Oklahoma State University Athletics
Game Notes: High-Stakes Bedlam Matchup
November 21, 2010 | Cowboy Football
Nov. 21, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
No. 14/13 Oklahoma at No. 10/9 Oklahoma State
Nov. 27, 2010 :: 7 p.m. Central Time :: Boone Pickens Stadium (60,218 capacity)
TV: ABC Sports (Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit and Erin Andrews)
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 Final Whistle
The Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-1/6-1) close the 2010 regular season Saturday night when they host the Oklahoma Sooners in a Bedlam battle at Boone Pickens Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. with ABC on hand to televise the game. OSU will be playing in the ABC prime time window for the second time in three weeks as OSU's road win at Texas was also a Saturday nighter on ABC.
TV Time
The Cowboys will be making their 10th television appearance of the season when they host the Sooners. The next appearance, either in the Big 12 championship game or in a bowl, will tie the school record of 11 TV appearances set last season.
Setting The Scene
Oklahoma State, 10-1 for the first time in school history, heads into the OU game having assured itself of a share of its first Big 12 South championship. However, nothing is guaranteed in regards to an appearance in the conference championship game next week. An OSU win makes things easy as the Cowboys would advance. An OSU loss, depending upon the outcome of the Texas-Texas A&M game, could result in a three-way tie between the Cowboys, Sooners and Aggies. OSU enters the regular-season finale as the Big 12's only one-loss team.
Divisional Tiebreakers
The following procedure will determine the representative from each division in the event of a tie:
• If two teams are tied, the winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative.
• If three or more teams are tied, steps 1 through 7 will be followed until a determination is made. If only two teams remain tied after any step, the winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative.
1. The records of the three teams will be compared against each other
2. The records of the three teams will be compared within their division
3. The records of the three teams will be compared against the next highest placed teams in their division in order of finish (4, 5 and 6)
4. The records of the three teams will be compared against all common conference opponents.
5. The highest ranked team in the first Bowl Championship Series poll following the completion of Big 12 regular season conference play shall be the representative in the Big 12 Championship Game, unless two of the tied teams are ranked within one spot of the other in the BCS poll. In this case, the head-to-head results of the top two ranked tied teams shall determine the representative in the Big 12 Championship Game.
6. The team with the best overall winning percentage (excluding exempted games) shall be the representative.
7. The representative will be chosen by draw.
Crowded Campus
This week will not feature your typical deserted college campus over the Thanksgiving holiday. ESPN's College GameDay will be in town for Bedlam and on Friday night OSU hosts Notre Dame in women's soccer with a trip to the NCAA Women's College Cup (soccer's version of the Final Four) on the line.
The Semi-Perfect 10
Oklahoma State rolls into the regular-season finale with a 10-1 record. It is the first 10-win season for OSU since 1988, and the just the fourth in school history (1984, 1987, 1988). However, 2010 marks the first time that OSU has reached 10 wins during the regular season.
Best Seasons In OSU History
Year Record Pct. Bowl
1945 9-0 1.000 Sugar Bowl
2010 10-1 .909 TBD
1944 8-1 .889 Cotton Bowl
1988 10-2 .833 Holiday Bowl
1987 10-2 .833 Sun Bowl
1984 10-2 .833 Gator Bowl
A Win This Week Would Mean…
A victory to close the regular season would help OSU reach several milestones:
• The Cowboys would secure their first outright Big 12 South title and earn a first-ever appearance in the league championship game.
• OSU would clinch the first 11-win season in school history.
• OSU would complete an undefeated run against the Big 12 South for the first time.
• The Cowboys would snap a seven-game losing streak against Oklahoma.
• OSU would have increased its Big 12 win total for five consecutive seasons.
• The Cowboys will have won six conference games for two straight seasons after never achieving that total prior to 2009.
Senior Swan Song
Oklahoma State's senior class, 16 strong (including four walkons), will play at home for the final time when OU visits on Saturday night. This year's class, regardless of player status (transfers, fourth-year seniors, or fifth-year seniors), has never missed a bowl game and it has made history as part three straight nine-win teams. The 2010 seniors made history on another front. They were part of five teams that won at least seven games – another first for the OSU program.
