Sunday, September 27, 2009
Southern Jaguars 48, Alcorn State Braves 42
Jaguars offense heats up
Southern University senior wide receiver Juamorris Stewart might have said it best following the Jaguars 48-42 win over Alcorn State on Saturday night. “Anything can happen in the SWAC,” Stewart said. “We’ve got to come out every week and play our best.” Southern had just built a seemingly comfortable 20-point fourth-quarter lead only to have Alcorn State rally for three late scores. As things turned out, Southern couldn’t breathe easy until Evan Alexander recovered an onside kick with 19 seconds left.
The play put a cap on a wild finish that seemed improbable early on as both the Southern and Alcorn State offenses took their time heating up. “We had to find our rhythm and chemistry on the field,” Southern center Ramon Chinyoung said. “Of course, in the second half we made a lot of adjustments. We knew what we could and couldn’t do, and that’s how we were victorious in the second half.”
Southern University Coach Pete Richardson had to work to the last 10 seconds to pull-out the victory over Alcorn State.
SU wins thriller
So when Byron Williams darted up the right sideline, broke a tackle near midfield and broke loose for a 91-yard kickoff return that gave Southern a 20-point lead over Alcorn State in the fourth quarter Saturday night at A.W. Mumford Stadium, what, exactly, was he thinking? “I was like, ‘Yes, it really hurt ’em.’ But I didn’t really pay attention to the clock,” Williams said. “They had a lot of time to get the ball back and score.” And the Braves scored. A lot. As the final minutes came to a close in this Southwestern Athletic Conference opener, the Jaguars had to hold on for dear life as Alcorn erupted for four touchdowns in a rally that just fell short in a 48-42 thriller.
Alcorn’s Buckley shines in air
Alcorn State senior quarterback Timothy Buckley didn’t want to leave Southern’s campus with a loss. Neither did his offensive mates, or first-year coach Earnest Collins Jr. Don’t get this misunderstood. Though Alcorn was outscored 100-0 in its first two games, its opponents were Football Bowl Subdivision foes. On the road. Against fellow Football Championship Subdivision foe Southern (3-1, 1-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference), Alcorn (0-3, 0-1) put together a performance that would have made former quarterback Steve McNair proud. And if the Braves could have gotten another defensive stop or sustained another offensive drive, his five-touchdown performance may have been enough to win. Instead, his Braves fell 48-42 Saturday at A.W. Mumford Stadium.
How They Scored: Southern-Alcorn State
First quarter
SOUTHERN — Juamorris Stewart 11 pass from Bryant Lee (Josh Duran kick) at :11. DRIVE: 6 plays, 40 yards, 1:55. KEY PLAYS: SU goes for it on fourth-and-6 at the Alcorn 25, converting when Lee hits Stewart on a stop route. One play later, Stewart gets a key block from wideout Corey Cushingberry and hops into the end zone. Southern 7, Alcorn 0.
Chatman returns to field
After missing two games and sitting on the bench for the first half of Southern’s 48-42 victory over Alcorn State, strong safety Gary Chatman finally got back on the field. But he didn’t do it at strong safety. Chatman, a starter at drop linebacker the past two years, returned to his old position during the third quarter of Saturday’s wild game, and he did so out of necessity. SU’s linebacker corps was already thin heading into this game, thanks to a handful of minor injuries and a virus that spread through the unit.
Drop linebacker David Daye didn’t dress out because of flu-like symptoms. Then, during the game, linebackers Marcus Clark missed time because he was getting re-taped, and André Coleman stepped out with an apparent injury to his left arm. In stepped Chatman, who’s still recovering from a sprained ankle, which he suffered in the season opener at Louisiana-Lafayette.
Attendance: 16,940 at Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA
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Southern University senior wide receiver Juamorris Stewart might have said it best following the Jaguars 48-42 win over Alcorn State on Saturday night. “Anything can happen in the SWAC,” Stewart said. “We’ve got to come out every week and play our best.” Southern had just built a seemingly comfortable 20-point fourth-quarter lead only to have Alcorn State rally for three late scores. As things turned out, Southern couldn’t breathe easy until Evan Alexander recovered an onside kick with 19 seconds left.
The play put a cap on a wild finish that seemed improbable early on as both the Southern and Alcorn State offenses took their time heating up. “We had to find our rhythm and chemistry on the field,” Southern center Ramon Chinyoung said. “Of course, in the second half we made a lot of adjustments. We knew what we could and couldn’t do, and that’s how we were victorious in the second half.”
Southern University Coach Pete Richardson had to work to the last 10 seconds to pull-out the victory over Alcorn State.
SU wins thriller
So when Byron Williams darted up the right sideline, broke a tackle near midfield and broke loose for a 91-yard kickoff return that gave Southern a 20-point lead over Alcorn State in the fourth quarter Saturday night at A.W. Mumford Stadium, what, exactly, was he thinking? “I was like, ‘Yes, it really hurt ’em.’ But I didn’t really pay attention to the clock,” Williams said. “They had a lot of time to get the ball back and score.” And the Braves scored. A lot. As the final minutes came to a close in this Southwestern Athletic Conference opener, the Jaguars had to hold on for dear life as Alcorn erupted for four touchdowns in a rally that just fell short in a 48-42 thriller.
