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Cowboys Snatch Defeat From Jaws of Victory by Justin Waganer Senior Sports Writer September 2, 2002
For the second consecutive year the Oklahoma State Cowboys lost their season opener after having every chance to be the victor. After a 39-36 loss to Louisiana Tech on Saturday night in which the Pokes blew an 18-point lead one can't help but wonder if the momentum is gone?
All the talk in the off-season at Oklahoma State was of carrying over the momentum gained in their massive upset of Oklahoma to finish the 2001 campaign. Late in the Shreveport, Louisiana night on Saturday the Cowboys dropped a 36-18 lead late in the fourth quarter to drop 39-36 after the Bulldogs had TD drives of 80, 99, and 73 yards to win the game.
Head Coach Les Miles tried to put it all in perspective afterwards. “When we look back there will be so many ways we could have won that football game,” Miles said. “It’s going to be hard to look at that film. We’re 0-1, but it’s just one.”
It is just one, but it's just one after what was perhaps the biggest one win in Oklahoma State Football history. The Cowboys looked like the team that beat a top 5 team a year ago for almost three quarters as they were on the brink of blowing out the WAC Champion from a year ago. However, the late game collapse that has haunted the Pokes for the last few years reemerged.
Louisiana Tech Quarterback Luke McCown's quote was one that we should have heard from OSU's Josh Fields after their win. "This is something my heart has longed for for a long, long time. We came so close at Miami and so close at Alabama last year. To pull one out tonight is huge."
No OSU didn't come close to beating Miami or Alabama last year, but they did beat OU and should have beat Southern Miss., Missouri, and Colorado in 2001. For those of you who don't know O-State lost those three by a combined 14 points and would have finished 7-4 and gone bowling if a few things had gone different. The Cowboys have had too many would have, could have, and should haves over the last few years.
Make no mistake about it there are games OSU can win on this schedule that people won't pick them to, but when does the 4-7 change to a 7-4 again? OSU is better than to do it once every 15 years, they should go bowling about three of every five. Until then they will continue to get less than the respect they deserve.
OSU will open their home schedule for 2002 this Saturday at 6 p.m. against Northern Iowa. The game will not be televised.
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