Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Travel To Kansas State
October 24, 2010 | Cowboy Football
Oct. 24, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
No. 20/20 Oklahoma State at Kansas State
Oct. 30, 2010 :: 11 a.m. Central Time :: Bill Snyder Family Stadium
TV: FSN (Bill Land, Dave Lapham and Emily Jones)
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb and Robert Allen)
Internet: okstate.com
Satellite Radio: Sirius Channel 122 and XM Channel 143
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The Little Apple
The Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-1/2-1) conclude a road-heavy month of October when they travel to Manhattan to face Kansas State (5-2/2-2) Saturday. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. with FSN on hand to televise the game. The Cowboys are playing away from home for the third time in four weeks with the only October home game coming last week against Nebraska.
Scene Setting
Oklahoma State heads to Manhattan as one of three teams atop the Big 12 South standings with just one league loss (Baylor has one more conference win than Oklahoma State or Oklahoma). As a result, the Cowboys are in the thick of what appears to be a wide open division race at the mid-point of the Big 12 schedule. Waiting for OSU will be a Kansas State team that has found its offense with 101 points over its last two games with both outings on the road.
Can Kids Contend?
Oklahoma State is in the middle of the Big 12 South race in a year of massive turnover. Twenty different Cowboys have made their first career starts in 2010. Oklahoma State is fifth in the country in number of true freshmen seeing action with 14. In addition, the redshirt freshman class has kicked in an additional nine bodies and freshmen or redshirt freshmen have earned seven starts.
TV
Oklahoma State will be making its third appearance of the season on Fox Sports when it travels to Manhattan to meet the Wildcats. OSU opened the season on FSN against Washington State and then played on Fox Sports Southwest against Texas Tech. The Cowboys are playing their sixth televised game of the season, including their fourth straight.
From The “Way Too Early For This” Category
The OSU trio of quarterback Brandon Weeden, running back Kendall Hunter and receiver Justin Blackmon are already reaching single-season milestones after just seven games. They combine to form the sixth OSU trio since 1988 to pass for 2,000 yards, rush for 1,000 yards and record 1,000 receiving yards. Entering the Kansas State game, Weeden already has 2,249 passing yards to rank sixth on OSU's single-season list. Hunter already has 1,031 rushing yards for No. 18 on the single-season list and Blackmon already has 1,112 receiving yards to rank No. 6 on the single-season list.
Got Here First
Oklahoma State enters the weekend as the only school in the country with a 1,000-yard rusher (Kendall Hunter) and a 1,000-yard receiver already in the books for 2010. Hunter joins Michigan's Denard Robinson (1,096) and Auburn's Cam Newton (1,077) as America's only 1,000-yard rushers to date. Blackmon and Greg Salas of Hawaii are the country's only two 1,000-yard receivers entering this weekend.
The Series
Oklahoma State leads the all-time series with Kansas State by a 34-22 count. The teams first played back in 1908, but the meetings were rather sporadic until the Cowboys joined the Big Eight Conference. The two schools played every year from 1958 until 1995. Beginning in 1996, the series began its two-years-on, two-years-off Big 12 rotation. Some series notes:
• The Cowboys were 31-6 against Kansas State from 1947 until 1989.
• OSU has won two of the last three meetings with both wins coming in Stillwater (2003 and 2007). OSU is just 2-10 against Kansas State in the last 12 games since the 31-6 series run by OSU ended in 1989.
• OSU is 16-14 all-time in Manhattan, but the Cowboys haven't won at K-State since 1988 with Mike Gundy as OSU's starting QB (six straight losses). Barry Sanders ran for more than 300 yards in that game.
• Oklahoma State is 2-9 against Bill Snyder-coached Wildcat squads with wins coming in the first meeting (1989) and the last meeting (2003).
• Mike Gundy is 1-1 against Kansas State with a 31-27 loss in Manhattan in 2006 and a 41-39 win in Stillwater in 2007. Gundy will be coaching against Bill Snyder for the first time.
• Oklahoma State is 6-0 against Kansas State when the Cowboys are members of the Associated Press top 25.
