Oklahoma State University Athletics
Game Notes - Cowboys Face UTSA
September 03, 2013 | Cowboy Football
Sep 3, 2013
Complete Release in PDF Format 
at UTSA
11:05 a.m. CT | Sept. 7, 2013 | Alamodome (65,000 cap.)
Television:Fox Sports Net (Justin Kutcher, James Bates and Brady Poppinga)
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb and Robert Allen)
National Radio: None
Internet: okstate.com
Satellite Radio: Sirius Channel 113 | XM Channel 206
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The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team plays its fourth straight game in the state of Texas when it travels to San Antonio to battle UTSA at 11 a.m. CT on Sept. 7 in the Alamodome. This is the first meeting of the two schools.
On the Air
Saturday's game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports 1 with Justin Kutcher, James Bates and Brady Poppinga calling the action. Check local listings. The game will also be carried live on the Cowboy Radio Network, with Dave Hunziker handling play-by-play, John Holcomb providing analysis and Robert Allen reporting from the sideline.
In The Polls
Oklahoma State is ranked No. 13 in this week's Associated Press poll and is No. 14 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. UTSA is unranked.
Ranking Roundup
The Cowboys are the highest-ranked team from the Big 12 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls.
OSU was ranked No. 13 in the preseason AP poll, marking the fourth time in the last five seasons that Oklahoma State has secured a preseason AP ranking. The Cowboys were No. 9 going into 2009, No. 9 going into 2011 and No. 19 going into 2012.
An Oklahoma State Win Would...
• Mark the sixth time in nine years under Mike Gundy that OSU has started the season 2-0.
• Improve the Cowboys to 9-1 in their last 10 games played in the state of Texas.
• Improve the Cowboys to 13-1 in their last 14 non-conference games.
• Improve the Cowboys to 26-3 in their last 29 games against unranked opponents.
• Mark the Cowboys' ninth consecutive win over a team currently in Conference USA.
• Improve the Cowboys to 62-31-6 against teams currently in Conference USA.
An Oklahoma State Loss Would...
• Snap its eight-game winning streak over teams currently in Conference USA. The streak dates back to 2002.
• Be only its fourth loss to an unranked opponent since the start of the 2010 season.
• Be only its second loss in its last 15 non-conference games.
Connections
• Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy faces one of his mentors in UTSA coach Larry Coker. Coker coached at OSU from 1983-89 and served as offensive coordinator for some of the most potent offenses in school history. Gundy was his quarterback from 1986-89.
• OSU Assistant Athletic Director for Speed, Strength and Conditioning Rob Glass was a graduate assistant in Stillwater from 1986-88 and took over as strength and conditioning coach in 1989 - all during the time that Coker was on the Cowboy coaching staff.
• Oklahoma State director of recruiting Johnny Barr and Coker worked together on the Oklahoma coaching staff from 1990-92, with Barr coaching the Sooner linebackers and Coker serving as offensive coordinator.
• UTSA defensive line coach Eric Roark was a three-year letterwinner for Oklahoma State as a defensive back in 1979, 1980 and 1982.
• A handful of Cowboys are returning home to the San Antonio area for the game. Among those from the San Antonio area are running backs coach Jemal Singleton (San Antonio), linebacker Kris Catlin (San Antonio), receiver Austin Hays (San Antonio), defensive tackle Vincent Taylor (San Antonio), safety Tre Flowers (Converse), linebacker Ryan Simmons (Cibolo), safety Jordan Sterns (Cibolo) and safety Zack Craig (Spring Branch).
Remember the Alamodome
The Alamodome is familiar territory for Oklahoma State, highlighted by the Cowboy basketball team's 2004 NCAA Men's Final Four appearance and the football team's 36-10 victory over Arizona in the 2010 Valero Alamo Bowl.
The Cowboys also appeared in the Alamo Bowl in both 1997 and 2004, suffering losses at the hands of Purdue and Ohio State, respectively.
Oklahoma State in Non-Conference Games
Including last week's 21-3 win over Mississippi State, Oklahoma State is 12-1 in its last 13 non-conference games, dating back to the start of the 2010 season.
It should be noted that OSU has not just beaten up on teams that can't compete. Wins over teams from the Southeastern Conference, the Pac-12 and Big Ten are included on the list.
