Father beats son for liking Oklahoma University over Oklahoma State
Jerk Of The Year
Gannon Mendez a father from Perkins, Okla. beat his son because the child rooted for Oklahoma University instead of Oklahoma State University. Gannon, 42, was charged with child abuse for allegedly striking his 9-year-old boy with a wooden paddle, KFOR-TV reported.
Investigators are claiming that this was not the first child abuse instance. An affidavit said Mendez allegedly would force the young boy to run until he vomited, and wake him up throughout the night to do pushups, according to KOCO Eyewitness News 5.
Mendez has a history as a controversial OSU booster.
According to a 2011 FoxSports.com story, OSU banned its football players from making contact with Mendez after he allegedly gave them “impermissible extra benefits.”
The 9-year old was taken to Payne County Youth Shelter.
Paul Ryan Mixes Up Browns Quarterbacks At Practice
Aww You Must Be Trent Richardson, Heard Lots About You
The way the Cleveland Browns have played this season, it’s understandable if Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Paul Ryan hasn’t had much time to watch their games.
That didn’t stop the Wisconsin congressman from having to put his foot in his mouth while visiting the team’s practice facility earlier Wednesday. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ryan, while speaking to players, singled out who he believed to be starting quarterback Brandon Weeden and starting raving about watching him play for Oklahoma State.
The problem? Ryan was pointing and staring directly at backup Colt McCoy, who not only lost his job to the 29-year-old rookie this summer, but also starred for Texas, one of Oklahoma State’s Big 12 rivals.
Kindergartner Banned From Wearing Michigan Wolverines Shirt
It's Oklahoma What Did You Expect
Cooper Barton, an Oklahoma City kindergartner was forced to turn his University of Michigan shirt inside out last week because it violated a city ban on any apparel not supportive of the state’s college teams.
Barton, 5, comes from a family of Michigan fans. He went to school wearing a maize and blue shirt with “The Big House,” the nickname for Michigan’s 114,000-seat stadium, written on the front. The school principal made Cooper turn the shirt inside out due to the state policy.
The rule is among many restricting clothing and dress in the city schools. It came into effect in 2005 after suggestions from a gang task force. On the list of banned items, non-Oklahoma college dress falls directly in between gang symbol haircuts and “satanic cult dress, witchcraft and related symbols.”
Professional apparel of any kind is also banned. A spokesman for the school told said that the superintendent was aware of the incident and would investigate to see if the rule was outdated.
Clemson Cancels Oklahoma State & Ole Miss Series
TALENT
Clemson announced Wednesday that it is canceling games against Oklahoma State and Ole Miss to accommodate the Tigers new nine-game ACC schedule now that Syracuse and Pittsburgh will be coming to the ACC ahead of schedule in 2013.
Clemson was scheduled to play host to Ole Miss in 2015 and then travel there in 2016. They also had a home-and-home series scheduled against Oklahoma State in 2019 and 2020.
“We didn’t want to get out of that series,” Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips told OrangeandWhite.com. “It’s a good series.”
The Tigers will still play Georgia in 2013 and 2014, but the demand for seven home games made the other Oklahoma State series too difficult to keep.
Horse Racing’s Newest Cheating PED Is Substance From Frog’s Back
Lick Me
Frogs it appears can make horses run faster as a substance found on the back of a certain South American frog can be made into a powerful performance-enhancing drug, a painkiller far more potent than morphine, and has been found through post-race drug testing in Thoroughbred racing in four states, per the New York Times this week.
In the last several weeks, more than 30 horses from Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico and possibly Texas have tested positive for the substance, called dermorphin, which is suspected of helping horses run faster that comes off the waxy monkey tree frog, the Times reports.
No trainer has been formally charged yet, but racing regulators expect that to happen soon. Because of its potency and ability to affect a race’s outcome, dermorphin is considered to be one of the horse-racing industry’s most serious drug violations.
“We hear about some pretty exotic stuff,” said Dr. Steven Barker, who directs the testing laboratory at LSU, told the Times. “Frog juice — this is exotic.”
