Oklahoma State University Athletics
Game Notes - OSU vs. Georgia
August 28, 2009 | Cowboy Football
Aug. 28, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
No. 13/13 Georgia at No. 9/11 Oklahoma State
Sat., Sept. 5 :: 2:30 p.m. CT :: Boone Pickens Stadium (60,218)
TV: ABC Sports - Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Matt Millen (analysis), Holly Rowe (sideline)
National Radio: Westwood One Radio - Chuck Cooperstein (play-by-play), Eddie George (analysis)
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network - Dave Hunziker (play-by-play), John Holcomb (analysis), Robert Allen (sideline)
Internet: okstate.com
The First Step
The Oklahoma State Cowboys open the 108th season of OSU football on Sept. 5 when they host the University of Georgia Bulldogs in Boone Pickens Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2:36 p.m.
TV Streak
The Georgia-Oklahoma State game will be televised by ABC with Sean McDonough calling the play-by-play and Matt Millen providing analysis. Holly Rowe will report from the sidelines. The ABC cameras are becoming familiar to the Cowboys. The 2009 opener will be OSU's sixth straight regular season game to be televised by ABC. OSU played in nine televised games last season, and finished with a 2-3 record on ABC.
TV Plus
Some parts of the country not receiving the Georgia-Oklahoma State game on ABC will be able to catch the mirror telecast of the game on one of the ESPN networks.
Other Media
Also on hand for the OSU-UGA game is Westwood I Radio. The national broadcast will feature Chuck Cooperstein calling the action and Eddie George providing analysis.
Special Event
Sept. 5, 2009 will be historical at Oklahoma State. The official re-dedication of Boone Pickens Stadium will take place prior to the Georgia-OSU kickoff with details still being finalized. The actual ceremony will take place at approximately 12:20 p.m. after the Cowboys complete "The Spirit Walk" down Hester Street to the west end zone. Mr. T. Boone Pickens will be on hand for the ceremony, which is expected to last approximately 20 minutes.
Outside The Stadium
OSU College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas, the school's all-time leading rusher, will team with national host Dan Patrick as part of the Nissan Heisman Trophy National Tour. They will be signing autographs on Hall of Fame Avenue during the pregame.
What We're Celebrating
During the summer of 2009, the west end zone addition came on-line and is now the new home of all Cowboy Football operations. The field level of the facility includes nearly 150,000 feet of conditioned air. It features a new locker room, strength center, athletic training center, equipment room and team theater room. The Cowboy coaches have offices above the west end zone seating, adjacent to the training table area and position meeting rooms. The foundation of the project was a $165 million gift from alumnus T. Boone Pickens. He has given more than $300 million to Oklahoma State University athletics and academics.
The Big Eight
For the first time in school history, Oklahoma State will play eight home games. The good news for OSU is that the Cowboys are 14-5 at home over the last three years. On the flip side, seven of OSU's eight home opponents won at least eight games last season and six of them reached double figures in victories in 2008.
Big 12 Tracking
Under head coach Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State's Big 12 stock has been on a steady rise. Since Gundy's initial season, which resulted in a 1-7 maiden voyage through the league, OSU has increased its conference win total every season.
Opening Numbers
Oklahoma State is 62-40-5 all-time in season openers. The Cowboys are 74-28-5 in home openers, including 13 straight wins, dating back to 1995. That winning streak is the longest in school history. Under Mike Gundy, the Cowboys are 3-1 in season openers with the lone loss coming at Georgia in 2007. The Cowboys are 4-0 in home openers under Gundy. Oklahoma State is 13-3 under Mike Gundy in September.
Another Number To Note
Oklahoma State has won 15 straight non-conference home games (including 9-0 under Mike Gundy), dating back to a 2002 home loss to UCLA. The Cowboys were able to take revenge on the Bruins in 2004 when they opened the season with a 31-20 win over UCLA in the Rose Bowl.
Outside Of Big 12 Territory
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are 14-4 in non-conference play under Mike Gundy. That total includes a 2-1 bowl record. OSU is 1-1 against the SEC under Gundy with the win coming in the 2006 Independence Bowl over Alabama (34-31) and the loss a 35-14 setback at No. 13 Georgia to open the 2007 season.
Best Home Opener Ever?
A hot off-season topic in Oklahoma has been the debate on the best openers in Oklahoma State history. Some things to consider:
• Oklahoma State is opening a season against a ranked foe for the first time since facing Georgia in 2007, and for just the 10th time in school history. The Cowboys are 2-7 in those games with both wins coming on the road (at No. 12 Arizona State in 1984 and at No. 12 Washington in 1985).
• In those nine previous season openers against ranked foes, Oklahoma State entered the game in the top 25 just once - when the No. 16 Cowboys upset No. 12 Washington in Seattle in '85.
• OSU is hosting a top 25 opponent to start a season for just the second time in school history. The other matchup resulted in a loss to No. 2 Nebraska in 1995 in Bob Simmons' first game as OSU's head coach.
• OSU is opening a season against an SEC opponent for the first time since meeting Georgia in 2007. Prior to that game in Athens, OSU had not faced an SEC foe on opening day since defeating Mississippi State, 26-7, to start the 1971 season.
• Since 1960 (when OSU joined the Big Eight Conference), Oklahoma State has hosted just three non-conference opponents ranked in the top 25. In 1970, unranked OSU upset No. 11 Houston, 26-17. In 1975, the unranked Cowboys upset No. 16 Arkansas, 20-13. And in 1978, unranked OSU fell to No. 2 Arkansas, 19-7.
Polling Numbers
The Cowboys enter the Georgia game ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press poll and No. 11 in the USA Today coaches' poll. Facts and figures regarding the Cowboys and the Associated Press poll:
• Dating back to last season, Oklahoma State has now appeared in 13 straight AP polls. It is the longest stay by the Cowboys in the national polls since the 1987 and 1988 seasons when OSU was ranked in 26 straight polls.
• The Cowboys are ranked in the AP's preseason poll for the first time since 2003 when Les Miles' eventual Cotton Bowl team was No. 24 in the preseason.
• OSU's debut position of No. 9 is an all-time best for the school in the preseason polls, topping the 1985 team, which was ranked No. 16.
• Under Mike Gundy, the Cowboys are 5-4 when playing as a member of the AP top 25. All four of the losses have come against ranked opponents and three of the four losses came to teams ranked higher than OSU. Last year, OSU's three regular-season losses were against teams ranked No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 in the AP poll at the time of the OSU game.
• Under Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State is 4-12 when facing a member of the AP top 25.
Season Tickets
For the second consecutive year, Oklahoma State has set a new school record for season ticket sales. One year after setting the mark with 39,976 fans, the 2009 count surpassed 42,000 more than a week before the home opener. With the addition of the new suites in the west end zone, OSU's stadium capacity is now 60,218.