Additionally, the Pokes have faced no fewer than three non-conference opponents that went on to play in bowl games per year during that span (Troy, Tulsa and Arizona in 2010; Louisiana, Tulsa and Stanford in 2011; Arizona, Louisiana and Purdue in 2012.)
A look at Oklahoma State's last 14 non-conference games:
Sept. 4, 2010 vs. Washington State .......... W, 65-17
Sept. 11, 2010 vs. Troy .......... W, 41-38
Sept. 18, 2010 vs. Tulsa .......... W, 65-28
Dec. 29, 2010 vs. Arizona (Alamo Bowl) .......... W, 36-10
Sept. 3, 2011 vs. Louisiana .......... W, 61-34
Sept. 8, 2011 vs. Arizona .......... W, 37-14
Sept. 17, 2011 at Tulsa .......... W, 59-33
Jan. 2, 2012 vs. Stanford (Fiesta Bowl) .......... W, 41-38
Sept. 1, 2012 vs. Savannah State .......... W, 84-0
Sept. 8, 2012 at Arizona .......... L, 38-59
Sept. 15, 2012 vs. Louisiana .......... W, 65-24
Jan. 1, 2013 vs. Purdue (Heart of Dallas Bowl) .......... W, 58-14
Aug. 31, 2013 vs. Mississippi State (in Houston) .......... W, 21-3
Oklahoma State vs. Conference USA
While OSU has never faced UTSA on the gridiron, the Cowboys are 61-31-6 all-time against current members of Conference USA. Most of those games were played against Tulsa, against whom OSU owns a 40-27-5 series advantage. Dating back to 2002, Oklahoma State has rattled off eight straight wins over current members of Conference USA.
Oklahoma State's Last Eight Games vs. Teams Currently In Conference USA
Oklahoma State has won its last eight games against teams currently in Conference USA by an average score of 44-18. A game-by-game breakdown of the streak:
Dec. 27, 2002 vs. Southern Miss (Houston Bowl) W, 33-23
Sept. 11, 2004 vs. Tulsa ......... W, 38-21
Sept. 8, 2005 at Florida Atlantic ......... W, 23-3
Sept. 16, 2006 vs. Florida Atlantic ......... W, 48-8
Sept. 8, 2007 vs. Florida Atlantic ......... W, 42-6
Sept. 19, 2009 vs. Rice ......... W, 41-24
Sept. 18, 2010 vs. Tulsa ......... W, 65-28
Sept. 17, 2011 at Tulsa ......... W, 59-33
Not Easing In
Oklahoma State is the only Big 12 school and one of only four schools from the five power conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC) to play its first two games away from home to start the 2013 season. Alabama, Syracuse and Washington State are the others.
Oklahoma State's Texas Flavor
Recruiting the state of Texas has been a high priority for Oklahoma State football since Mike Gundy took over at his alma mater in 2005. Oklahoma State annually has more players on its roster from Texas than any other program outside of the Lone Star State. This year's totals:
Oklahoma State - 69
Oklahoma - 43
Louisiana-Monroe - 38
Missouri - 36
New Mexico - 31
Tulsa - 29
Kansas State - 27
Kansas - 26
Arkansas - 20
Iowa State - 20
High-Profile Native Texans To Play For Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State
Dez Bryant - Dallas Cowboys first-round pick and leading receiver.
Russell Okung - Seattle Seahawks first-round pick, 2013 Pro Bowl
Brandon Pettigrew - Detroit Lions first-round pick
Quinn Sharp - Cincinnati Bengals kicker, 3-time All-American K/P
Kendall Hunter - San Francisco 49ers RB and two-time All-American
Perrish Cox - San Francisco 49ers CB and two-time All-American
Markelle Martin - Tennessee Titans safety and 2011 All-American
Grant Garner - 2011 All-America center
Orie Lemon - Kansas City Chiefs linebacker
Texas is Cowboy Country
Playing in the Big 12, the Oklahoma State football team is used to playing in the state of Texas. The Cowboys have won eight of their last nine games played in the Lone Star State. A closer look:
Oct. 16, 2010 at Texas Tech .......... W, 34-17
Nov. 13, 2010 at Texas .......... W, 33-16
Dec. 29, 2010 vs. Arizona (Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio) .......... W, 36-10
Sept. 24, 2011 at No. 8 Texas A&M .......... W, 30-29
Oct. 15, 2011 at No. 22 Texas .......... W, 38-26
Nov. 12, 2011 at Texas Tech .......... W, 66-6
Dec. 1, 2012 at Baylor .......... L, 41-34
Jan. 1, 2013 vs. Purdue (Heart of Dallas Bowl in Dallas) .......... W, 58-21
Aug. 31, 2013 vs. Mississippi State (in Houston) .......... W, 21-3
Notable Streaks Entering the UTSA Game
• OSU has amassed at least 400 yards of offense in its last nine games and in 26 of its last 27 contests.