Alcorn’s Buckley shines in air
Alcorn State senior quarterback Timothy Buckley didn’t want to leave Southern’s campus with a loss. Neither did his offensive mates, or first-year coach Earnest Collins Jr. Don’t get this misunderstood. Though Alcorn was outscored 100-0 in its first two games, its opponents were Football Bowl Subdivision foes. On the road. Against fellow Football Championship Subdivision foe Southern (3-1, 1-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference), Alcorn (0-3, 0-1) put together a performance that would have made former quarterback Steve McNair proud. And if the Braves could have gotten another defensive stop or sustained another offensive drive, his five-touchdown performance may have been enough to win. Instead, his Braves fell 48-42 Saturday at A.W. Mumford Stadium.
How They Scored: Southern-Alcorn State
First quarter
SOUTHERN — Juamorris Stewart 11 pass from Bryant Lee (Josh Duran kick) at :11. DRIVE: 6 plays, 40 yards, 1:55. KEY PLAYS: SU goes for it on fourth-and-6 at the Alcorn 25, converting when Lee hits Stewart on a stop route. One play later, Stewart gets a key block from wideout Corey Cushingberry and hops into the end zone. Southern 7, Alcorn 0.
Chatman returns to field
After missing two games and sitting on the bench for the first half of Southern’s 48-42 victory over Alcorn State, strong safety Gary Chatman finally got back on the field. But he didn’t do it at strong safety. Chatman, a starter at drop linebacker the past two years, returned to his old position during the third quarter of Saturday’s wild game, and he did so out of necessity. SU’s linebacker corps was already thin heading into this game, thanks to a handful of minor injuries and a virus that spread through the unit.
Drop linebacker David Daye didn’t dress out because of flu-like symptoms. Then, during the game, linebackers Marcus Clark missed time because he was getting re-taped, and André Coleman stepped out with an apparent injury to his left arm. In stepped Chatman, who’s still recovering from a sprained ankle, which he suffered in the season opener at Louisiana-Lafayette.
Attendance: 16,940 at Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA
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Coastal Carolina 28. North Carolina A&T 7
Quarterbacks falter in Aggies' loss to CoastalCONWAY, S.C. -- The way N.C. A&T's offense failed to move the ball in the first half, a two-touchdown halftime deficit appeared insurmountable. Outside of one second-half series, the Aggies did little but confirm that in the third and fourth quarters. A&T lost 28-7 to Coastal Carolina on the road Saturday night, leaving coach Alonzo Lee's team still searching for answers on offense. "We have to execute better with our quarterbacks," Lee said. "We've been back and forth; we've shown spurts of doing really good things. And then, boom, we fall on our face. &ellipses; We're going to simplify a little bit more. We simplified some this week. We'll simplify a little more next week until we can get the nuts and the bolts."
Even with a scaled-back playbook, A&T (2-2 overall) quarterbacks Carlton Fears and Lewis Kindle struggled, overthrowing and undershooting receivers throughout the night. Fears -- who finished the game 7-of-22 with two interceptions -- didn't help his cause of holding on to the quarterback job. His first pick, a second-quarter job by Coastal Carolina defensive back and North Carolina transfer Tavorris Jolly, looked all too easy for the CCU player, who barely moved to cause the turnover. Kindle was inserted on the Aggies' next possession. But after three running plays, he drilled CCU (2-2) linebacker E.J. Brown in the chest with his first pass attempt. The Chanticleers squeezed a field goal out of that turnover.
Box Score Photo Gallery
Chants pound out win
CONWAY -- Teams typically spend their bye weeks focusing on their weaknesses. Coastal Carolina began working on its ailments a week early. Despite a passing game that may have taken a step back, the Chanticleers established the running game and began to find an offensive rhythm in the second half of a 28-7 win over North Carolina A&T Saturday. The Chants rushed for 304 yards, including a combined 239 yards from tailbacks Eric O'Neal and Tommy Fraser, and their defense was solid for a fourth consecutive week, sending Coastal to its off week at 2-2.
Quarter-by-quarter breakdown
First quarter
Key moment Coastal Carolina was gashing North Carolina A&T's defense for big gains on its second drive. Tailback Eric O'Neal and quarterback Jamie Childers had several long runs, helping the Chanticleers drive to A&T's 23 before Childers' first-down pass was picked off in the end zone by Quay Long. The man A&T punter Alex Grubb had three first-quarter punts and pinned all of them inside Coastal's 20-yard line: one at the 8, one at the 15 and one at the 3.
Attendance: 7, 367 (Sold-Out) at Brooke Stadium, Conway, S.C.
