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Pokes Just Want the End After Fifth Consecutive Loss by Justin Waganer Senior Sports Writer November 11, 2001
Oklahoma State will play one of the biggest games in school history when they take the field next week, the sad part is they will be playing Baylor to keep from returning to the conference basement for the first time since entering the Big 12. The Pokes were throttled once again on Saturday by Texas Tech 49-30 in a game that wasn't even that close.
The despair can be read in statements like this one from Elbert Craig, "We need a win badly. Hopefully we can pull an win off at Baylor and then get ready for OU." Hopefully we can beat Baylor? That's like saying hopefully I don't choke to death on my own saliva.
Tech quarterback Kliff Kingsbury put up 440 yards passing and threw four touchdowns against an Oklahoma State defense that seems to get worse every week, this week giving up 546 yards and six touchdowns overall. The defense started the year strong, but has no room to talk now when it comes time to hand out the blame for this five game losing streak.
Since the first loss of the streak to Missouri the Cowboys have given up 424, 479, 435, 465, and 546 yard performances for an average of 470 yards per game and 41, 45, 28, 22, and 49 point performances for an average of 37 points per game. The streak may not be so frustrating, disappointing, and embarrassing to OSU fans if the losses weren't by an average of two touchdowns per contest. But are the Aggies frustrated?
Bryan Phillips can handle it, "I just went out there today planning to do my best. It was almost like this was another phase of the season. I didn't really think of it as an end. Everybody on this team played with a lot of heart. I'd play with these guys any day because we give it our all out there."
Senior Dwayne Levels felt differently with a hint of despair in his voice, "Most things are like that. You do your time, and it's time to move on. These young players will come up through the system and develop with the coach into better players. For the older players like myself, we just move on from here."
The game made Mike Leach and Company at Texas Tech bowl eligible again, something that they are excited about. Quarterback Kliff Kingsbury talked about it afterward, "This win is definitely icing on the cake, and put us bowl eligible as well. The next two weeks are going to be fun, we're going to play relaxed and hopefully go out and upset some people."
The Cowboys will take the field next week in Waco against the Baylor Bears in a game set for 1 p.m. and is not set to be televised unless of course your toilet picks up television signals.
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