• OSU has won the turnover battle in five of its last six games.
• OSU has rushed for over 200 yards in each of its last five games.
• OSU has at least one rushing touchdown in each of its last six games and in 15 of its last 16 contests.
• Receiver Josh Stewart has at least four receptions in 13 consecutive games.
• Linebacker Shaun Lewis has started 33 straight games.
Lavey is Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week
Oklahoma State senior linebacker Caleb Lavey is the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced today. It's the first such honor of Lavey's career and marks the first time a Cowboy has been recognized with the league's weekly defensive honor since Shaun Lewis in 2011.
Lavey recorded a game-high 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and a half sack in serving as ringleader for an Oklahoma State defense that suffocated SEC foe Mississippi State in the Cowboys' 21-3 win over the Bulldogs on a neutral field in Houston.
State of the Program
The Oklahoma State football program has risen to a new level of national prominence in recent years. A look:
Most Wins, 2008-present
1. Alabama .......... 62-7
2. Boise State .......... 61-6
3. Oregon .......... 57-10
4. TCU .......... 54-12
T5. Florida .......... 53-15
T5. Oklahoma .......... 53-15
T7. Ohio State .......... 52-13
T7. LSU .......... 52-15
9. Oklahoma State .......... 50-16
10. Virginia Tech .......... 49-20
Big 12 Favorites
Perhaps the clearest illustration of the respect Oklahoma State football has earned under Mike Gundy is the fact that in a year where most observers would agree that the Big 12 is up for grabs, OSU - and not one of the league's traditional powers - is viewed as the safest pick to win.
The Cowboys were the preseason pick to win the Big 12 by the media and are the highest-ranked Big 12 team in both the preseason Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Poll.
2013 Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll
Team Points
1. Oklahoma State (15) 365
2. Oklahoma (8) 355
3. TCU (9) 347
4. Texas (8) 337
5. Baylor (2) 282
6. K-State (1) 240
7. Texas Tech 161
8. West Virginia 126
9. Iowa State 96
10. Kansas 56
first-place votes in parentheses
New Staff Meetings
For the first time in several years, OSU has had a significant turnover in its coaching staff. Four new coaches are on board, including a pair of new coordinators. The newcomers are offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Mike Yurcich (pronounced YER-sitch), receivers coach Jason Ray, defensive line coach Joe Bob Clements and safeties coach Tim Duffie. Glenn Spencer has been elevated from co-defensive coordinator to defensive coordinator. He will continue to coach linebackers as well.
• Yurcich comes to OSU from Shippensburg in Pennsylvania, where he served as offensive coordinator for the most potent attack in Division II.
• Ray is a native Oklahoman who played at Missouri and was most recently on the staff at Wyoming.
• Clements is a former player and staff member at Kansas State.
• A native of Jefferson, Texas, Duffie came to OSU after coaching stops at UTEP, Colorado State and Wake Forest.
Coordinating Efforts
OSU is breaking in two new coordinators in the same season for the first time since 2005 (Mike Gundy's first season as the Cowboy head coach). Mike Yurcich becomes the fifth offensive coordinator under Gundy. Previously that position was held by Larry Fedora (2005-2007), Dana Holgorsen (2010) and Todd Monken (2011-12). In 2008 and 2009 Gunter Brewer and Joe Wickline held the title of co-offensive coordinators with Gundy the play-caller. Spencer is the successor of Vance Bedford (2005-2006), Tim Beckman (2007-2008) and Bill Young (2009-2012).
The Cowboy Way
When it has been at its best in recent years, Oklahoma State has followed this general formula in the three phases:
Offense: Up-tempo, balanced between the run and pass, spread the ball around among several receivers.