The horse-racing industry has struggled with perceptions of major drug use administered by trainers. Doug O’Neill, for instance, whose horse, I’ll Have Another, won the first two legs of the Triple Crown before retiring because of an injury, has not escaped the scrutiny. The California-based trainer has been suspended for 40 days after one of his horses tested positive for elevated carbon dioxide levels.
Dermorphin, a pain suppressant that is 40 times more powerful than morphine, makes horses hyper, says Craig Stevens, a professor of pharmacology at Oklahoma State University who has studied dermorphin. “For a racehorse, it would be beneficial,” he said. “The animal wouldn’t feel pain, and it would have feelings of excitation and euphoria.”
Dermorphin is found on the skin of the waxy monkey tree frog found in South America. It can be produced naturally, or artificially synthesized. “There’s a lot out there, and that would be an awful lot of frogs that would have to be squeezed,” Barker said.
“This is a tough issue,” Edward J. Martin, president of Racing Commissioners International, a trade association for racing regulators, told the Times. “It’s a cat-and-mouse game. As soon as you call out dermorphin, they will try something else. That is the daily battle that goes on.”
How often dermorphin is used in racing is unknown, since many states are not capable of testing for it yet.
“This whole thing has really taken us by surprise,” said Charles A. Gardiner III, executive director of the Louisiana Racing Commission. “It couldn’t have come at a worse time. We’re fighting back federal intervention. We’re under attack and losing our fan base. Fans believe that the sport is dirty, that there is cheating. And here we have an obvious attempt to cheat.”
Petra Hartmann of Industrial Laboratories near Denver, which was the first lab to successfully identify dermorphin, said she didn’t think its use is widespread. “The vast majority of horsemen would never subject their horse to this kind of chemical experimentation,” she said.
Warren Moon Says Justin Blackmon Is Dez Bryant But With Brain Cells
Hey Warren Did You Forget About This Incident
Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon is a fan of Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon and had a unique comparison to explain his talent.
“He’s a beast isn’t he?” Moon told 710 AM’s Kevin Calabro. “He’s like Dez Bryant with all his brain cells….he has all the skills Dez Bryant has but he’s not the knucklehead that Dez Bryant turned out to be with Dallas. He’s a better route runner than Dez Bryant. A very tremendous talent.”
Tiger Woods To Be Honorary Captain For Stanford At Fiesta Bowl
Top Bowl Game On Paper
Tiger Woods hopes to begin the New Year a winner as he announced on his website that he’ll be an honorary captain for Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl.
“I will attend the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2 in Arizona to watch Stanford play Oklahoma State. Cardinal head coach David Shaw asked me to be an honorary team captain, and I happily accepted. For Coach Shaw to think highly enough of me to be involved in the game and be able to talk to his kids is very special.”
“I’m very close to Stanford. They’ve done so much for me in my life. Everyone knows Coach Shaw and I had a class together. We go way back. It’s neat to be able to come back and help him any way that I can.”
Plane Crash Kills Oklahoma State Women’s Basketball Coach
R.I.P.
The Oklahoma State University women’s basketball coach and his assistant coach were killed when the single-engine plane they were in during a recruiting trip crashed in steep terrain in Arkansas, the university confirmed Friday morning.
The university said Kurt Budke and Miranda Serna died in the crash Thursday afternoon in the Winona Wildlife Management Area near Perryville, about 45 miles west of Little Rock. The pilot, former Oklahoma state Sen. Olin Branstetter, and his wife Paula also died in the crash, university president Burns Hargis said at a news conference.
There were no survivors.
The crash is the second major tragedy for the sports program in about a decade. In January 2001, 10 men affiliated with the university’s men’s basketball team died in a Colorado plane crash, prompting the university to require that planes used by the school’s sports team undergo safety checks before travel. It wasn’t immediately clear if the same policy applied to travel by coaches or administrators.
Oklahoma State canceled its women’s college basketball home games set for Saturday and Sunday.
Kevin Durant dominates intramural football game
Bored from the lack of basketball, NBA star Kevin Durant joined an intramural flag football game at Oklahoma State, where he led his team to a win and drew a crowd of about 500.
