Berry Tramel, Sports columnist
Another loss to Texas, another haunting for OSU
Texas 41, OSU 14 Cowboys miss chances early against No. 3-ranked team, are left to ponder what might have been
By Berry Tramel
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15
Published: November 1, 2009
STILLWATER — Every shade of orange known to Halloween filled Boone Pickens Stadium.
Even the eyeballs popping out of masks intently scoured the field for the ghosts and goblins that so often shake the Cowboys when they share a gridiron with
Texas.
Sure enough, here came another horror show for
Oklahoma State football, only with a twist. No four-quarter avalanche. No witches’ brew of an epic comeback.
Just the haunting feeling of what might have been.
Texas routed OSU 41-14 in a game that wasn’t any closer than the final score indicated but should have been.
This night of fright will stick in Cowboy memories. They weren’t pushed around. They weren’t overmatched, even by the nation’s No. 3-ranked team.
It was worse than that for OSU. The Cowboys whiffed when they had their chances. Better to meet the Grim Reaper in a dark alley than leave points on the field against the Longhorns.
"I hate that we didn’t give Texas our best effort,” said State coach
Mike Gundy.
OSU could have had early leads.
Dan Bailey pulled a 45-yard field goal attempt on the game’s first series. Flanker
Hubert Anyiam dropped a sure touchdown late in the first quarter on a fourth-down play that would have erased a 3-0 Texas lead.
Anyiam fumbled at midfield when OSU was driving moments later.
Zac Robinson started throwing the ball to Longhorns, four interceptions in all, inexcusable considering the ‘Horns were impossible not to spot. Their uniforms were so white, they ought to do laundry commercials.
"Your room for error against a team like this is very, very thin,” Gundy said.
Scoring on Texas is like slaying a vampire; if you get the chance, don’t squander it.
If you didn’t see the game, you won’t believe it. But this was a competitive match.
"We were moving the ball, we were playing fast, we controlled the ball, we just weren’t getting any points,” said OSU offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer.
The Cowboys outgained the ‘Horns 277-275 in total yards. That’s right. The OSU defense, headless horsemen for much of the last two decades, didn’t play half bad against the Colt McCoys.
But in the first half, the Cowboy offense was spooked. Four times OSU reached Texas territory, advancing as far as the 27, 32, 47 and 30-yard lines, and got no points.
That’s why this game will haunt the Cowboys as much as the collapses of 2004, 2005 and 2007. Chances like this don’t come along often for OSU.
The chance to knock off a foe as loaded as the Longhorns.
"Texas is a heck of a football team,” said State defensive coordinator
Bill Young. "I don’t know that I’ve seen a better one in the last two or three years.”
The Longhorns seem
Pasadena-bound, and maybe they deserve such a trip. Texas plays big-time defense, has playmakers all over the field and in McCoy sports a savvy senior quarterback. There are worse recipes for national champions.
Yet OSU stood toe-to-toe with the Longhorns.
Then the wind whistled and the organ played and goblins started dancing. Texas made plays and the Cowboys didn’t, and that’s how champions are determined, no matter the shade of orange.
Berry Tramel: 405-760-8080; Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1.
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UT is loaded w talent no doubt about that,OSU had to play error free ball to have a chance at winning,they did not,4 Turnovers and you will beat no one.
Was not the coaches fault the players dropped balls and fumbled,that is incumbent on the players to take care of that.
Your analysis is way off base,actually if OSU had cashed in when they had chance, game would have been close.
OSU has lost 2 ball games this year and both are nationally ranked,how is that a bad thing.The comment about staying around for good coaches,they leave,that is not true now,Coaches and players will want to come to OSU now because #1 It is a great school and it has a friendly student body.
#2 The atmosphere is great now.
#3 Mommys and daddys know that their kids will be taken care of.
#4 Gundy is a good recruiter and will continue to improve w time.
Last time I checked OU is 5-3,OSU is 6-2,so why don't you want to fire Stoops? If you did want to it would be the stupidest idea of all but apparently tha tis all you have to do is complain.