Best Class Ever?
The senior class of 2009 helped transform Oklahoma State into the upper reaches of the Big 12 Conference. However, this year's senior class will leave Stillwater with the most wins by a group of Cowboys. Take a look at the winningest classes in OSU history.
Senior Class Wins
2010 35
1988 34
1987 34
2009 32
1986 32
1985 32
Senior Salute
A quick look at the Cowboys playing for the last time in Boone Pickens Stadium:
Dan Bailey, Kicker
OSU's all-time leading scorer
Bo Bowling, Receiver
Enjoying a strong senior season… Has emerged as one of OSU's top receivers in 2010
Ugo Chinasa, Defensive End
Three-year starter and a senior leader on the defensive side
Chris Donaldson, Defensive Lineman
An anchor of the defensive front as a starter at tackle
Justin Gent, Linebacker
Became a starter for the first time as a senior and has enjoyed an excellent senior season
Darius Hart, Defensive End
Critical part of the defensive line rotation
Anthony Hill, Receiver
A walkon receiver who has earned important playing time as a senior
Kendall Hunter, Running Back
Will leave Stillwater as one of Oklahoma State's all-time leading rushers…A 2008 first-team All-American
Shane Jarka, Defensive Lineman
A starter and very important member of the defensive front…Fifth-year senior.
Orie Lemon, Linebacker
The leader of the OSU defense… Among the NCAA tackle leaders
Mathies Long, Safety
A walkon who has contributed on special teams over the last two seasons
Andrew McGee, Cornerback
A starter at one corner…Ranked among the national leaders in interceptions
Tolu Moala, Linebacker
Fought through early injury issues to enjoy his most productive season as a Cowboy
Anthony Morgan, Offensive Lineman
Transfer who became a prominent member of the offensive line
Jordan Taormina, Offensive Line
Another walkon whose team contributions grew every season
Bryant Ward, Running Back
A former walkon who earned first-team all-Big 12 honors last season
Road Success In The Books
Oklahoma State's win at Kansas put the wraps on the school's first unbeaten road schedule since 1945. OSU closed the season 5-0 away from home. The 2010 team is the first since 1945 to go 5-0 and joins the 1944 and 1911 teams as the only squads to go unbeaten in road games. OSU is 8-1 on the road over the last two years and 11-3 in road games since the beginning of the 2008 season. This season, Oklahoma State:
• Won at Texas Tech for the first time since 1944.
• Won at Texas for the first time since 1944 (and for just the second time ever).
• Won at Kansas State for the first time since 1988.
• Won its five road games by an average margin of 20.8 points.
The 2010 Vote
With Oklahoma State in at No. 10 in this week's AP poll, the Cowboys have now been a member of the AP top 25 for 35 of the last 39 weeks. OSU is 20-9 as a member of the AP top 25 under Mike Gundy. At No. 10, the Cowboys are enjoying their highest ranking this season and the highest since Sept. 12, 2009 when the Cowboys climbed to No. 5 after defeating No. 13 Georgia. Oklahoma State is a member of the Associated Press top 10 in the month of November for the first time since 1985.
The Spirit of 76
Under Mike Gundy, OSU has cracked the AP top 25 in three straight seasons. In fact, OSU has now reached the top 10 of the AP poll in three straight season. OSU had not been ranked by the AP in three consecutive years since the Cowboys made the polls (at least for a week) in five straight years from the finale of 1972 through the first game of 1977. OSU has reached the AP top 15 in three straight seasons for the first time since 1974-75-76.
Top 25 Trifecta
Oklahoma State's appearance in the AP poll on Sunday marked the Cowboys' 35th week in the rankings over the last three seasons. That's the most appearances by OSU in the AP balloting over any three-year period.
Star Watch
Oklahoma State began the season in the shadows of college football. With only nine starters and 32 returning lettermen and with the loss of two first-round draft picks, OSU was a consensus pick for fifth or sixth in the Big 12 South. And with the low expectations, Oklahoma State was virtually ignored when the prognosticators began to anticipate their postseason honorees. Ten wins later, OSU has a nice lineup of potential award winners:
• Mike Gundy is a candidate for national coach of the year. He has OSU on the brink of its first 11-win season ever with a team that was forecast for six wins or less by virtually every summer expert.
