John Rohde, sports columnist
Oklahoma State needs to take care of business today
By John Rohde
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25
Published: November 7, 2009
AMES, Iowa — One way to determine a program’s stature is how it performs against the elite.
Oklahoma State easily handled Iowa State 59-17 last season in Stillwater. PHOTO BY DOUG HOKE, THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES
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Just as much can be learned from how that program does against everybody else.
Oklahoma State is a combined 24-137-8 (.166) all-time against
Oklahoma,
Texas and
Nebraska, the
Big 12’s three most prolific football programs.
The
Cowboys are 162-171-10 (.487) against everybody else in the conference.
In other words, OSU football has been roughly a 50-50 proposition against Big 12 non-elitists.
The Cowboys found out how they stacked up against Texas last Saturday in a 41-14 loss at Stillwater.
Though no doubt disheartening, the loss does not qualify as devastating for OSU. A loss this afternoon at Iowa State might, however.
The Cowboys have an all-time winning record against three Big 12 programs (see chart), and
ISU is one of them.
Born and raised in Oklahoma, OSU coach
Mike Gundy is well-aware of the Cowboys’ overall football stature, having been a player or coach with the program for 18 seasons.
"Each week, it’s a challenge for all of us,” said Gundy, who as head coach is 0-5 against Texas, 0-4 against Oklahoma, 2-0 against Nebraska, and 14-11 against everybody else in the Big 12. "I think our football team understands the importance of preparation and I don’t know that there are teams out there anymore that you necessarily say you should just beat with what’s going on in college football.
"The only part that we can control as a staff and as a football team is to practice hard and put in the work during the week and let the guys go play on Saturday and have some fun and then ask them to give great effort. I really believe that. Winning and losing is very, very important, but also the improvement, how they’re playing the game and what we’re getting out of them are also very important.
"Each week is a challenge for us.”
OSU is favored by a touchdown today but is in no position to take Iowa State lightly.
Once ranked as high as No. 5 in
The Associated Press poll after opening week, the Cowboys have since slipped to No. 18 while enduring the significant losses of two All-Americans in wide receiver
Dez Bryant and running back
Kendall Hunter.
Bryant’s days at OSU are over after saying Thursday that he would enter the NFL Draft. Hunter remains a day-to-day proposition while trying to recover from a foot injury.
The Cowboys already are bowl eligible, but they still must determine exactly where they’re headed.
A loss today would have them headed in the wrong direction.
John Rohde: 475-3099.
John Rohde can be heard Monday-Friday from 6-7 p.m. on The Sports Animal Network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1.
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Something along these lines is what should be in the paper.
OU fans would howl and scream and say everybody was doing it, but after all, he's "reporting facts and all". This paying of top players has been attested to by many former OU players (e.g. Billy Simms) and coaches (e.g. Switzer) alike, btw.
If you want better reading about OSU, turn to Tramel who, even as an OU guy, doesn't come across as a diehard OU fan, blind to reality.
Any journalist can pull whatever facts happen to fit their point of view. Remember, Rohde was the guy who predicted a 6-6 finish for OSU after Bryant was suspended.
most hated team? Its fans like you that make me always cheer for who ever plays against OSU!