Late Monday afternoon, Durant tweeted to his million-plus followers, “This lockout is really boring..anybody playing flag football in Okc..I need to run around or something!”
One of those followers, George Overbey, responded, “Got a game tonight in Stillwater!! I need a deep threat!!”
Durant took Overbey up on his offer, picked up him and a buddy at their house, and went on to throw for four touchdowns and intercept three passes for Sigma Nu, who Overbey made clear were the defending champs.
Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown: Texas A&M University Aggies
Texas A&M University Aggies
Every Thursday Sports Grind Entertainment will present you with the Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown. The recipient of this honor goes to the Texas A&M University Aggies for failing to show up after halftime for the second week in a row. The Aggies once again carried a lead into the second half this time against the Arkansas Razorbacks in Jerry’s World, a week after blowing a 17-point halftime lead at home to Oklahoma State. Texas A&M scored five touchdowns in the first half but only was able to manage a field goal afterwards. It also marked the seven straight game the Aggies have dropped to SEC teams dating back to 1995.
The Aggies have been outscored 52-12 in the second half over the past two weeks as their defense has surrendered nearly 600 yards of total offense after halftime.
Mike Gundy Shows Off His Dance Moves
Fast forward to 3:29 for the greatest sight your eyes are ever to see. It’s the Oklahoma State Cowboys lockerroom after they came back and beat the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station. The MAN in the middle showing off his dance moves to the team is none other than Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy.
Not quite sure which is more epic now, his “I’m a MAN, I’m 40″ rant or this lockerroom get down?
What If Gus Johnson Called The USA-Brazil Womens World Cup Game
The United States women’s soccer team played in on of the most riveting games in the history of the Women’s World Cup when they defeated Brazil 5-3 on penalty kicks after a 2-2 tie. Abby Wambach tied it with a magnificent, leaping header in the 122nd minute, and goalkeeper Hope Solo denied the Brazilians.
But imagine the greatness of the game if it had been called by former CBS college hoops announcer Gus Johnson, how would it sound? Here it is, although the game is from Adam Morrison’s game-winning 3-pointer in Gonzaga’s 64-62 victory over Oklahoma State in 2006.
West Virginia Bill Stewart To Be Bought Out Of His Contract
Players Loved Him, Program Hated Him
West Virginia is negotiating a buyout for coach Bill Stewart but the only holdup in the negotiations is the buyout money. Coach-in-waiting Dana Holgorsen will take over as head coach.
In the last week, Stewart and/or his wife, Karen, have been accused of a smear campaign against Holgorsen. A West Virginia paper reported last week that Holgorsen has been kicked out of six different establishments in the six months he has been at West Virginia VU, all for alcohol-fueled inappropriate behavior.
Athletic director Oliver Luck said he investigated and told a Pittsburgh radio station “there were a lot of inaccuracies” to the claims, then said he was investigating the source of the leak to the West Virginia newspaper. Also this week, a former writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said Stewart asked him in December to dig up dirt on Holgorsen.
Stewart won 27 games in three seasons at WVU, but never has reached the level of success previous coach Rich Rodriguez attained. When Luck brazenly announced the coach-in-waiting plan in December, he did so by stating WVU should be winning conference championships and that he didn’t think Stewart could lead the program there.
Holgorsen’s offenses have been among the nation’s best the last three seasons, with his quarterbacks at Houston and Oklahoma State combining to throw for more than 125 touchdown passes.
Dallas Cowboys Dez Bryant Still Owes Money
Fast Lane
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant told reporters over the weekend that his money problems were a thing of the past, however one lawyer says that’s not the case. Beth Ann Blackwood, an attorney for Colleyville, Texas, jeweler and ticket broker Eleow Hunt says that Bryant still owes Hunt a little more than $600,000 for jewelry, tickets and personal loans.
Hunt claims in the lawsuit that Bryant was supposed to repay Hunt when he signed either an NFL or a promotional contract. Bryant was a sophomore at Oklahoma State when the arrangement was agreed upon, according to the lawsuit.