• The Cowboys haven't entered a Kansas State game as a member of the AP top 25 since 1988.
• The last three meetings between the teams have been decided by a total of 10 points.
Mike Gundy vs. Kansas State
OSU head coach Mike Gundy was 4-0 against Kansas State as OSU's starting quarterback. With Gundy behind center, the Cowboys rolled to easy wins in 1986, 1987 and 1988. However, Gundy's best moment against the Wildcats came in 1989 during Bill Snyder's first year as the Kansas State head coach. Gundy did not start the game while nursing a sore knee. In fact, he did not play until the fourth quarter as OSU entered the period trailing 13-10. In his final appearance against the Wildcats, an injured Gundy drove OSU 91 yards in 10 plays for the game-winning score with 1:37 left in the contest. He hit Brent Parker with a 15-yard TD pass for the deciding points in a 17-13 win. Gundy ended the day by going 8-for-8 for 120 yards with the TD.
Kansans For OSU
Oklahoma State heads to Manhattan with a pair of true freshmen from Kansas playing prominent roles for the Cowboys. Running back Joseph Randle of Wichita's Southeast High School and defensive back Devin Hedgepeth from Derby have contributed early and often in 2010. Randle has 246 rushing yards, 191 receiving yards and has averaged 24.6 yards on 10 kick returns. Hedgepeth has played in every game and has recorded 13 tackles and two pass break-ups. The only other Cowboy from Kansas is reserve receiver Anthony Hill. The walkon has earned some key playing time as a senior. Hill attended Shawnee Mission South High School and Coffeyville Community College. On the flip side, Kansas State co-offensive coordinator Del Miller was the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State in 2000.
The Last Meeting
It was a breath-taking ending in Stillwater the last time the Cowboys and Wildcats hooked up (Oct. 20, 2007). The Cowboys fell behind 14-0, 21-7, 28-24, and finally 39-38 with just 1:10 remaining the game. But a dramatic six-play drive that covered 49 yards in just 1:09 culminated with Jason Ricks' 26-yard field goal for the final points in a 41-39 victory. Ricks' boot with just two seconds remaining helped the Cowboys offset a 404-yard passing effort by Kansas State's Josh Freeman, who had led the 'Cats to a TD and two-point conversion for the lead with just 70 seconds left in the game. The only statistics recorded by current Cowboys were 65 rushing yards on nine carries by freshman Kendall Hunter and solo tackles by Justin Gent and Bryant Ward on special teams.
Last Time in Manhattan
It was a tough loss for the Cowboys, who watched a 10-point lead dissipate over the final 4:25 in a 31-27 decision on Oct. 7, 2006. The Cowboys trailed 10-3 at the half, but OSU scored 24 points after the break to gain a 27-17 lead. The Cowboys still had the lead and the ball with five minutes remaining, but punted to K-State at the 4:25 mark. OSU then watched K-State put together a 92-yard scoring drive in just 1:21 and a 58-yard drive in just 43 seconds to take the lead. OSU took the ball for the final possession of the game and drove to the Kansas State 23 and was tossing passes into the Wildcat end zone as time expired.
The North Wind
Oklahoma State saw its six-game winning streak against the Big 12 Conference's North Division stopped by the loss against Nebraska. OSU is 10-3 vs. the North Division since the beginning of the 2006 season. The Cowboys have not lost two games against the North since Mike Gundy's first season in 2005.
Starting Up
Oklahoma State's 6-1 start ties for the fourth best seven-game record in school history. A win at Kansas State would improve the Cowboys to 7-1 and tie for the second best eight-game record in school history.
Best 7-Game Starts
1945 7-0
2008 7-0
1932 6-0-1
2010* 6-1
10th season with a 6-1 start
Best 8-Game Records
Year Record Pct.
