 12 play, good enough for second in the rugged Big 12 South. The Rebels enter the game with an 8-4 overall record after compiling a 4-4 mark in SEC play.
Bowl Count
Oklahoma State is playing in a school-record fourth straight bowl game and in another first the Cowboys will be playing in a seventh bowl game in eight seasons. Oklahoma State is 12-7 all-time in bowl games. That .632 bowl winning percentage is the best in the Big 12 Conference and ranks fourth nationally behind USC (.659), Penn State (.658) and Boston College (.650). OSU will be playing in the Cotton Bowl for the third time. The Cowboys are 2-1 in bowl games under Mike Gundy.
Honors College
Entering the bowl game, the most decorated Cowboy of 2009 is offensive lineman Russell Okung, who has been named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association and Walter Camp. He is a two-time all-Big 12 pick and the 2009 conference offensive lineman of the year. Running back Keith Toston, fullback Bryant Ward and defensive back Perrish Cox were also first-team all-Big 12 picks. Toston is the third straight Cowboy running back, joining Dantrell Savage and Kendall Hunter, to earn first-team all-conference honors.
Alumni Association
Oklahoma State entered the season with one of America's most experienced offensive lines and it shows in the classroom. Prior to the Cotton Bowl game, three of the OL starters, Russell Okung, Andrew Lewis and Brady Bond will have earned their college degrees: Okung in marketing, Lewis in management with a minor in marketing and a masters (also already completed) in health care administration, and Brady Bond in agriculture education.
Fast Facts
A couple of items right off the top...
• Oklahoma State is sixth nationally in rushing defense, allowing 87.7 yards per game.
• OSU running back Keith Toston has rushed for more yards than OSU's opposition.
• The 2009 Cowboys set a school record with six conference wins.
• The Cowboys enter the bowl game on the verge of leading the Big 12 in rushing for the fourth straight season.
• The OSU defense is just one of six in the country yet to allow a 100-yard rusher in 2009.
• Keith Toston is the third different OSU player to rush for 1,000 yards over the last three seasons.
• Keith Toston has the best (206 yards vs. Iowa State) and third best (172 vs. Colorado) rushing games in the Big 12 this season.
• The OSU offensive line is seventh nationally in fewest sacks allowed and sixth in fewest tackles for loss allowed.
• The Cowboys are ninth nationally in time of possession (32:22 per game).
• The Cowboys are No. 33 nationally in total defense one season after finishing 93rd in that category.
• Linebacker Patrick Lavine is No. 19 nationally with five interceptions.
• OSU senior Perrish Cox leads the nation with 1.73 passes defended per game (passes broken up plus interceptions).
• OSU has two active players with more than 2,000 rushing yards each in Kendall Hunter and Keith Toston. Zac Robinson has 1,849 rushing yards.
• Last year OSU allowed 5.6 yards per offensive play by the opponent. This season that number has dropped to 4.7.
• Dan Bailey is perfect in his career on extra points with a school-record 130 in a row.
• Dan Bailey is ninth in OSU history with 220 career points.
• Oklahoma State is 19-7 in its last 26 football games.
Cotton I
The Cowboys will be making their third appearance in the AT&T Cotton Bowl in 2010. OSU's first-ever bowl appearance came Jan. 1, 1945, in a Cotton Bowl game against TCU. Led by Bob Fenimore, now a member of the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma A&M Aggies rolled to a 34-0 victory in front of 37,500 fans to cap off an 8-1 season. At the time it was the third largest margin of victory in Cotton Bowl history. Fenimore, who led the nation in total offense, ran for two scores, rushed for 63 yards, passed for 136 and punted five times. The Aggies outgained the Horned Frogs, 494-105, with A&M teammates Fenimore, Neill Armstrong and Ralph Foster named as the game's outstanding players.