Bryant is due a $1 million roster bonus when the NFL lockout ends and hopes to be able to settle the lawsuit then and has already settled another lawsuit earlier this year for an undisclosed amount. A New York jeweler said Bryant owed $246,000 for purchases he made.
Justin Bieber Rolls With Mike Gundy ‘I’m a Man’ Ringtone
Pop star Justin Bieber received a call from his good friend Jaden Smith, Will Smith son, during an in-studio interview on Radio Disney and his ringer was on so we all got a preview of his ringtone and it was none other than Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy’s infamous “I’m a man!” speech.
Now Oklahoma State head football coach Gundy has a Bieber ringtone of his hit song “Baby” to show his support of the pop star icon who just pulled in $30.2 million for his movie this past weekend.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5uE5ldFJsA&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Primetime College Football: Valero Alamo Bowl
TALENT
This game goes down on the ESPN network and it features Oklahoma State University Cowboys taking on the University of Arizona Wildcats in the 18th annual Alamo Bowl here in San Antonio, Texas.
Oklahoma State,10-2, 6-2 Big 12, finished in a three-way tie atop the Big 12 South and lost out in a chance to play in the Big 12 Championship by way of a tiebreaker through the BCS standings this season. The Cowboys controlled their own destiny heading into the season finale against their rival Oklahoma but came out with a 47-41 loss in Stillwater back in November.
The Cowboys had the nation’s No. 1 ranked offense this season, averaging an eye popping 537.6 ypg and had the country’s top-ranked passing offense as well. Big 12 Coach of the Year Mike Gundy saw his Cowboys set school records for points (539), total offensive yards (6,451), passing yards (4,256) and touchdown passes (34) in single season in 2010.
The center piece of the Cowboys offensive juggernaut is quarterback Brandon Weeden and 2010 Biletnikoff Award winner and unanimous All-American sophomore Justin Blackmon. Blackmon caught 102 passes for 1,665 yards and 18 touchdowns in just 11 games en route to being named the nation’s top wide receiver. The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year also added a pair of scores with a 69-yard run and a blocked punt return and ranked first in the country in receiving ypg with 151.36. Blackmon tied the NCAA record with his 11th consecutive game of at least 100 receiving yards and a score in the Oklahoma game and needs only 8 yards to break Larry Fitzgerald’s NCAA record for receiving yards by a sophomore.
Weeden broke Oklahoma States single-season record for passing touchdowns with 32 and became the first Cowboy quarterback to pass for over 4,000 yards in a season with 4,037. He completed 67.4 percent of his passes but had 13 interceptions.
Not to be forgotten is running back Kendall Hunter, who rushed for 1,516 yards to lead the Big 12 and tied for the conference lead with 16 touchdowns this season. He averaged 5.8 ypc and 126.3 ypg on just 261 carries.
The Cowboys also have one more weapon in their aresenal as they have the 2010 Lou Groza Award winner, Dan Bailey, as the nation’s top placekicker, who was 24-for-28 on field goals this year including a pair of from 52 yards.
Arizona, 7-5, 4-5 Pac-10, is headed in the right direction under head coach Mike Stoops as they are making its third straight bowl appearance. The Wildcats got off to an impressive 7-1 start to the year before going on a four game lossing streak that started with a loss to Stanford. Arizona is also a high powered throwing offense as they ranked 9th in the nation with 310 ypg.
Arizona is led by its own 1-2 punch in quarterback Nick Foles and wide receiver Juron Criner. Foles completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 2,911 yards with 19 touchdowns with 7 interceptions in just 10 games this season. The bulk of the yardage was dished out to first-team All-Pac 10 selection and second-team All-American Criner, who totaled 1,186 yards and 10 touchdowns on 73 receptions while averaging 16.2 yards per reception. Criner’s yardage and reception totals were both tops in the Pac-10.
Fellow juniors David Douglas and David Roberts provide depth as secondary options in the Wildcats air attack. Douglas was second on the team with 46 catches for 424 yards with 5 touchdowns and Roberts finished second to Criner with 468 receiving yards with just a pair of touchdowns.
