MajorMike
10-12-2008, 09:53 AM
By Jenni Carlson
Published: October 11, 2008
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Zac Robinson made a joyful dash across the Faurot Field turf. Trooper Taylor chest bumped every willing soul. Patrick Lavine hugged one teammate after another.
The Cowboys had every reason to celebrate Saturday night.
Oklahoma State 28, Missouri 23.
On a day of unexpected results in the college football world, none was more unexpected than this. The Cowboys went on the road, a place where they've struggled, and not only defeated the third-ranked team in the country but also stymied a high-powered offense.
"It was a great opportunity on a national stage," Cowboy linebacker Andre Sexton said. "We got a chance, and we just wanted to go out there and show everybody."
Now opens a world of possibilities for OSU.
Now opens a world of possibilities for OSU.
Why can't the Cowboys win the South Division?
Why can't they play for the Big 12 Championship?
Then, who knows?
Such talk doesn't seem outrageous after the Cowboys stood toe-to-toe with a heavyweight and scored the knockout.
This was a long and bloody bout, both sides landing one big blow after another. The Cowboys had every opportunity to throw in the towel. They could've done it after the Tigers pulled within a touchdown late. Or after Missouri forced them to punt with almost three minutes remaining, an eternity for the Tiger offense. Or after the Tigers marched into Cowboy territory.
But the Cowboys never did.
They just kept fighting.
All of it started with the defense. Sure, this is a unit that played well the first five games of the season, but really, it hadn't been tested by any of those opponents, not like Missouri promised to test it Saturday.
But OSU intercepted Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel three times, including the game-clinching one by Patrick Lavine.
The former Heisman Trophy frontrunner had thrown one interception combined in his first five games.
“It seemed like we were a little bit off all night,” Daniel said. “Whatever the reason, I have no idea.”
The reason was the OSU defense. The Cowboys pressured Daniel sometimes, then dropped into stifling blanket coverage other times.
“We weren't just executing as well as we should have,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. “I think you give them credit for that.”
The Cowboy offense did its job, too. It managed an amazing balance, mixing big passes with timely runs. OSU rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 215 yards and two touchdowns.
What's more, the Cowboy offense shortened the game by keeping the ball away from the Tigers with several long drives.
Perfect, the Cowboys were not, but they were better than the Tigers.
“They certainly did the things necessary to win,” Pinkel said.
This was no fluke, by the way. The Cowboys didn't use a bunch of fakes or a slew of gadgets. They didn't do anything flashier than running their offense and playing their defense.
They beat the Tigers straight up.
“We didn't do the things you needed to beat a real good football team today,” Pinkel said.
The Cowboys did more than enough.
They took some punches, but they also landed plenty of their own. In the end, they stood alone with the Tigers flat on their backs.
http://www.newsok.com/osus-ko-heard-round-the-world/article/3310499/?custom_click=lead_story_photo
Published: October 11, 2008
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Zac Robinson made a joyful dash across the Faurot Field turf. Trooper Taylor chest bumped every willing soul. Patrick Lavine hugged one teammate after another.
The Cowboys had every reason to celebrate Saturday night.
Oklahoma State 28, Missouri 23.
On a day of unexpected results in the college football world, none was more unexpected than this. The Cowboys went on the road, a place where they've struggled, and not only defeated the third-ranked team in the country but also stymied a high-powered offense.
"It was a great opportunity on a national stage," Cowboy linebacker Andre Sexton said. "We got a chance, and we just wanted to go out there and show everybody."
Now opens a world of possibilities for OSU.
Now opens a world of possibilities for OSU.
Why can't the Cowboys win the South Division?
Why can't they play for the Big 12 Championship?
Then, who knows?
Such talk doesn't seem outrageous after the Cowboys stood toe-to-toe with a heavyweight and scored the knockout.
This was a long and bloody bout, both sides landing one big blow after another. The Cowboys had every opportunity to throw in the towel. They could've done it after the Tigers pulled within a touchdown late. Or after Missouri forced them to punt with almost three minutes remaining, an eternity for the Tiger offense. Or after the Tigers marched into Cowboy territory.
But the Cowboys never did.
They just kept fighting.
All of it started with the defense. Sure, this is a unit that played well the first five games of the season, but really, it hadn't been tested by any of those opponents, not like Missouri promised to test it Saturday.
But OSU intercepted Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel three times, including the game-clinching one by Patrick Lavine.
The former Heisman Trophy frontrunner had thrown one interception combined in his first five games.
“It seemed like we were a little bit off all night,” Daniel said. “Whatever the reason, I have no idea.”
The reason was the OSU defense. The Cowboys pressured Daniel sometimes, then dropped into stifling blanket coverage other times.
“We weren't just executing as well as we should have,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. “I think you give them credit for that.”
The Cowboy offense did its job, too. It managed an amazing balance, mixing big passes with timely runs. OSU rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 215 yards and two touchdowns.
What's more, the Cowboy offense shortened the game by keeping the ball away from the Tigers with several long drives.
Perfect, the Cowboys were not, but they were better than the Tigers.
“They certainly did the things necessary to win,” Pinkel said.
This was no fluke, by the way. The Cowboys didn't use a bunch of fakes or a slew of gadgets. They didn't do anything flashier than running their offense and playing their defense.
They beat the Tigers straight up.
“We didn't do the things you needed to beat a real good football team today,” Pinkel said.
The Cowboys did more than enough.
They took some punches, but they also landed plenty of their own. In the end, they stood alone with the Tigers flat on their backs.
http://www.newsok.com/osus-ko-heard-round-the-world/article/3310499/?custom_click=lead_story_photo