Cotton II
OSU returned to the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2, 2004, and lost a tight one to Eli Manning and Ole Miss, 31-28. The Cowboys trailed 24-14 entering the fourth quarter, but rallied to pull within 31-28 with 4:38 left in the game. However, the Rebels held on for the win. OSU receiver Rashaun Woods set Cotton Bowl records with 11 catches and 223 yards, including a 17-yard TD catch. Cowboy quarterback Josh Fields also set a Cotton Bowl record with 307 passing yards with a 21-of-33 passing day.
Bowling For Wins
Statistically speaking, Oklahoma State and Ole Miss are two of the most successful bowl teams in the country. Take a look at the best bowl winning percentages in America for schools with at least 15 bowl appearances.
School: Bowl Record (Pct.)
Southern California: 31-16-0 (.659)
Penn State: 26-13-2 (.658)
Boston College: 13-7-0 (.650)
Oklahoma State: 12-7-0 (.632)
Ole Miss: 20-12-0 (.625)
New Digs
This year's game is the first Cotton Bowl to be played in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Stadium capacity for the 2010 AT&T Cotton Bowl is 71,167.
January The Fifth
Oklahoma State will be playing in a January bowl game for the fifth time in history. Along with Cotton Bowl appearances in 2004 and 1945, OSU also played in the Sugar Bowl in 1946 and in the Delta Bowl in Memphis on Jan. 1, 1949. Oklahoma State is 2-2 all-time in January.
OSU And The SEC
Oklahoma State is 2-1 against the Southeastern Conference in bowl games with a win over Alabama in the 2006 Independence Bowl, a loss to Ole Miss in the 2004 Cotton Bowl and a win over South Carolina in the 1984 Gator Bowl. It should be noted that South Carolina was not yet an SEC member when it clashed with OSU in Jacksonville.
• Under Mike Gundy, the Cowboys are 2-1 against the SEC with a 1-1 record vs. Georgia and the bowl win over the Crimson Tide. The win over Georgia came in the 2009 season opener and the loss came in the 2007 season opener.
• Overall, OSU is 20-35-1 against current SEC membership. However, of the 56 all-time meetings, 42 came against neighboring Arkansas and the Cowboys and Razorbacks have not met since Arkansas joined the SEC.
• Since 1998, Oklahoma State is 3-3 against the SEC.
The Cowboys and Ole Miss
The lone meeting between OSU and Mississippi came in the 2004 Cotton Bowl. Overall, OSU is 3-5 vs. teams from the state of Mississippi with the 0-1 mark against Ole Miss, a 2-2 record against Mississippi State and a 1-2 record against Southern Miss. OSU knocked off USM in the 2002 Houston Bowl.
Nutt And Gundy
There are numerous connections between Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt and Mike Gundy. Both are Oklahoma State graduates. Both are former Cowboy quarterbacks and both are married to OSU graduates. Nutt, who transferred to Oklahoma State from Arkansas, played at OSU during the 1979 and 1980 seasons under Jimmy Johnson. Gundy played under Pat Jones from 1986 through 1989. Nutt was a graduate assistant coach at Oklahoma State in 1981 and 1982. After a brief stint at Arkansas, he returned to Stillwater as receivers coach from 1984 through 1989 and was on the staff all four years of Gundy's playing career.
Other Connections
There are several other connections between Ole Miss and OSU, aside from the head coaches:
• OSU co-offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer is the son of former Rebels head coach Billy Brewer. Gunter served as a graduate assistant at Ole Miss in 1988 and 1989, and after a brief stint in Europe, returned to Oxford for the 1990 season.
• Ole Miss defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix served on the South Carolina staff with Cowboy running backs coach Robert Gillespie.
• OSU co-offensive coordinator Joe Wickline coached the Ole Miss offensive line from 1988 through 1994. During that span the Rebels appeared twice in the Liberty Bowl and once in the Gator Bowl.
• Oklahoma State's roster features three players from Mississippi, including defensive end Darius Hart (Poplarville), cornerback Andrew McGee (Magee) and defensive end Jermiah Price (Collins).
The SEC Comes To Stillwater
The Oklahoma State football staff is loaded with connections to the Southeastern Conference:
• Co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Gunter Brewer was a grad assistant at Ole Miss and is the son of former Rebels head coach Billy Brewer.
