No doomsday clock at OSU

In the past, as the clock wound down in the fourth quarter, the Oklahoma State football faithful frequently wiggled in their seats. They watched with one eye closed, sometimes both eyes closed. And this was when their team was ahead.

Insultingly, it became known as the “Aggie Factor,” the ability to snatch defeat from victory.

But there was no such uneasiness in Saturday’s 24-10 season-opening victory against No. 13 Georgia. At no time did the No. 9 Cowboys show signs of faltering in the closing minutes.

Maybe it was because no fan wearing orange had left the building. Maybe it was because Boone Pickens Stadium finally was finished and Lewis Field finally was extinct. Maybe it was because the OSU defense had displayed an unexpected stubbornness. Maybe it was because this year’s Cowboys appear to be different. Maybe it was because of all the above.

Whatever the reason, this final quarter was not a place where victory went to die. In the past, the uncertainty was palpable as mumbles and groans cascaded down from the stands. On Saturday, there was an extreme sense of confidence displayed by OSU players and fans.

Sure, it’s only one game, but it’s a start. It’s something the Cowboys and their fans can build on for potential fourth-quarter uncertainty that might come later this season against Houston, or Missouri, or Texas or Texas Tech.

With the formal elimination of Lewis Field perhaps came the elimination of ghosts that arrived in the fourth quarter.

Boone Pickens Stadium looks nothing like Lewis Field. And during the fourth quarter against Georgia, it felt nothing like the relic, either.