• Kendall Hunter is in the hunt for a second Big 12 rushing title in three years. He is listed among OSU's all-time great backs and is America's fifth leading rusher.
• Justin Blackmon is, quite simply, setting the standard for America's receivers. He leads the country in receiving by 30 yards per game.
• Brandon Weeden is third in America in total offense and the trigger man for America's top-rated attack.
• Orie Lemon continues to be among America's top tacklers (third nationally in solo stops).
• Markelle Martin is a physical and athletic safety and the ringleader of OSU's secondary with 46 tackles and 10 passes defended.
• Punter Quinn Sharp's average is second nationally (after punting just three times the last two weeks he no longer has enough attempts to qualify for the NCAA stats). OSU is second nationally in net punting.
• Placekicker Dan Bailey is one of America's most efficient, and is among the NCAA's scoring leaders.
• Shaun Lewis, now a starter, could be playing his way into Freshman All-America honors. He leads the Big 12 with .43 forced fumbles per league game.
• Corner Andrew McGee leads the Big 12 and is No. 14 nationally with five interceptions.
• Offensive lineman Levy Adcock is in his first year as a starter but he has become the star of OSU's offensive front. OSU coaches graded out his performance at Texas at 100 percent.
Special Recognition
Outside of the state of Oklahoma, it's uncertain how many college football junkies know the names of Levy Adcock, Lane Taylor, Grant Garner, Nick Martinez and Jonathan Rush. As a result, they may not have their names on many postseason ballots. But the development of the OSU offensive line is one of the primary storylines of 2010. Entering the season, only Taylor had any career starts and the rest of the group had combined for just a handful of plays at the college level. Consider:
• Oklahoma State is tops in the Big 12 and No. 11 nationally in fewest sacks allowed (.91 per game), despite 448 pass attempts.
• OSU leads the nation in total offense and is third nationally in scoring.
• The Cowboys are No. 29 in rushing yards and the team averages 5.09 yards per attempt. That number is actually better than last year's average of 4.4 yards per rush.
• Making the rushing numbers and sacks allowed number more impressive is the pass-first/run-second nature of quarterback Brandon Weeden as compared to Zac Robinson. Robinson, now of the Detroit Lions, ended his career with 1,858 rushing yards.
The Series
The Bedlam Series between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State began in 1904 (three years before statehood). The Sooners hold an 80-17-7 lead. Some series notes:
• Oklahoma has won seven straight after OSU held a 5-3 advantage over an eight-year period.
• Oklahoma State and Texas are the only two Big 12 schools to have beaten Bob Stoops-coached OU teams in consecutive years since the league was formed.
• OSU is only Big 12 team to have won in Norman during the Bob Stoops years.
• The last two meetings have been feast or famine for the OSU offense. OSU scored 41 points against Oklahoma in 2008 for the Cowboys' second highest point total in series history. Last season, OSU was shutout by OU for the first time since 1993.
A Little Bedlam History
The 2010 Bedlam game will mark the second straight year and just the fourth time in series history in which Oklahoma State enters as the higher ranked team. The Cowboys are 2-1 in those games with wins in 1945 and 1997, and the loss last season in Norman.
Connections
• Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy is the older brother of OU running backs coach Cale Gundy.
• OSU defensive coordinator Bill Young faces a former employer for a second straight week. He was on the Oklahoma staff in 1996 and 1997. He is 2-0 against his former schools this year with wins over Tulsa and Kansas.
• OSU equipment coordinator Wes Edwards is an OU grad and former OU staff member.
The Gundy Record
Oklahoma State has now climbed to 46-28 under head coach Mike Gundy. Gundy began his head coaching career with a 12-15 start, but OSU has gone 34-13 since then. The Cowboys are 29-9 over the last 38 games. Even more impressive has been OSU's rise through the Big 12.
Gundy vs. The Big 12
Year Record Pct.
2005 1-7 .125
2006 3-5 .375
2007 4-4 .500
2008 5-3 .625
2009 6-2 .750
2010 6-1 .857
Kansas Rewind
Oklahoma State is coming off an interesting 48-14 win at Kansas. The Cowboys started slow and fell behind by 7-0 and 14-10 deficits. However, OSU scored the game's final 38 points and won going away.