• OSU running backs coach Robert Gillespie coached at South Carolina from 2005 to 2008 and played at Florida, where he was a team captain.
• Cornerbacks coach Jason Jones played at Alabama and served as a graduate assistant for the Crimson Tide.
• Quarterbacks coach Robert Matthews was a letterman at Georgia. He graduated from UGA in 1999.
• Offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator Joe Wickline played and coached at Florida, and also coached at Tennessee and Ole Miss.
• Assistant athletic director for strength and conditioning Rob Glass served as head strength coach at Florida before returning to his alma mater.
• OSU's director of football operations, Mack Butler, held the same position at LSU for four years before returning to Stillwater last spring.
• Head team doctor Val Gene Iven held the same position at Tennessee for 13 years before returning to his alma mater.
Back In The Metroplex
Oklahoma State will be playing a football game in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for the first time since Sept 20, 2003, when the Cowboys defeated SMU by a 52-6 count. Rashaun Woods set an NCAA record that day with seven touchdown receptions.
Homecomings
Oklahoma State heads to Dallas with 19 players from the metroplex on the team roster, including starters Ugo Chinasa, Lane Taylor, Hubert Anyiam and Quinn Sharp. The following is a list of locals returning home for the bowl game:
Player, Position - High School
Kenny Alexander, LB - McKinney North
Hubert Anyiam, WR - Garland North
Ugo Chinasa, DE - Richardson Berkner
DeJuan Davis, OL - Fort Worth Crowley
Evan Epstein, OL - McKinney Bishop Lynch
Deron Fontenot, LB - Grand Prairie South
Grant Garner, C - North Mesquite
Justin Gent, LB - Irving MacArthur
Michael Harrison, WR - Dallas Hillcrest
Bryson Hutchins, DL - Keller Central
Richetti Jones, DE - Dallas Lincoln
Jarid King, DL - Plano West
Mathies Long, S - DeSoto Bishop Dunne
Michael Reichenstein, P - Dallas Jesuit College Prep
Adrian Richards, WR - Mesquite
Zach Robinson, P - Flower Mound
Nick Rockwell, DB - Fort Worth Dunbar
Quinn Sharp, P - Mansfield
Lane Taylor, OL - Arlington Martin
Television Stuff
The 2009 Oklahoma State football team is the most televised group of Cowboys in program history. OSU will make 11 TV appearances this season. OSU's previous high for TV games was 10 on two occasions. The Cotton Bowl will be OSU's ninth nationally televised game of the season.
21/16 Vision
When tight end Cooper Bassett was in the starting lineup against Oklahoma, he increased to 37 the number of starters used by Oklahoma State this season. Twenty-one players have started on offense with only offensive linemen Russell Okung, Andrew Lewis and Noah Franklin starting all 12 games. Sixteen players have started on defense.
Big 12 Recap
Oklahoma State's 2009 season has added a successful chapter in OSU football history. The Cowboys finished in sole possession of second place in the Big 12 South. It was the best conference finish for the Cowboys in the 14-year history of the Big 12 with a school-record six conference wins. And 2009 marked the second time in three years that OSU has entered the season finale with a chance to share the South division title.
Senior Moments
Twenty-two OSU players will be making their final appearance as Cowboys when OSU faces Ole Miss. That total does not include senior linebacker Orie Lemon, who is expected to return to the squad next year after losing 2009 to injury. The outgoing seniors include 15 starters and eight four-year letterwinners. The Class of 2009 features...