1945 8-0 1.000
1932 6-0-2 .875
1984 7-1 .875
1985 7-1 .875
1987 7-1 .875
2003 7-1 .875
2008 7-1 .875
Another Road Block
A trip to Manhattan represents another chance for OSU to post a break-through road win. The Cowboys haven't won at Kansas State since 1988. The road has been an interesting place for Mike Gundy's Cowboys. His head coaching career began with five straight Big 12 road losses and a 1-7 conference road record after two seasons. Things are different now with OSU posting a 6-1 record on its last seven Big 12 road trips. The Mike Gundy road resume now includes some very big highlights.
• Oklahoma State's win at Texas Tech on Oct. 16 was the first for the Cowboys in Lubbock since 1944.
• Oklahoma State's 2007 win at Nebraska was the first for the Cowboy in Lincoln since 1960.
• Oklahoma State's win at Texas A&M last season was just the second for OSU in College Station in 10 tries, dating back to 1913.
• A win at No. 3 Missouri in 2008 ties for the biggest road win in Cowboy history, based on AP rankings.
The 2010 Vote
With Oklahoma State in at No. 20 in this week's AP poll, Oklahoma State has now been a member of the AP top 25 for 30 of the last 34 weeks. OSU is 16-9 as a member of the AP top 25 under Mike Gundy. The Cowboys are 14-3 under Mike Gundy when playing as an AP top 25 member against an unranked opponent.
The Spirit of 76
Under Mike Gundy, OSU has now cracked the AP top 25 in three straight seasons. OSU had not been ranked by the AP in three consecutive years since the Cowboys made the polls (at least for a week) in eight straight years from the finale of 1970 through the first game of 1977.
Chart Watching
Oklahoma State heads to Manhattan with a Cowboy leading the nation in eight different statistical categories, ranging from punting and solo tackles to receiving yards and TD grabs. Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon and Dan Bailey rank 1-2 nationally in scoring. Blackmon leads the country in five categories and is second in another. Kendall Hunter is in the top 10 in four categories.
OSU and the NCAA
Player Category Rank Stat
J. Blackmon Rec. Yards/Gm 1 158.86
J. Blackmon TD Receptions 1 14
J. Blackmon Scoring 1 12.9 ppg
J. Blackmon Total Rec. Yards 1 1,112
J. Blackmon Yards/Reception 1 17.94
J. Blackmon Receptions/Game 2 8.9
J. Blackmon All-Purpose Yards 12 161.0 ypg
D. Bailey Scoring 2 12.3 ppg
D. Bailey FG Percentage 1 1.000
K. Hunter Rushing 3 147.3 ypg
K. Hunter Rushing TDs 2 12
K. Hunter All-Purpose Yards 9 165.3 ypg
K. Hunter Scoring 10 10.3 ppg
O. Lemon Solo Tackles 1 8.14 pg
Q. Sharp Punting 1 48.2 avg
B. Weeden Passing Yards 2 321.3 ypg
B. Weeden TD Passes 2 21
B. Weeden Total Passing 3 2,249 yds
B. Weeden Points Responsibility 7 18.0 ppg
B. Weeden Passing Efficiency 17 158.93
Nebraska Recap
Oklahoma State is coming off a 51-41 loss to Nebraska last week. Some notes from the game:
• OSU generated 495 yards of total offense against Nebraska, which was ranked ninth nationally in total defense entering the game, having allowed just 274.3 yards per outing before visiting Stillwater. The Cowboys averaged seven yards per snap.
• Kendall Hunter ran for 201 yards to become the first running back to break the 200-yard mark vs. the Cornhuskers since OSU's Dantrell Savage in 2007.
• Justin Blackmon recorded his seventh straight 100-yard receiving game and extended his school record with a TD reception (he had two) in his seventh straight game.
• Josh Cooper had the second 100-yard receiving game of the season (9-103).
• Quinn Sharp set an OSU record with a single-game punting average of 60.4 yards on five boots.
• OSU allowed just one quarterback sack on 35 pass attempts.
How Good Can This Get?
Oklahoma State has two of the best right legs in college football in the form of senior placekicker Dan Bailey and sophomore punter Quinn Sharp. Both are at the top of their game in 2010 with Bailey yet to miss a field goal or extra point and Sharp leading the nation in punting and helping the Cowboys climb to second nationally in net punting.