• The OSU defense gave up 149 yards and 14 points in the first quarter. Kansas did not score over the final three periods and gained just 75 yards in the second period, six yards in the third period and 58 yards in the fourth period. That's 139 offensive yards allowed over the final three periods of play.
• The Big Three were big again with Kendall Hunter rushing for 105 yards, Justin Blackmon registering 130 receiving yards and Brandon Weeden setting a single-season total offense record while passing for 389 yards with three scores.
• The Cowboys did not punt in the game and did not commit a turnover while generating 597 yards of offense.
• Brandon Weeden completed passes to 12 receivers.
• The Cowboys had two big special teams plays with Chris Donaldson blocking a field goal and Michael Harrison blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown.
The Three Ball
Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden, Kendall Hunter and Justin Blackmon are in rarified air. The three Cowboys are just 39 Kendall Hunter rushing yards away from combining for 3,500 passing yards, 1,500 rushing yards and 1,500 receiving yards. It appears that only one other trio in NCAA history has accomplished that feat. Pacific's Troy Kopp, Aaron Turner and Ryan Benjamin accomplished the feat in 1991. Weeden enters the OU game with 3,780 passing yards. Blackmon's receiving total is at 1,560 yards and Hunter has run for 1,461 yards.
Blackmon And The NCAA
Justin Blackmon is nearing a couple of NCAA records. He has a 10-game streak of 100 receiving yards with at least one touchdown. The NCAA record of 11 was set by Aaron Turner of Pacific in 1991. Blackmon is also closing in on the NCAA record for receiving yards by a sophomore. That mark of 1,672 yards is held by Larry Fitzgerald of Pittsburgh (2003). Blackmon is 112 yards shy of that total.
Records Watch
It has been a record year for Oklahoma State in the won-loss column and there has been an all-out assault on the OSU record book. Here are a few of the records that have been set by the Cowboys to date or are on the verge of falling:
• OSU has scored 498 points and are on the verge of reaching 500 points for just the third time in school history, but for the second time in three years. The most points ever scored by OSU are the 530 in 2008.
• OSU has 301 first downs with the record of 324 set in 2008.
• OSU quarterbacks have attempted 448 passes with the record of 454 set in 2002.
• The 2010 Cowboys have already shattered the season completions record with 304.
• The 2010 team has tied the school record of 32 touchdown passes.
• OSU has 6,072 yards of total offense in 2010 with the record of 6,340 set in 2008.
• The passing yards in a season mark is now held by the 2010 Cowboys with 3,999 yards.
Individuals, Too
Several Cowboys have also produced new individual records.
• Brandon Weeden is now the single-season record holder in total offense (3,708 yards), pass completions (289), passes attempted (427), passing yards (3,780), and his 30 touchdown passes are just one shy of the school record set in 2002 by Josh Fields.
• Weeden also holds single-game records for completions (34) and passing yards (35).
• Justin Blackmon needs two TD catches to tie the single-season mark of 19 set by Dez Bryant in 2008.
• Blackmon's 1,560 receiving yards are just 135 shy of the school record (1,695) set by Rashaun Woods in 2002.
• Blackmon also owns the school records for most consecutive 100-yard receiving games (10) and most consecutive games with a touchdown catch (10).
• Dan Bailey has surpassed Barry Sanders to become OSU's all-time leading scorer with 347 points.
Totally Speaking
The total offense record at Oklahoma State is on full notice that it could have a short lifespan. OSU has set a new single-game record in that category twice this season. The Cowboys generated 725 yards against Baylor to break the school record of 722 it set against Tulsa in the fourth week of the season. In a bit of a statistical twist, the only two games this season in which Kendall Hunter did not rush for 100 yards came in the two games in which OSU set a total offense record. OSU enters the Oklahoma game leading the nation in total offense with 552 yards per game.