Terrance Anderson, DB - First year as a starter at cornerback, four-year contributor and part-time starter throughout his career
Lucien Antoine, S - In his first year as a starter and a big part of OSU's 2009 defensive resurgence
Brady Bond, OL - A four-year starter in the offensive line
Donald Booker, LB - Leads the team in tackles as a starter at middle linebacker
Derek Burton, DT - Starter at tackle who made the transition from defensive end during his career
Mark Chesnut, OL - Walkon in the offensive line
DeMarcus Conner, WR - Two-year starter who ranks among the toughest Cowboys, according to coaches
Perrish Cox, DB - A 2008 kick-return All-American and a 2009 semifinalist for the Thorpe Award
Noah Franklin, OL - A fifth-year senior in his first year as a starter for the Cowboy offense
Nathan Gilsleider, WR - Long-time squad member who has seen field action this season
Maurice Gray, DB - Two-year contributor in secondary and on special teams
Beau Johnson, RB - Two-year player who has been a critical contributor in 2008 and '09
Patrick Lavine, LB - A four-year starter who ranks among OSU's all-time leading tacklers
Andrew Lewis, OL - A three-year starter who has started at guard and center in his career
Swanson Miller, DL - A two-year player who has been a starter as a senior
Andrew Mitchell, OL - A junior-college transfer who has been a part-time starter
Russell Okung, OL - Another four-year starter and All-American in 2009
Jermiah Price, DE - A two-year player who has been OSU's top pass rusher the past two seasons
Zac Robinson, QB - School record holder for passing, total offense and touchdown passes
Andre Sexton, LB - Leads OSU in all-time career starts, and ranks among the school's tackles leaders
Walker Smith, S - Walk-on who has earned playing time
Keith Toston, RB - One of the MVPs of 2009 and one of OSU's all-time leading rushers
Class Ranking
This year's senior class of Cowboy football players will rank among the best in the program's history. It will be the first class to appear in four straight bowl games, although a handful of Cowboy individuals with a redshirt year sprinkled in at the right time have accomplished the feat. The win total for this year's class also ranks among the best in OSU history. The current seniors become the eighth in school history to enjoy four straight winning seasons. Below is a look at the most successful senior classes in OSU history. Class is listed based on their final football season and not a default spring graduation date.
Senior Class - Wins
1988 - 34
1987 - 34
2009 - 32
1986 - 32
1985 - 32
1933 - 30
Class Notes
Class of 1933 - 30 Victories
Under Hall of Fame coach Lynn "Pappy" Waldorf, the A&M Aggies lost just seven games over four years and did not lose a conference game during that era.
Class of 1945 - 26 Victories
The Class of 1945 claimed Cotton and Sugar Bowl titles and reached the top five of the final AP poll in 1945. The 26 victories came in just 34 games.
Class of 1985 - 32 Victories
Coached by Jimmy Johnson and later Pat Jones, the class of '85 ended their careers with three straight bowl games and were part of team that went 6-0 at home in 1984 (OSU's last team to be perfect at home).
Class of 1986 - 32 Victories
This class enjoyed four straight winning seasons (the last class until 2009 to accomplish the feat), and narrowly missed making four straight bowl appearances when they went 6-5 as seniors.
Class of 1987 - 34 Victories
The seniors in 1987 led OSU to just the second 10-win season in school history and featured future NFL Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas.
Class of 1988 - 34 Victories
The most prolific offensive team in school history was the 1988 squad with Mike Gundy at quarterback, All-American and first-round NFL pick Hart Lee Dykes at receiver and Heisman winner Barry Sanders at running back.
Class of 2009
This class is the first to make four straight bowl appearances. Its conference won-loss record improved every year, including a school record six wins in 2009.
The Seventh Signs
Another first for OSU - the Cowboys have won at least seven games in four straight seasons for the first time in school history. OSU is also enjoying its seventh, seven-win season in the same decade for the first time ever. OSU has won 67 games since 2000, making the current decade the second winningest 10-year period in OSU history. The Cowboys won 71 games under Jimmy Johnson and Pat Jones in the 1980s.
Totaling The Wins
Some quick points regarding OSU's 18-game win total over the last two seasons to date:
• OSU has won eight games in a season for the 16th time in school history and OSU has accomplished the feat in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2002 and 2003.
• OSU has won eight games in consecutive seasons seven times in the history of the program.
• The Cowboys are currently 9-3. OSU has nine nine-wins seasons, including each of the last two years.