Bailey's Season
Dan Bailey dots several mid-season All-America teams and he kept his perfect 2010 alive last week with field goals of 31 and 44 yards against Nebraska. For the season, Bailey is 15-of-15 on three-point tries. He hit the walk-off 40-yard game winner in the 38-35 win over Texas A&M and he booted two field goals of 52 yards at Louisiana (the first Cowboy to hit two from 52 since 2001). He has now hit 23 of his last 24 FG attempts (dating back to the 2009 game vs. Colorado) and he is perfect in his OSU career with 172 straight extra points.
Keeping An Eye On Barry And Cary
Dan Baily will leave Oklahoma State as one of the school's all-time leading scorers. For his career, he has 307 points to rank third all-time at OSU. He currently ranks just behind Barry Sanders (330) and Cary Blanchard (315). The distance increases when factoring in bowl scoring (which the NCAA does not include prior to 2002). When including OSU postseason play, the top three scorers in school history remain the same, but with a higher ceiling:
Including Postseason Points
1. Barry Sanders 360
2. Cary Blanchard 344
3. Dan Bailey 307
Sharp's New Mark
Quinn Sharp set a new school record vs. Nebraska when he averaged 60.4 yards on his five punts to break the old mark of 57 yards set by Greg Ivy vs. Kansas in 1995. And with his record night, he became the nation's leading punter with an average of 48.2 yards per attempt. He also helped OSU climb to second nationally in net punting with an average of 42.1 yards per exchange. Although there are still at least five games left in the 2010 season and possibly as many as seven, it is worth noting that Sharp's current average would easily break the school's single-season record of 45.5 yards set by Jim Benien, Jr., back in 1971. Sharp's freshman average of 45.1 yards is the second best in OSU history. He continues to lead the nation with 37 touchbacks on his kickoffs. It was a category he led last season.
Sharp Stuff
Against Nebraska, Sharp booted a career-best 78-yard punt, which was just four yards shy of the school record. His punts covered 78, 61, 60, 59 and 44 yards. He is now second among all active punters with a career average of 46.04 yards. He has 36 career punts of longer than 50 yards and 10 longer than 60. Ten of his punts have resulted in a fair catch and 28 have been downed inside the 20.
The Streaking Continues
Justin Blackmon stared down America's best pass defense last week and came away with an even more impressive resume. Against Nebraska, the sophomore caught five passes covering 157 yards with two touchdowns and drew a pass interference on what looked to be another big play. Included in that total was an 80-yard score. Blackmon now owns the OSU record with a TD catch in seven straight games. He will try to tie another record at Kansas State has he goes for his eighth straight 100-yard receiving game.
Evolution of a Receiver
The development of sophomore receiver Justin Blackmon from a 260-yard receiver for the entire 2009 season into perhaps America's most dangerous wideout in 2010 is a national story. His national rankings can be found throughout this update. But some other numbers to consider:
• He has a reception of at least 29 yards in every game this season and at least 125 receiving yards in every game.
• He has at least two TD catches in five of seven games this season (was held to one score by Texas A&M and Texas Tech).
• His 13-catch, 190-yard game at Louisiana was the eighth best receiving game in OSU history only to be trumped by the 10-catch, 207-yard effort at Texas Tech.
• His 1,112 receiving yards already represent the sixth best season in school history.
• His 62 catches also already represent the seventh best single-season total in school history.
• Blackmon leads the country in receiving by more than 25 yards per game.
Classy Kendall
Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter is one of 10 national finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in the Football Bowl Subdivision. To be eligible, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition. Hunter has received several distinctions for his classroom work, including second-team academic all-Big 12 honors in 2009, a spot on the President's Honor Roll for a 4.0 GPA and honorable-mention Scholar-Baller in 2008 and 2009. Hunter is also a two-time recipient of the Oklahoma State Academic Achievement award and a member of the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll.