The Wildcats rushing game features a pair of capable backs in junior Keola Antolin and senior Nic Grigsby. While neither player stood out in terms of yardage, the two combined for 15 of the team’s 20 rushing touchdowns. Antolin led the team with 667 rushing yards and his 4.7 yards per carry, while Grigsby averaged an equally solid 4.6 yards per tote with 474 yards and 8 touchdowns.
This will be the first meeting between Oklahoma State and Arizona since 1942 with the all-time series split at 3-3. This is the first year the Alamo Bowl will feature both the Pac-10 and Big 12 Conferences as for the past 15 years, the game has seen the matchup of the Big 12 against Big Ten competition. This will also serve as a preview to a home-and-home series between the two schools starting in Stillwater next season.
PICK: University of Arizona Wildcats
College Baseball Star Accused Of Rape
Could This Be Strike Three
Florida International baseball star Garrett Wittels who had a record-setting 56-game hitting streak has been charged with rape in the Bahamas. Wittels was accused of raping a 17-year-old teenage tourist on December 20 while on a visit to the archipelago east of Florida. The 20-year-old infielder ended last season with the second-longest hitting streak in NCAA Division I history, two behind the 58-game run by Oklahoma State’s Robin Ventura in 1987.
Wittel and his teammates Robert Rothschild, Jonathan Oberti where also charged in the rape according to Bahamian court officials. Wittels and the two others where out on $10,000 bail. In the Bahamas, the maximum penalty for a first-time rape offender is seven years.
Unbelievable Interception Part Deux
Last night Oklahoma State defensive back Broderick Brown went airborne and tipped the ball back in bounds into the arms of linebacker Shaun Lewis for an unbelievable interception. However we ask was it better than the interception we posted back on October 1st from Galludet University as linebacker Tom Pangia tipped the pass and defensive back Tony Tatum leaped out of bounds to grab the ball and flip it back to teammate Shelby Bean? You be the judge and let us know.
WTF: Minnesota Vikings
FAIL
The Minnesota Vikings season has gone down hill from last years 12 men on the field penalty in last years NFC championship game that eventually lead to a interception to a 3-7 this year. So much has gone wrong with the Vikings that they can’t even spell defensive tackle Kevin Williams last name. It’s not like Williams is a new edition to the team either since he has played with the Vikings for the last 8 years after being drafted by the origination out of Oklahoma State.
Not to mention he plays along side fellow defensive tackle Pat Williams and teammate safety Madieu Williams, you would think Williams was one of the easiest names for the team to spell correctly.
Primetime College Football: Cowboys vs Longhorns
TALENT
This game goes down on the ABC network and it features Oklahoma State University Cowboys taking on the University of Texas Longhorns at Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Head coach Mike Gundy’s Cowboys have played at an extremely high level this season, winning eight of their nine games thus far. OSU has won two straight games since its only loss, including a critical 55-28 victory over Baylor last week to give the team some breathing room atop the divisional standings. At 4-1 in league play, the Cowboys control their own Big 12 fate, with games at Kansas and at home against rival Oklahoma following this contest.
There is no shortage of offensive talent for Oklahoma State this year. It is a pick-your-poison unit with great balance. The running game is netting nearly 200 yards per game (195.7) and is fueled by the rushing exploits of All- American candidate Kendall Hunter, who has rushed for 1,240 yards thus far (6.1 ypc) with 14 TDs.
The scary thing is that the ground game plays second-fiddle to the passing attack and very few teams pass the ball better than the Cowboys. OSU is averaging 353.6 yards per game through the air, thanks to quarterback Brandon Weeden and his efficient play. Weeden has completed 67.2 percent of his passes, for 2,982 yards and 26 TDs. It certainly helps to have the nation’s top wideout running routes in the form of Justin Blackmon. The 6-1 sophomore has been incredible this season, hauling in 75 balls, for 1,285 yards and 15 TDs.
The OSU defense has lagged behind the offense and is allowing 28 ppg and giving up huge chunks of yardage 413.3 ypg.