• Only once before has Oklahoma State won nine games in consecutive seasons. That achievement was first reached by Pat Jones and the 1987 and 1988 Cowboys, who carved out two straight 10-2 seasons.
• Jones and Gundy are the only two coaches in OSU history with multiple nine-win seasons to their credit. Jones had three 10-win seasons as the Cowboy boss.
The Nine-Game Winners
1932 9-1-2 Pappy Waldorf
1945 9-0-0 Jim Lookabaugh
1976 9-3 Jim Stanley
1984 10-2 Pat Jones
1987 10-2 Pat Jones
1988 10-2 Pat Jones
2003 9-4 Les Miles
2008 9-4 Mike Gundy
2009 9-3 Mike Gundy
Another Win...
One more victory by the Cowboys this season would clinch the fourth 10-win season in Oklahoma State history and the first since 1988. OSU has never won more than 10 games in a season. OSU has already tied the school record with nine regular-season wins.
On The Charts
The final game of the season is the perfect time to check the current Cowboys and where they rank on the OSU's single-season lists.
• Zac Robinson has 1,966 passing yards to rank ninth. He already holds down the second and third best seasons in OSU history.
• Robinson's 15 TD passes to date tie him for ninth. He also holds the second and fourth spots on the top 10 list.
• Keith Toston has rushed for 1,177 yards to rank No. 14.
• Toston's 11 rushing touchdowns are good enough for No. 11.
• Hubert Anyiam has 41 receptions and is No. 19 on the single-season list in that category.
• Dan Bailey's 84 points are tied for the 15th best season total at OSU. His 110 points last season rank No. 4.
• Bailey's PAT season ties him with eighth other kickers (including himself) without a miss.
• Freshman Quinn Sharp's punting average of 44.4 yards would rank fifth if it holds up through the bowl game.
• Perrish Cox has 649 kick return yards, already good enough for third, assuring him of the top three seasons in school history.
You Can't Make This Stuff Up
The balanced offense philosophy is verbalized all across the country. However, absolutely no one takes it more literally than Oklahoma State. The Cowboys enter the bowl season averaging 191.2 rushing yards per game and 184.5 passing yards per game. Those balanced numbers in '09 come on the heels of the past three years in which OSU was almost 50-50. In fact, in 2007, OSU ended the season with a perfect pass/run balance.
The Turnover Thing
The Oklahoma State defense is continuing to develop a taste for the turnover. The Cowboys enter the bowl game No. 28 nationally having intercepted 14 passes. The Cowboys picked off 12 all of last season. OSU is No. 26 overall in turnovers forced with 25. OSU has at least one interception in nine of the 12 games this season and the Cowboys picked off three passes in wins over Missouri, Iowa State and Tech.
Historic Numbers
The Cowboys enter the Cotton Bowl allowing 87.7 rushing yards per game and just 2.9 yards per attempt by the opposition. Oklahoma State has not had a defense end the season allowing less than 100 yards per game on the ground since 1982 when the Leslie O'Neal-led Pokes yielded a school record low of 99.2 yards per game. The Cowboys are sixth nationally in rush defense. OSU is one of just six defenses in the country yet to allow a 100-yard rusher in 2009.
Below Par
OSU has held every Big 12 opponent but Oklahoma below its season rushing average and the 13 rushing yards gained by Colorado represents the 14th lowest total by an opponent in Cowboy history.
Keith vs. Them
How good has the Cowboy defense been against the run? Oklahoma State all-Big 12 running back Keith Toston has rushed for 1,177 yards while OSU's defense has allowed a total of 1,052 yards.
Totally Speaking
Oklahoma State enters the Ole Miss game No. 33 nationally in total defense, allowing 329.9 yards per game. That average is the lowest allowed by Oklahoma State since the 1998 Cowboys also allowed 329.9 yards per game to the opposition.
