|
|
|
|
|
Cowboys Even up Record in Flogging of SMU by Justin Waganer Senior Sports Writer September 21, 2002
As the Oklahoma State Cowboys headed to the locker room with a 45-0 lead at halftime on Saturday night I couldn't help but think of two things. Mike Gundy must be back at center with Barry Sanders behind him and my pick of SMU with the points could be in trouble.
If you are keeping score at home I'm sure you know that I still hold a winless record win picking OSU with the Vegas odds. Too optimistic against La. Tech and UCLA, too pessimistic against SMU, the Pokes had a tremendous first half and put it on cruise control in the second.
The Cowboys routed the Mustangs 52-16 reminding many of those late 80s days when the offense was unstoppable and the defense unflappable. The 45 points were the most in a half since the second half of the 1988 Holiday Bowl some of the first half stats were staggering.
Oklahoma State had 345 yards of total offense to the 88 of SMU including the 13-21 for 193 yards and three touchdowns for QB Josh Fields. As I said, in the first half. Les Miles said he couldn't think of it going any better.
"It is just like you diagram it. You decide to go down the field and have success, and that is just how we did it," Miles said after his club evened up its 2002 record at 2-2.
After the dominating first half in which Oklahoma State scored on their first seven possessions, Quarterback Josh Fields and Receiver Rashaun Woods sat along with most of the first team offense to enjoy the rout.
The second half was purely academic, unless you were a player for Phil Bennett's Southern Methodist football team.
"I told them we were down 45-0, and that I wasn't even going to look at the first half, but I would watch the second half with great interest. I'm going to find the guys that have character on this football team, and I think some of them did," Bennett said after his team fell to 0-4 in his initial season as head coach.
The
victory wrapped up non-conference play for the Cowboys who now play a
string of conference games that may leave them without another victory
for a while. After a week off the Pokes travel to Austin to play
Longhorns, Manhattan to play the Wildcats, Nebraska and Texas A&M at
home, and finishing with a road trip to Texas Tech. All this
before finally playing the terrible twins, Kansas and Baylor before the
Bedlam Battle.
|
|