OSU Total Offense in 2010
Opponent Yards Per Play
Washington State 544 6.7
Troy 522 6.9
Tulsa 722 9.4
Texas A&M 351 5.2
La-Lafayette 492 5.9
Texas Tech 581 7.0
Nebraska 495 6.97
Kansas State 511 6.7
Baylor 725* 8.8
Texas 532 7.1
Kansas 597 7.2
*School record
Points Equal Wins
OSU enters the OU game leading the country in total offense for the second straight week. High-powered offenses in 2010 are leading to successful seasons. The combined record of the NCAA's top four offensive teams is 40-2.
NCAA Total Offense Leaders
1. Oklahoma State 552.0
2. Oregon 542.2
3. Nevada 537.4
4. Boise State 528.8
A Record Year?
The Cowboy season will have two or perhaps three more games so OSU's offensive numbers aren't set in stone. However, here's a quick look at the final numbers of the top offenses in school history with the 2010 numbers through 11 games. Three of OSU's best offenses have come under Mike Gundy as the head coach and the other (1988) came with him as quarterback.
Yards/Game Year
1. 552.0 2010
2. 515.2 1988
3. 487.7 2008
4. 486.3 2007
Taking On The Top 10
Oklahoma State has proven that its offense is capable of moving against the best defenses in the country. OSU was impressive against the two 10 defenses it has faced.
• Nebraska entered the Oklahoma State game with the nation's ninth-ranked defense, allowing just 274.3 yards per game. OSU generated 495 yards against the Cornhuskers. Nebraska was also No. 9 in scoring, allowing just 14 points per game. OSU scored 41 in the loss.
• OSU saw a higher rated defense at Texas as the Longhorns were fifth in the country, allowing 267 yards per game. OSU gained 532 against the Longhorns. OSU had 308 yards at the half – 41 yards more than Texas allowed per game.
• Texas also entered the game with the nation's second-ranked pass defense (allowing 132 yards per game). OSU went for 409 yards in the air.
The Other Side Of The Ball
While the Cowboy offense has been rising to the top of the nation's total offense charts, a funny thing has been happening on the other end of the practice field – the Cowboy defense has been making strides under Bill Young. OSU enters the Kansas game ranked just No. 78 in total defense, allowing 396.9 yards per game. Over the last four games, OSU is giving up 350 yards and 18 points per game – and even those numbers are deceiving as the garbage points and yards distort the total defensive effort.
• Baylor scored 28 points and gained 464 yards against OSU. The Cowboys held the Bears to 178 yards of total offense while building a 34-0 third-quarter lead in an eventual 55-28 win.
• The Cowboys led Texas 33-3 after three quarters before allowing 14 fourth-quarter points.
• K-State scored its final touchdown with 4:17 left in the game and picked up 67 yards of its 289 total yards on that possession, which began with OSU holding a 24-7 lead.
• OSU has blanked its last four opponents for at least two of the four quarters in each game.
• OSU has given up 24 first-half points over the last four games. During that time OSU has outscored its four opponents by a 77-24 count.
• Kansas scored on two of its first three possessions, but did not score on its final nine. And in the process, OSU held KU out of the end zone on a third and fourth and goal from the one and did not allow a point after OSU turned the ball over on downs on its own 37 on the first possession of the second half.
A TO Gained Is A TO Earned
The Kansas game marked the first time this season that the OSU defense did not force a turnover. The Cowboys enter the Bedlam game sixth nationally in the “turnovers gained” category with 27. OSU forced a total of 25 turnovers last season after 12 regular-season games. The Cowboy defense had five more takeaways in the Cotton Bowl vs. Ole Miss for a final count of 30 for 2009. OSU has 13 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries in 2010. OSU has forced at least one turnover in 10 games, at least two in nine of the 11 games to date, and three or more five times in 10 games.
The INT-ersection
The Oklahoma State defense is No. 29 in the country in interceptions with 13 through 11 games. OSU was one of the last teams in the country to intercept a pass this season with no interceptions through the first two games of the season. Seven Cowboys have an interception in 2010 after six picked off passes all of last year. Senior corner Andrew McGee leads the Cowboys and the Big 12 Conference, and is 14th nationally with five interceptions.
The Kiddie Corps
Oklahoma State is leading the Big 12 South race in a year of massive turnover. Twenty-one different Cowboys have made their first career starts in 2010 with true freshman linebacker Shaun Lewis the latest to join those ranks at K-State. Oklahoma State is fifth in the country in number of true freshmen seeing action this season with 14.