All-America Form
Kendall Hunter was a 2008 first-team All-American when he ran for 1,555 yards as a sophomore and earned the Big 12 rushing title. His senior season could be even better as his pace through seven games tops his 2008 numbers. He enters the K-State game as the third leading rusher in the country and tops in the Big 12 with an average of 147.3 yards per game. Saturday's contest is a matchup of the last two Big 12 rushing champs with the Wildcats' Daniel Thomas earning the title last season. Hunter is coming off his second 200-yard effort of the season with 201 yards vs. Nebraska. He ran for 257 in the season opener against Washington State when he became the first Cowboy since Barry Sanders in 1988 to run for 200 yards in a half.
Hunter 2010 vs. Hunter 2008 After Seven Games
Year Att Yds TD Avg YPG
2008 151 955 9 6.3 136.4
2010 161 1052 12 6.4 147.3
More Elite Company
Kendall Hunter has a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons to his credit, putting him in elite Cowboy company. Terry Miller leads all OSU runners with three 1,000-yard seasons. Kendall Hunter joins Thurman Thomas, David Thompson and Tatum Bell as the only other Cowboys with multiple 1,000-yard seasons as that quartet has two each.
Hunter and History
At a university steeped in tailback tradition with the aura of perhaps the greatest runner in college football history setting the standard, Kendall Hunter has carved a place for himself in Cowboy backfield lore.
• Hunter is fourth all-time at OSU with 3,664 rushing yards and fifth with 33 rushing touchdowns.
• Hunter is the nation's third active leading rusher and No. 9 in career rushing TDs.
• He has moved up to No. 11 all-time at OSU with 210 career points.
• Hunter averages an impressive 6.13 yards per rush for his career, second only to Barry Sanders among OSU's top 10 all-time runners.
• Hunter's 257-yard effort vs. Washington State was the 12th best game in OSU history.
OSU Career 100-yard Rushing Games
1. Terry Miller (1974-77) 26
2. Thurman Thomas (1984-87) 21
3. David Thompson (1993-96) 18
4. Barry Sanders (1986-88) 17
Kendall Hunter (2007-10) 17
OSU Career 200-Yard Games
1. Barry Sanders 7
2. Thurman Thomas 6
3. Ernest Anderson 4
4. David Thompson 4
T5. Kendall Hunter 3*
T5. Vernand Morency 3
*Including two from 2010
All-Time Rushing Leaders
1. Thurman Thomas 4,595
2. Terry Miller 4,581
3. David Thompson 4,314
4. Kendall Hunter 3,664
Big Game Watch
Oklahoma State's team is so young that the most career records are safe – for now. However, it has been open season on OSU's single-game performance list. Take a look at the current team and individual single-game performances in 2010 and where they rank all-time at OSU:
• In just seven career starts, Brandon Weeden has the fourth (409 vs. Tulsa), the eighth (356 vs. Texas Tech), the 10th (351 vs. Louisiana) and the 11th (348 vs. Troy) best passing games in OSU history.
• Kendall Hunter's 257-yard rushing game vs. Washington State is No. 14 all-time at OSU.
• Justin Blackmon has recorded the ninth (190 vs. Louisiana) and the eighth (207 vs. Tech) best receiving games in school history.
• Blackmon's 13 catches at Louisiana rank second all-time and his 10 grabs at Tech are No. 12 all-time.
• As a team, OSU set a record with 722 yards of offense vs. Tulsa and the 581 yards at Texas Tech rank No. 22 all-time.
Now vs. Then
Oklahoma State's 2010 offense is sure to go down as one of the best in school history. But the very best? It has a chance. Check out the numbers from 2010 as compared to those of the legendary 1988 squad that is ranked as the best offensive machine in school history.
1988 vs. 2010
Year Points Total Offense First Downs
1988 47.5 515.2 24.7
2010 48.3 529.6 25.7
The Numbers Game
Oklahoma State's offense, despite returning just four starters (including only one offensive lineman) continues to shine in 2010. Some numbers to digest:
• OSU is averaging 48.3 points per game and trails only Oregon (54.14 ppg) nationally. OSU has scored at least 34 points in every game and cracked the 40-point mark five times, the 50-point mark three times and 60 points twice. The 2010 Cowboys are just the third in school history to reach 60 points twice in one year.