The Tangibles
Oklahoma State has recorded 26 quarterback sacks in '09 compared to a 2008 13-game total of 15. It is the most sacks by the Cowboys since 2006 when OSU recorded 37 in 13 games. OSU also has 14 interceptions to top last season's total of 12. O-State has forced '09 opponents to punt 70 times through 12 games, compared to 52 forced punts in 13 games last season.
The Rush Party
A big improvement in the OSU pass rush over the past season has come from the defensive front. As a group, the linemen had 10 sacks all of last season. This season that group, with most of the same players, has 14 sacks in 12 games.
The Unit
Oklahoma State's senior crew of linebackers might rank among America's most productive. The trio of Donald Booker, Patrick Lavine and Andre Sexton are 1-2-3 on the OSU tackle chart and lead in other categories as well. With Sexton spending much of his time covering receivers, Booker and Lavine have had the opportunity to record big defensive numbers. Booker is No. 89 in the Big 12 with 86 tackles.
Lavine And The INT
Senior linebacker Patrick Lavine picked off his fifth pass of the season against Tech and returned it 21 yard for a touchdown. He now has eight career interceptions, two of which he returned for scores (the first time was vs. Texas A&M in 2007). Lavine is No. 19 nationally with his five picks. He is second among America's linebackers in interceptions.
Reaching 50
Andre Sexton reached a milestone in the season finale when he became the first OSU player to start for the 51st time in his career. Russell Okung has started 47 games, all in a row. Andrew Lewis has started 38 straight and Perrish Cox has started 37 games.
LBs Move Up
Four-year starters Andre Sexton and Patrick Lavine continue to climb the OSU and NCAA career record charts. Sexton is fourth in the NCAA with 211 career solo tackles and No. 19 in total tackles with 310. At OSU, Sexton is No. 11 all-time in total tackles. Lavine is No. 15 all-time at OSU with 291 tackles.
The Protectors
The Oklahoma State offensive line continues to be among the nation's best in the tangible categories of protection. OSU has allowed just 10 sacks this season to rank No. 7 nationally in that category. Oklahoma State is also No. 4 in fewest tackles for loss allowed (3.55 per game). It continues a trend for the Cowboys under Mike Gundy and offensive line coach Joe Wickline. OSU is looking to finish among the top five nationally in fewest sacks allowed for the second time in three years and among the nation's top 20 in that category for the fourth straight year.
Records In Progress
Senior quarterback Zac Robinson enters the Cotton Bowl game holding several OSU records but the three most prestigious are the career marks in total offense, passing yards and touchdown passes. The last of those to fall was passing yards when Robinson moved past Mike Gundy in the road win at Ames. Robinson is 24-11 as OSU's starting quarterback, including 18-7 over his last 25 games.
OSU Career Records
Total Offense
1. Zac Robinson - 10,048 yards*
2. Mike Gundy - 7,749 yards
Passing Yards
1. Zac Robinson - 8,199
2. Mike Gundy - 7,997
Touchdown Passes
1. Zac Robinson - 66*
2. Josh Fields - 55
*Eighth in Big 12 history
Zac's Other Marks
Other notables for OSU's senior quarterback:
• He is No. 22 all-time at OSU with 1,849 rushing yards.
• He has 22 career rushing touchdowns to rank No. 9 all-time at OSU. The only quarterback ahead of him is Tony Lindsay, who ran for 23 touchdowns from 1997 through the 2000 season.
• He is No. 21 all-time at OSU with 132 career points.
• His 88 touchdowns responsible for are No. 10 among active NCAA players.
• His career passing efficiency of 149.74 is seventh in the NCAA.
• His 7.3 yards per play in his career are sixth nationally.
Record Breaker
Zac Robinson had a record-breaking performance at Baylor. Against the Bears, the senior signal caller completed 23 of his 27 passes for a completion percentage of 85.2. The old record for completion percentage in a game with more than 20 attempts was 77.1 (27-of-35) set by Mike Gundy against Kansas in 1989.
The New Targets
While playing without consensus All-American Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State has been developing a youthful receiving corps on the fly.