- Two years with a Biletnikoff Award winner and a third with a Biletnikoff Award runner-up since 2008.
- Two years with a consensus All-American running back since 2008 and six straight with a first-team All-Big 12 back.
- An offensive line that has ranked in the top 10 nationally in fewest sacks allowed in each of the last four seasons.
- First-round NFL draft picks at quarterback, wide receiver, tight end and offensive line since 2008.
Defense: Heavy focus on forcing turnovers. Minimize yards per play. Third down defense. Minimize opponent big plays.
- Ranked second in the nation in turnovers forced since 2009.
- 18 non-offensive touchdowns since 2010.
- Second-fewest yards per play allowed among Big 12 teams since 2010.
Special Teams: Nationally elite performers at kicker, punter and in the return game.
- Winner of the 2008 Ray Guy Award presented to the nation's best punter (Matt Fodge)
- Winner of the 2010 Lou Groza Award presented to the nation's top kicker (Dan Bailey)
- Only the second player in history to earn FWAA All-America honors as a kicker and a punter (Quinn Sharp)
- The nation's No. 2 active player in career kickoff returns for touchdowns (Justin Gilbert - five)
Last Time Out - Oklahoma State 21, Mississippi State 3
After spotting Mississippi State a field goal on its opening drive of the game, the Oklahoma State defense pitched a shutout in leading the No. 13 Cowboys to a 21-3 victory over the Bulldogs at the Advocare Texas Kickoff played in Houston's Reliant Stadium.
The OSU defense was so dominant in its suffocation of Mississippi State that it only allowed the Bulldogs to cross midfield five times in the game and only three times after the first quarter.
The Cowboys forced two turnovers - interceptions by Justin Gilbert and Zack Craig - and held Mississippi State to a paltry two-for-16 on third down.
Known for its vaunted passing game, Oklahoma State's offense did the bulk of its damage on the ground, with quarterback J.W. Walsh amassing 125 rushing yards and a touchdown and running back Jeremy Smith adding 102 yards and two scores. Facing an SEC defense, the Cowboys averaged 7.2 yards per carry - their highest single-game average since rattling off 9.4 yards per carry in the 2012 season opener against Savannah State.
Key Figures in the Game
Offense: After sitting for the first two series of the game, quarterback J.W. Walsh carried the ball 13 times for 125 yards and a touchdown and completed 18-of-27 passes for 135 yards in helping lead the Cowboys to the Big 12's signature win of the weekend. Walsh was the primary figure in turning the game in the Cowboys' favor when he rushed for 46 yards then 11 yards on back-to-back plays in the second quarter to set up the go-ahead touchdown - which he scored - just two plays later. Walsh's 125 rushing yards made him the first OSU quarterback since Zac Robinson in 2007 to rush for more than 100 yards in a game.
Defense: Linebacker Caleb Lavey recorded 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and a half sack in serving as ringleader for an Oklahoma State defense that suffocated Mississippi State. Other notable contributors were fellow linebacker Shaun Lewis (seven tackles, two tackles for loss and a half sack), safety Shamiel Gary (10 tackles and three pass break-ups) and cornerback Justin Gilbert, whose well-timed interception in the first half breathed the first sign of life into the Cowboys after a sluggish start on both sides of the ball.
Special Teams: Playing his first game in an Oklahoma State uniform, punter Kip Smith was perhaps the team's most valuable player in the first half. Smith punted five times in the first half, downing four inside the Mississippi State 20 yard line to give the Cowboys the edge in field position that they needed during a time when the offense needed help. Smith's five first-half punts yielded a remarkable net punting average of 46.2 yards. He finished the game with six punts that averaged 45.2 yards and netted an average of 45.0 yards.
Game Tidbits
• The win over Mississippi State marked the first time since the 1995 Bedlam game that the Cowboy defense held a BCS conference opponent to three or fewer points (OSU defeated OU 12-0 on Nov. 11, 1995).
• The Cowboys had just 46 total passing yards in the first half against Mississippi State. That's the fewest passing yards in a half for OSU since the second half of the Cotton Bowl vs Ole Miss on Jan. 2, 2010 (OSU had 32 passing yards vs the Rebels after halftime).