• OSU is third nationally in total offense (529.7 ypg).
• OSU has already surpassed its entire 2009 total with 23 touchdown passes.
• Sixteen players have caught a pass this season and 12 of them have a reception of at least 18 yards. Even more impressive, six Cowboys have a catch of at least 34 yards.
• OSU is averaging 4.8 yards per team rush, topping last season's 4.4 final mark.
NCAA Total Offense Leaders
Teams YPG
1. Oregon 569.14
2. Michigan 532.00
3. Oklahoma State 529.57
Cashing In
Oklahoma State is second nationally in red zone offense with points on 32 of its 33 chances. The breakdown includes 14 rushing touchdowns, nine passing touchdowns and nine field goals. OSU's only failure in the red zone came in the first half against Texas A&M when the Cowboys were held on downs.
How Young Is Too Young?
Oklahoma State heads into mid-October as one of America's youngest teams. How young is OSU?
• OSU's second-leading rusher is true freshman Joseph Randle.
• The second and third-team quarterbacks are freshmen.
• Ten of OSU's top 12 receivers, statistically, are expected to return next season.
• A true freshman leads OSU in kickoff and punt returns.
• Twenty Cowboys have made their first career starts in 2010 with receiver Michael Harrison joining the list vs. Nebraska.
• The Cowboys have four new starters in the offensive line, three new starters at linebacker (from 2009) and three new starters in the secondary.
• Ten OSU players have scored this season with only Kendall Hunter and kicker Dan Bailey representing the senior class in that category.
Going Solo
Senior linebacker Orie Lemon continues to lead the country in solo tackles with 8.14 per game. He had a career-best 17-tackle effort at Texas Tech, including 14 solo tackles. It was his third double-figure tackle game in five outings. Along with leading the nation in solo tackles, Lemon has climbed to fourth in the Big 12 with 9.9 total tackles per game.
Listening to Mr. Bill
Since his arrival back at his alma mater, defensive coordinator Bill Young has been preaching turnovers to the Cowboys. The young defenders appear to be listening. OSU enters its eighth game of the season 10th nationally and tops in the Big 12 (tied with Iowa State) with 19 forced turnovers.
Brains and Brawn
Oklahoma State has a pair of starting defensive linemen who have already obtained their undergraduate degrees. Defensive tackle Shane Jarka has already earned a degree in marketing and is pursuing his MBA. Defensive end Ugo Chinasa has completed work on his degree in sports management.
It's All Academic
Three Cowboy defensive linemen, Shane Jarka, Chris Donaldson and Jamie Blatnick, were academic all-Big 12 selections in 2009. While Jarka is already an OSU graduate, Donaldson is just four hours shy of his degree in secondary education.
Honoring the Blond Bomber
Oklahoma State players sport a decal on their helmets this fall to honor the Blond Bomber. Bob Fenimore, OSU's first All-American and one of the most dominating players of his era, died this summer. His jersey number of 55 is not in use at OSU. He was a two-time All-American, the No. 1 overall selection in the NFL Draft and No. 3 in the Heisman balloting. Fenimore led the nation in total offense and was third in rushing, eighth in passing, ninth in scoring and 13th in punting in 1944. He still holds the OSU career record with 18 interceptions as a defensive back. OSU was 17-1 during his sophomore and junior seasons with wins in the Cotton and Sugar Bowls. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame.
Noting The Cowboys
• Josh Cooper is coming off his second 100-yard receiving game of the season. He has 400 receiving yards in 2010 after accumulating 244 yards through his sophomore season.
• The freshman running back tandem of Jeremy Smith and Joseph Randle has combined for three rushing TDs over the last two games.
• Freshman Shaun Lewis enters the K-State game ninth on the squad with 19 tackles, tied for second in tackles for loss with four, as one of six Cowboys with an interception, and as one of five Cowboys with a fumble forced and recovered.
• Cowboy safety Johnny Thomas had just 16 tackles through the first five games of the season. He has 16 over the last two games.