The post Colt McCoy era has been tough to swallow this season, especially in-conference where the Longhorns sport a 2-4 record and reside in the Big 12 North basement. Head coach Mack Brown has lost three straight games coming into this contest, including last weekend’s 39-14 setback at Kansas State. The Longhorns are averaging just 23 ppg, while earning 140.6 yards per game on the ground and 226.8 through the air.
Quarterback Garrett Gilbert has taken his lumps this season as McCoy’s replacement. Garrett has completed almost 60 percent of his passes, but he has only thrown for 1,788 yards, with six TDs and nine INTs. Wideout James Kirkendoll leads the team in receptions and receiving yards but neither number is going to strike fear in the opposition.
The rushing attack has also struggled this season, with Cody Johnson representing the team’s top rusher at a mere 282 yards.
Texas has had much more success on the defensive side of the football this season, limiting foes to 21 ppg and only 267 yards of total offense. The pass defense has been particularly stingy at just 147.9 yards per game.
Texas has dominated this series, winning 22 of the 24 all-time meetings and hasn’t lost to OSU since 1997.
PICK: Oklahoma State University Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys Show Off $4.1 Milli Locker Room
Marble floors in Stillwater, you’ve gotta be kidding right? Thanks to Youtube and the basketball players at Oklahoma State it’s not a joke as they have created their own MTV style Cribs to show off their schools new $4.1 million dollar locker room. Will this cause other college athletes to become jealous and grab the nearest camera to show their facilities, only hope so.
Primetime College Football: Cowboys vs Ragin Cajuns
TALENT
This game goes down on the ESPN2 network and it features the Oklahoma State University Cowboys takes on the University of Louisiana Lafayette Ragin Cajuns down at Cajun Field.
Head coach Mike Gundy takes his Cowboys on the road for the first time this season as they try to improve on their overall record of 4-0. The Cowboys offense is in the hands of 26 year old junior quarterback Brandon Weeden, 1259 yards 13 touchdowns 4 INTs, is completing 71.3 of his passes. Weeden leads an offense that ranks 3rd in the nation in passing with 364.8 ypg and is scoring 52 points per game which is 2nd best in the country. When Weeden looks down field he often looks to sophomore wide receiver Justin Blackmon, 558 yards 9 touchdowns. Blackmon is the first Cowboys receiver to go over 100 yards receiving in four straight games since Rashaun Woods did it in five straight games in 2002.
If the passing game struggles the Cowboys can always turn to one of the nations top 5 running backs in senior Kendall Hunter, 574 yards 8 touchdowns, who is averaging 7 yards per carry a game this season.
The Cowboys defense is lead by senior linebacker Orie Lemon who has 36 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries. However the team as a whole is giving up 29 points per game which is ranks 92nd in the nation.
Head coach Rickey Bustle has his Cajuns ready to play against the Big 12 school after a thrilling blocked extra point to beat North Texas 28-27 last week. The Cajuns enter 2-2 overall and 2-1 in the Sun Belt conference.
The Cajuns junior quarterback Chris Masson, 721 yards 5 touchdowns 1 INT, leads an offense that ranks 94th in the nation in scoring. The Cajuns problems on offense can be traced to the offensive line that has given up 14 sacks with 10 coming while Masson is under center. It’s a shame the rest of the nation will not witness one of the best tight ends in the game in junior Ladarius Green, 222 yards 3 touchdowns, is doubtful to play. The running game is still yet to make itself known but early carries are going to junior running back Kevis Streeter, 153 yards one touchdown, and freshman Aaron Spikes, 76 yards but has 117 yards receiving.
The Cajuns pass defense is allowing 257.2 ypg through the air and the unit as a whole has only 5 sacks and 7 takeaways.
The Cowboys lead the all-time meeting between the two schools 5-0, including the 56-3 last meeting in 2003.
PICK: Oklahoma State University Cowboys
Primetime College Football: Aggies vs Cowboys
TALENT
This game goes down on the ESPN network and it features the Texas A&M University Aggies taking on the Oklahoma State University Cowboys at Lewis Field in Stillwater.
Head coach Mike Sherman brings his Aggies into Stillwater with a 3-0 record and playing in their first Big 12 game of the season. Besides being the Aggies first Big 12 game it’s also their first time on TV this season. Texas A&M opened the season with back-to-back routs but is trying to regain composure after committing 5 turnovers in a win against Florida International.