Words For Weeden
Brandon Weeden has tossed himself into the thick of the all-Big 12 quarterback talk with his 2010 season:
• He is tied for second nationally with 30 touchdown passes.
• His passing total of 3,780 yards is second nationally.
• He is No. 10 nationally and tops in the Big 12 in passing efficiency with a rating of 160.54
• He is third in the country and tops in the Big 12 with 337.09 yards of total offense per game.
• He has at least one TD pass in all 11 games this season.
• He is No. 8 in the country with 16.36 “points responsible for” per game.
• He is completing 67.7 percent of his passes.
Lemon In The Middle
OSU linebacker Orie Lemon continues to author an impressive senior season. He is third in the country with 7.4 solo tackles per game. In conference games, Lemon is second with 10.9 stops per contest. He had 14 tackles against Texas A&M, 17 at Texas Tech, and 13 at Texas. Lemon is sixth in the Big 12 in tackles for loss with 1.14 per game. On the year, Lemon has already reached 107 tackles. That's the best total by a Cowboy defender since Dwayne Levels had 109 in 2001.
Chart Watching
Oklahoma State players continue to be at or near the top in the NCAA statistical rankings with Justin Blackmon the benchmark for America's receivers. Kendall Hunter, Brandon Weeden and specialists Dan Bailey and Quinn Sharp also rank among the nation's best -- as do Orie Lemon and Andrew McGee.
OSU and the NCAA
Player Category Rank Stat
J. Blackmon Rec. Yards/Gm 1 156.00
J. Blackmon TD Receptions 1 17
J. Blackmon Scoring 3 11.40
J. Blackmon Total Rec. Yards 1 1,560
J. Blackmon Receptions/Game 2 9.4
J. Blackmon All-Purpose YPG 10 164.4
D. Bailey Scoring Per Game 2 11.45
K. Hunter Rushing Per Game 5 132.82
K. Hunter Rushing TDs 5 16
K. Hunter All-Purpose YPG 16 150.0
K. Hunter Scoring 22 8.73 ppg
O. Lemon Solo Tackles 3 7.4 pg
Q. Sharp Punting Avg. NA 46.91
B. Weeden Passing Yards 2 3780
B. Weeden TD Passes 2 30
B. Weeden Points Responsibility 8 16.36
B. Weeden Passing Efficiency 10 160.54
A. McGee Interceptions/Game 14 .43
Two Right Feet
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 and both have been named national semifinalists. Bailey is a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award and Sharp is a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award.
Bailey's Numbers
Dan Bailey dotted several mid-season All-America teams and he has continued his special season. He is 22-of-26 on three-point tries and his 22 field goals are a school single-season record. 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 in the same game since 2001). He holds the school record with 182 consecutive extra-point conversions (that streak ended with a block at Texas).
Bailey Tops The Charts
Dan Bailey passed Barry Sanders to take sole possession of first place on Oklahoma State's career scoring chart when he converted a second-quarter point-after touchdown in the Cowboys' 33-16 win at Texas. For his career, he has 347 points. In 2010, Bailey is second nationally in scoring with 11.45 points per game.
OSU Career Scoring Leaders
1. Dan Bailey, K (2007-present) 347
2. Barry Sanders, RB (1986-88) 330
3. Cary Blanchard, K (1987-90) 315
4. Larry Roach, K (1981-94) 290
5. Terry Miller, RB (1974-77) 270
Sharp Punting
Quinn Sharp has simply done it all for OSU. One week after the sophomore punter set a new school record by averaging 60.4 yards on five punts against Nebraska (including a career-best 78-yarder), he was OSU's nominee for Big 12 special teams player of the week for his efforts at Kansas State. Against the Wildcats, Sharp averaged “only” 41.3 yards on his efforts. But he was a huge factor in the game as he had four punts downed inside the K-State 10-yard line (4, 8, 7, 1). Against Baylor, his lone punt went for 59 yards. He has only punted a total of three times over the last two weeks (including none against Kansas). Due to his low number of attempts, Sharp no longer qualifies for the NCAA stats, but his average would rank second nationally.