• Walsh (125 yards rushing) and Smith (102 rushing yards) combined to give OSU two 100-yard rushers in a single game for the 33rd time in school history and the first time since last year's season opener vs Savannah State.
First-Timers
Five players made the first starts of their respective careers for Oklahoma State in the season opener against Mississippi State - defensive ends Jimmy Bean and Tyler Johnson, linebacker Ryan Simmons, offensive lineman Travis Cross and receiver Jhajuan Seales.
All tolled, 11 players saw the first game action of their OSU careers in the win over the Bulldogs - offensive linemen Brandon Garrett and Zac Veatch, defensive linemen Ofa Hautau, Sam Wren and Emmanuel Ogbah, cornerback Tyler Patmon, punter Kip Smith, receiver Marcell Ateman, kicker Ben Grogan, safety Deric Robertson and Seales.
Defensive Benchmarks
Oklahoma State's defensive coaches look at multiple factors when judging their own defense, but high on the priority list are the following: forcing turnovers, yards per play allowed, third down percentage, rush defense and minimizing big plays. A look at how the Cowboys did in those categories against Mississippi State:
Best Third-Down Defense, Mike Gundy Era
11/12/05 vs. No. 13 Texas Tech 0-of-10
9/8/05 vs. Florida Atlantic 1-of-11
8/31/13 vs. vs. Mississippi State 2-of-16
10/27/12 vs. TCU 2-of-14
8/30/08 vs. at Washington State 2-of-13
Fewest Points Allowed, Mike Gundy Era
9/1/12 vs. Savannah State .......... W, 84-0
8/31/13 vs. Mississippi State .......... W, 21-3
9/8/05 at Florida Atlantic .......... W, 23-3
9/29/07 vs. Sam Houston St. .......... W, 39-3
9/8/07 vs. Florida Atlantic .......... W, 42-6
10/18/08 vs. Baylor .......... W, 34-6
9/26/09 vs. Grambling State .......... W, 56-6
11/12/11 vs. at Texas Tech .......... W, 66-6
The Big 12 Leaderboard
• Quarterback J.W. Walsh leads the Big 12 with 125.0 rushing yards per game.
• Running back Jeremy Smith is fifth in the Big 12 with 102.0 rushing yards per game.
• Walsh is sixth in the league with 260.0 yards of total offense per game.
• Smith is tied for the league lead with two touchdowns scored.
• Justin Gilbert is third in the Big 12 with a kickoff return average of 22.5.
• Linebacker Caleb Lavey is third in the Big 12 with 11.0 tackles per game.
• Safety Shamiel Gary is tied for fourth in the Big 12 with 10.0 tackles per game.
• Gary is tied for second in the league with 3.0 passes defended per game.
• Lavey and fellow linebacker Shaun Lewis are tied for fifth in the Big 12 with 2.0 tackles for loss per game.
• Defensive end Tyler Johnson is tied for ninth in the Big 12 with 1.5 tackles for loss per game.
Position Breakdown
Offensive Line - Coached by Joe Wickline
Despite losing projected starter Devin Davis during fall camp, Oklahoma State still found a way to manhandle Mississippi State's SEC defense, rushing for 286 yards and not allowing a sack all game. Led by left tackle Parker Graham and left guard Brandon Webb, the Cowboys brutalized Mississippi State up front. OSU averaged 7.2 yards per carry against MSU - it's highest mark since averaging 9.4 yards per carry in the 2012 season opener against Savannah State.
Graham and Webb are the leaders of the group, with junior Jake Jenkins anchoring down the center position. Junior Chris Grisbhy and sophomore Travis Cross split time at right guard and Daniel Koenig earned the start at right tackle.
Receivers - Coached by Kasey Dunn and Jason Ray
Josh Stewart and Tracy Moore headline the Oklahoma State receiving corps, but the strength of the unit is balance. OSU has four different receivers who have posted 500-yard receiving seasons in their career. Nine different players caught a pass in the season-opening win over Mississippi State.
Running Backs - Coached by Jemal Singleton
Senior Jeremy Smith has been an explosive runner for Oklahoma State since he stepped on campus in 2009, but he did his work in the shadow of a pair of NFL draft picks in Kendall Hunter and Joseph Randle. Now in his fifth year with the program, Smith and his 6.2 career yards per carry average - second in OSU history to only Barry Sanders - come to the forefront of the Cowboy rushing attack. Despite the fact that Smith has never been a full-time starter, he still ranks tied for eighth on OSU's career rushing touchdown list with 27.