The Texas A&M offense is lead by senior quarterback Jerrod Johnson, 865 yards 7 touchdowns 4 INTs, who has helped the team average 41 ppg and 501.3 total ypg so far. Junior wide receiver Jeff Fuller, 280 yards 3 touchdowns, leads the team in receiving while sophomore Ryan Swope, 202 yards, is a close second. The rushing attack is handled by sophomore Christine Michael, 331 yards 3 touchdowns, while junior Cyrus Gray, 188 yards 2 touchdowns, is second.
Defensively the Aggies have only allowed 14 ppg and 255.7 total ypg and limiting opponents to 69 ypg on just 2.2 yards per carry against the run. Junior linebacker Garrick Williams leads the team with 27 tackles and freshman defensive tackle Damontre Moore has 3 sacks.
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy also brings his Cowboys into their first Big 12 game also with an undefeated mark at 3-0. The Cowboys come into this matchup leading the nation in total offense at 596 yards per game. Oklahoma State’s offense is controlled 26 year-old junior quarterback Brandon Weeden, 975 yards 11 touchdowns 2 INTs, has completed 73.3 percent of his passes. Weeden’s favorite target is sophomore wide receiver Justin Blackmon, 431 yards 8 touchdowns, who is the leading receiver in the nation.
As for the ground attack the Cowboys have gotten back a healthy rusher in senior Kendall Hunter, 473 yards 6 touchdowns, who is averaging 7.9 yards per attempt and is clearly one of the best players at his position in all of college football.
The Cowboys defense though is giving up 27 ppg and 374.3 total ypg however their blowout wins have allowed for significant playing time for the reserves on defense. With that the Cowboys have giving up 29 points in the fourth quarter, more than twice as many as the the others. Oklahoma State is averaging three takeaways per game.
Texas A&M owns a 17-8 series lead over Oklahoma State, but the Cowboys will be trying to win three straight games for the first time in the series.
PICK: Oklahoma State University Cowboys
Primetime College Football: Cougars vs Cowboys
TALENT
This game goes down on the FOX Sports Southwest network (regional coverage) and it features the Washington State University Cougars take on Oklahoma State University Cowboys in Stillwater.
The Cougars are coming off a 1-11 record and 0-9 in the Pac-10 last year. Head coach Paul Wulff has a lot to prove entering his third season and is just 3-22 overall. If the Cougars plan on turning it around this year they will need sophomore quarterback Jeff Tuel, 789 yards 6 touchdowns 5 INTS, to rise up. Jared Karstetter and Gino Simone were the top two targets for the Cougars last season, combining for 74 catches and 870 yards. There isn’t much of a ground game to speak of either for the Cougars.
Just like the offense, 119th in scoring and total yards, the defense, 120th in yards allowed, for the Cougars was also terrible all season long. The defensive allowed an eye-popping 5.9 ypc and 35 rushing touchdowns.
The Cowboys kick off a four game home-stand this weekend, after turning in a solid season of 9-4 and 6-2 in the Big 12 conference but watch their season end on a sour note after losing 27-0 to Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl. Head coach Mike Gundy only has a handful of starters returning.
The offense for the Cowboys will see a bunch of new faces in starting roles as quarterback Zac Robinson and Dez Bryant are no longer there. Former New York Yankee Brandon Weeden will step in a play quarterback at 26. Weeden won’t have an elite receiver like Bryant but will be back by a solid rushing attack in Kendall Hunter, 382 yards 1 touchdown. The Cowboys will have to also come together on the offensive line where they only return one starter.
The Cowboys defense finally improved last season but lost 8 starters leaving them in a rebuilding phase. The good news is that both defensive ends Ugo Chinasa and Jamie Blatnik are back, the duo combined for 8 sacks.
The Cougars lead the all-time series with the Cowboys by a 2-1 count, but OSU won the most recent meeting, a 39-13 decision in the 2008 season-opener for both squads.
PICK: Oklahoma State University Cowboys