• Fifteen Cowboys have caught passes in 2009, including six players who had never caught a pass at OSU.
• True freshman Tracy Moore is averaging 16.6 yards per catch with three TDs on his 11 catches.
• Sophomore transfer Dameron Fooks has three touchdowns on his 10 career catches.
• Twelve different Cowboys have a reception of at least 19 yards.
• Eight Cowboys have touchdown catches this season. Five caught scoring passes all of last season.
The Kiddie Corps
Of Oklahoma State's 182 pass receptions this season, 111 have been made by freshmen or sophomores. Those same two classes have accounted for 14 of OSU's 19 touchdown receptions. Despite not playing since the Rice game, Dez Bryant still leads the team with four TD catches.
From Backup To Bright Lights
Running back Keith Toston spent the bulk of his Cowboy career as an understudy, first to all-Big 12 selection Dantrell Savage, and then to All-American Kendall Hunter. However, as a senior, Toston's number has been called (very often) with Savage in the NFL and Hunter sidelined for most of 2009. Not only has he answered the challenge, but Toston is the latest to earn first-team all-Big 12 honors.
• Over the last 10 games, Toston has rushed for 1,048 yards for an average of 104.8 yards per contest.
• His season total of 1,177 yards already ranks No. 14 on OSU's single-season chart. He is authoring the 18th 1,000-yard season in OSU history.
• His 2009 numbers are more impressive when considering he had just 21 carries for 121 yards with a touchdown after the first two games while serving as Hunter's backup.
• He now has 2,685 rushing yards to rank No. 9 in OSU history.
• For his career, Toston averages 5.8 yards per carry.
• He is No. 14 all-time at OSU with 188 points.
History Being Made
Despite OSU's deep tradition at running back, only twice in its history had the school produced a 1,000-yard rusher in three straight seasons before 2009. Never before had three different running backs reached 1,000 yards in three straight seasons. Keith Toston helped OSU accomplish the feat this season. In 2007, OSU got 1,272 yards from all-Big 12 running back Dantrell Savage. In 2008, the Cowboys got 1,555 yards from all-Big 12 and All-America running back Kendall Hunter with Toston completing the trifecta with his 1,177 yards to date. The last time OSU had three straight 1,000-yard runners was in 2002-03-04. Tatum Bell reached the mark the first two years, followed by Vernand Morency in 2004.
Two For 2,000
Keith Toston (2,684 career rushing yards) joins Kendall Hunter (2,539 career rushing yards) as current Cowboy running backs to have eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark. Toston and Hunter are the first duo in Oklahoma State history to have played together with over 2,000 rushing yards apiece in tow. For good measure, quarterback Zac Robinson has rushed for 1,849 yards.
Hunter Season
For Cowboy fans, it was a happy November with the return of All-America running back Kendall Hunter to action. At Iowa State the junior saw his first extensive action since the Houston game. The 2008 first-team All-American (FWAA) ran for 47 yards on nine carries. He also had a 12-yard reception and definitely provided a spark for the OSU offense. He followed that up with 68 yards rushing and 28 receiving against Texas Tech. Against Colorado he chipped in 47 rushing yards and an eight-yard reception. Hunter's 2,539 career rushing yards are good for No. 11 in OSU history.
OL-OVE
Russell Okung is putting the finishing touches on a career that will probably see him become the most decorated offensive lineman in OSU history. Rated as a high first-round draft pick and listed as the nation's top offensive lineman by at least three services, Okung has now started 46 straight games for OSU as he joined the first team midway through his true freshman season. Twice in his career, Okung has tossed a shutout against the NCAA's sack leader. Texas A&M's Von Miller entered the OSU game as America's top pass rusher with nine sacks. Against Okung, he did not record a sack and had five tackles. In the 2007 Insight Bowl, Okung held Indiana's Greg Middleton, another NCAA sack leader, without a tackle of any kind. Okung was the only offensive player among the 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award and was a finalist for the Outland Trophy.