Junior Desmond Roland steps into the role of second-team running back, but in Oklahoma State's fast-paced system, he will still be a prominent figure in the offense. Put it this way, OSU's second-leading rusher had 102 touches in 2011 and 73 touches in 2012. Roland will get his chances and at 6-2, 210, he has the frame to carry a significant load.
Quarterbacks - Coached by Mike Yurcich
After watching senior Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh evenly split reps during the preseason, coach Mike Gundy settled on playing both in the season opener against Mississippi State. Chelf quarterbacked the opening two series of the game before Walsh was inserted for good on the third series. Walsh ended up rushing for a career-high 125 yards and a touchdown to introduce a new wrinkle into OSU's vaunted offense - the consistent threat of a quarterback run.
In his post-game media briefing, Gundy named Walsh the starting quarterback for this week's game against UTSA.
Walsh and ESPN's QBR
In the Total QBR system produced by ESPN Stats & Information, J.W. Walsh compares favorably to some of the biggest-name quarterbacks in college football.
QBR is a number for a quarterback between 0 and 100 that captures efficiency associated with throwing the ball, running the ball, drawing penalties, and avoiding sacks and turnovers. It uses the same concept as the NFL Total QBR, dividing the credit on every play between the quarterback and his teammates according to how much the quarterback did. An average score is 50.
Including his performance in OSU's season-opening win over Mississippi State, Walsh has now had a Total QBR of 70 or better in each of the six games in which he has at least 20 action plays going back to last season. Speaking of last season, Walsh ranked third nationally a year ago in opponent-adjusted QBR among quarterbacks with at least 200 action plays. His 86.1 rating trailed only Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M (90.5 opponent-adjusted QBR) and Marcus Mariota from Oregon (87.8 opponent-adjusted QBR).
Through one week in 2013, Walsh sports a QBR of 83.6.
National Leaders in Opponent-Adjusted QBR, 2012 (Min. 200 action plays)
1. Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M .......... 90.5
2. Marcus Mariota, Oregon .......... 87.8
3. J.W. Walsh, Oklahoma State .......... 86.1
4. Geno Smith, West Virginia .......... 82.0
5. Tajh Boyd, Clemson .......... 81.8
Defensive Line - Coached by Joe Bob Clements
The play of the defensive line may have been the single biggest contributing factor in Oklahoma State's season-opening win over Mississippi State. Time and time again, the Cowboys won the battle in the trenches, thanks largely to Calvin Barnett, James Castleman, Tyler Johnson and Jimmy Bean.
Barnett and Johnson combined for 10 tackles, a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss against the Bulldogs. As a group, the Cowboy defensive line combined to register 22 tackles, two sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss in the game.
The defensive line plugged running lanes on multiple third-and-short situations and factored heavily into the Pokes limiting Mississippi State to 2-of-16 on third down for the game.
Linebackers - Coached by Glenn Spencer
If the play of the defensive line wasn't the biggest factor in OSU's win over Mississippi State, then the play of the linebackers was. Caleb Lavey had a game-high 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and a half sack and running mate Shaun Lewis had seven tackles, two for loss and a half sack.
Cornerbacks - Coached by Van Malone
When Justin Gilbert picked off a Tyler Russell pass in the first quarter, nobody knew at the time that play would end what was essentially Mississippi State's last meaningful scoring opportunity. For Gilbert, however, the interception was a weight off his shoulders. After picking off five passes as a sophomore in 2011, he had no interceptions last season.
Safeties - Coached by Tim Duffie
Gilbert's first-quarter interception was made possible by a big hit applied by safety Lyndell Johnson, whose hit on LaDarius Perkins popped the ball into the air and right into the waiting hands of Gilbert. Plays like that have become common for Johnson, who stepped into the role of turnover-forcing machine during fall camp. Fellow safeties Shamiel Gary and Daytawion Lowe were also key factors in OSU's suffocation of Mississippi State, with Gary registering 10 tackles and three pass breakups and Lowe adding seven tackles, with one for loss.