• As a team, OSU is second nationally in net punting (41.36-yard average).
• For the season, Sharp has had 11 punts downed inside the 20 with just four touchbacks.
• On kickoffs, Sharp easily leads the nation with 50 touchbacks. To put that number in perspective, OSU's opponents have just eight touchbacks against the Cowboys in 2010.
• He has 40 career punts of longer than 50 yards and 11 longer than 60.
The Blackmon Watch
The sophomore season being turned in by OSU receiver Justin Blackmon is becoming historical beyond the OSU record book. The Ardmore Plainview High product enters the OU game with 1,560 receiving yards. He has already set an OSU record with a touchdown reception in 10 straight games and at least 100 receiving yards in 10 straight games. His yardage total already represents the second best total in school history. He has at least 125 receiving yards in every game this season. He has been involved in 23 plays of at least 29 yards, and he has eight plays of at least 40 yards.
OSU Single-Season Receiving Yards
1. Rashaun Woods (2002) 1,695
2. Justin Blackmon (2010) 1,560
OSU Single-Season Receptions
1. Rashaun Woods (2002) 107
2. Justin Blackmon (2010) 94
Blackmon And The NCAA Record Book
Single Season Touchdowns
1. Troy Edwards, La. Tech (1998) 27
--
10. Dez Bryant, OSU (2008) 19
19. Justin Blackmon, OSU (2010) 17
(Six players have 18 TD catches in a season)
Single Season Receiving Yards
1. Trevor Insley, Nevada (1999) 2,060
--
11. Troy Edwards, La. Tech (1997) 1,707
12. Rashaun Woods, OSU (2002) 1,695
13. Manny Hazard, Houston (1989) 1,689
14. Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh (2003) 1,672
15. Marcus Harris, Wyoming (1996) 1,650
16. Randy Moss, Marshall (1997) 1,647
17. Nate Burleson, Nevada (2002) 1,629
18. Jordy Nelson, Kansas State (2007) 1,606
19. Aaron Turner, Pacific (1991) 1,604
Tony Holt, N.C. State (1998) 1,604
21. Greg Salas, Hawaii, (2009) 1,590
22. Chris Penn, Tulsa (1993) 1,578
23. Justin Blackmon, OSU (2010) 1,560
Evolution of a Receiver
The development of Justin Blackmon from a 260-yard receiver for the entire 2009 season into perhaps America's most explosive wideout in 2010 has been one of the stories of the college football. 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.
• 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.
• He has touchdown receptions of 81, 80, 67 and 62 yards and a 69-yard touchdown run.
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.
Doak, Too
Kendall Hunter has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation's top running back. He's a semifinalist for the second time in three seasons.
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 has been another All-America campaign. Compare his 2010 stats vs. his All-America run of 2008.
Hunter 2010 vs. Hunter 2008 Through 11 Games
Year Att Yds TD Avg YPG
2008 210 1434 14 6.8 130.4
2010 248 1461 16 5.9 132.8
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 4,094 rushing yards and fourth with 37 rushing touchdowns.
• Hunter is the nation's third active leading rusher and No. 9 in career rushing TDs.
• He has moved up to No. 9 all-time at OSU with 234 career points.
• Hunter averages an impressive 5.98 yards per rush for his career.
• Hunter's 257-yard effort vs. Washington State was the 12th best game in OSU history and in that game he became the first player since Barry Sanders in 1988 (vs. Kansas) to run for more than 200 yards in a half (208 yards on 18 carries).
OSU Career 100-yard Rushing Games
1. Terry Miller (1974-77) 26
2. Thurman Thomas (1984-87) 21
3. Kendall Hunter (2007-2010) 20
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 OSU Rushing Leaders
1. Thurman Thomas 4,595
2. Terry Miller 4,581
3. David Thompson 4,314
4. Kendall Hunter 4,094
Cashing In
Oklahoma State leads the country in red zone offense with points on 51 of its 54 chances. In actuality, the Cowboys have scored on 51 of 53 tries in the red zone as OSU ended the Baylor game on the Bear 15 with the Cowboys holding a 55-28 lead. The breakdown of scoring includes 21 rushing touchdowns, 15 passing touchdowns and 15 field goals.
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.