Continuing The Climb
Under Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State has been on a steady climb up the Big 12 South ladder. Gundy's first team finished with a 1-7 Big 12 record in 2005. Since that time, the Cowboys have improved to 3-5 in 2006, 4-4 in 2007 and 5-3 in 2008. Last year's five-win total was OSU's best conference showing since the 2003 team also went 5-3.
OSU Under Gundy
Year Big 12 Pct.
2005 1-7 .125
2006 3-5 .375
2007 4-4 .500
2008 5-3 .625
2009 6-2 .750
Year Overall Pct.
2005 4-7 .364
2006 7-6 .538
2007 7-6 .538
2008 9-4 .692
2009 9-3 .750
The Rankings
Oklahoma State enters the Cotton Bowl ranked No. 21 in the AP poll. OSU has now appeared in the poll for 27 straight weeks. It is now the second longest streak of poll representation in OSU history.
Consecutive Weeks
29 - Sept. 11, 1984 through Dec. 10, 1985
27 - Sept. 28, 2008 - current
26 - Oct. 6, 1987 through Jan. 3, 1989
Polling Numbers
Facts and figures regarding the Cowboys and the Associated Press poll:
• The Cowboys were ranked in the AP's preseason poll for the first time since 2003 when Les Miles' eventual Cotton Bowl team was No. 24.
• OSU's debut position of No. 9 was an all-time best for the school in the preseason polls, besting the 1985 team, which was ranked No. 16.
• When OSU reached No. 5 in the polls (Sept. 8) it was the school's highest ranking since 1985.
• Under Mike Gundy, the Cowboys are 14-7 when playing as a member of the AP top 25. Five of the losses have come against ranked opponents and four came to teams ranked higher than OSU. Four of the losses came to teams ranked in the top three of the AP poll at the time of the OSU game.
The More Orange The Better
OSU has put the wraps on its most successful season ever at the ticket office. OSU has
• Set a new school record with 45,694 season tickets purchased.
• Set a new school record with more than, 11,400 student season tickets purchased.
• Set a new single-game attendance record vs. Georgia with 53,012 fans in attendance.
• Set another new single-game attendance record with 56,901 fans on hand for the Grambling State game.
• OSU added to the single-game record again against Texas with 58,516 on hand.
Bookend Returns
It was a fitting Senior Night for OSU's Perrish Cox. The Waco product began his true freshman season by returning the season's opening kickoff for a 96-yard touchdown against Missouri State. In the final home game of his senior season, Cox returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown. He is completing a career that will rank him among the top return men in Big 12 history.
• In his career, Cox has returned four kickoffs and two punts for touchdowns.
• He holds the Big 12 career record with 2,804 kickoff return yards. That total is second among all active NCAA players.
• His four kickoff returns for scores is third in the NCAA.
• His two career punt returns for scores rank him No. 11.
• He is currently No. 25 in 2009 with an average of 10.4 yards per punt return. Cox spent little time returning punts in 2008 and early in 2009 while Dez Bryant fulfilled those duties.
• He has 10 career kickoff returns of more than 50 yards, including a 74-yarder vs. Georgia this season.
• He is No. 10 in the NCAA with 694 career punt return yards.
• Cox was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation's top defensive back.
Sharp Start
One of the 2009 question marks entering the season was redshirt freshman punter Quinn Sharp stepping in to replace OSU's 2008 Ray Guy Award winner Matt Fodge. As his freshman season winds down, Sharp has answered lots of questions.
• He enters the Cotton Bowl game No. 9 nationally with a punting average of 44.4 yards.
• He has 21 punts in excess of 50 yards, including four punts in excess of 60 yards, including a 67- and 62-yarder at Oklahoma.
• Of his 59 punts, 20 have been downed inside the opponent's 20 (with only four touchbacks).
• He was named a mid-season All-American by Rivals.com
• While handling Cowboy kickoff duties, Sharp has recorded 34 touchbacks on 68 tries. OSU had 13 touchbacks all of last season on 96 kickoffs.
• Sharp leads the country in touchbacks on kickoffs.