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Norfolk State Spartans 40, Bethune Cookman Wildcats 14
5 interceptions drop B-CU to 0-3
NORFOLK, Va. -- A Saturday off last weekend didn't cure what ails the Bethune-Cookman football team. Fumbles, which haunted B-CU in its first two losses, weren't a problem Saturday. The Wildcats held on to the ball after losing seven fumbles in the first two games. But B-CU quarterbacks combined to throw five interceptions, as B-CU fell into a 23-0 hole on its way to a 40-14 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference loss to Norfolk State at William "Dick" Price Stadium.
The loss dropped the Wildcats to 0-3 for the first time since 1993, when they started 0-9 under Sylvester Collins. The 26-point loss, the Spartans' largest margin of victory in the 20-game series, also dropped the 'Cats to 0-2 in the MEAC. Injuries hit B-CU as hard as Norfolk State did, as the 'Cats lost senior running back Phillip Kirkland on their first offensive play (high ankle sprain) and senior defensive back Antonio Cox (dislocated shoulder). The 'Cats' highlight was a rally late in the first half when they scored two touchdowns in the final seven minutes to cut their halftime deficit to 23-14. Sophomore back Jonathan Moment capped scoring drives of 78 and 80 yards with TD runs from the 1.
Spartans QB Dennis Brown had a career-high 270 yards on 16-of-28 passing with one interception against BCU.
NSU cruises to victory
NORFOLK -- DeAngelo Branche rushed for three touchdowns and Dennis Brown threw two scoring passes to Chris Bell as Norfolk State routed Bethune-Cookman 40-14 yesterday. Branche had 106 yards on 20 carries and scored on touchdown runs of 1, 3 and 1 yards for the Spartans (1-1 MEAC 2-2). Brown had a career-high 270 yards on 16-of-28 passing with one interception, while Bell's 213 yards receiving on nine catches was also a career high. The pair connected on touchdown passes of 62 and 26 yards.
The win was Norfolk State's most lopsided in the 20-game series. Johnathan Moment scored on two 1-yard runs for the Wildcats (0-2, 0-3) to cut the Spartans' lead to 23-14 at halftime. Norfolk State scored twice in 27 seconds in the third quarter. After Bell's second touchdown, Terrell Whitehead had a 57-yard interception return to set up Branche's last score.
Attendance: 7,040 at Dick Price Stadium, Norfolk, VA
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NORFOLK, Va. -- A Saturday off last weekend didn't cure what ails the Bethune-Cookman football team. Fumbles, which haunted B-CU in its first two losses, weren't a problem Saturday. The Wildcats held on to the ball after losing seven fumbles in the first two games. But B-CU quarterbacks combined to throw five interceptions, as B-CU fell into a 23-0 hole on its way to a 40-14 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference loss to Norfolk State at William "Dick" Price Stadium.
The loss dropped the Wildcats to 0-3 for the first time since 1993, when they started 0-9 under Sylvester Collins. The 26-point loss, the Spartans' largest margin of victory in the 20-game series, also dropped the 'Cats to 0-2 in the MEAC. Injuries hit B-CU as hard as Norfolk State did, as the 'Cats lost senior running back Phillip Kirkland on their first offensive play (high ankle sprain) and senior defensive back Antonio Cox (dislocated shoulder). The 'Cats' highlight was a rally late in the first half when they scored two touchdowns in the final seven minutes to cut their halftime deficit to 23-14. Sophomore back Jonathan Moment capped scoring drives of 78 and 80 yards with TD runs from the 1.
Spartans QB Dennis Brown had a career-high 270 yards on 16-of-28 passing with one interception against BCU.NSU cruises to victory
NORFOLK -- DeAngelo Branche rushed for three touchdowns and Dennis Brown threw two scoring passes to Chris Bell as Norfolk State routed Bethune-Cookman 40-14 yesterday. Branche had 106 yards on 20 carries and scored on touchdown runs of 1, 3 and 1 yards for the Spartans (1-1 MEAC 2-2). Brown had a career-high 270 yards on 16-of-28 passing with one interception, while Bell's 213 yards receiving on nine catches was also a career high. The pair connected on touchdown passes of 62 and 26 yards.
The win was Norfolk State's most lopsided in the 20-game series. Johnathan Moment scored on two 1-yard runs for the Wildcats (0-2, 0-3) to cut the Spartans' lead to 23-14 at halftime. Norfolk State scored twice in 27 seconds in the third quarter. After Bell's second touchdown, Terrell Whitehead had a 57-yard interception return to set up Branche's last score.
Attendance: 7,040 at Dick Price Stadium, Norfolk, VA
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Oklahoma State Cowboys 52, Grambling State Tigers 6
Cowboys climb two spots in AP poll
Following Saturday's 56-6 win over Grambling State, the Oklahoma State Cowboys improved two spots in this week's Associated Press poll, released Sunday. OSU (3-1) is ranked No. 14 after spending the last two weeks at No. 16. The Cowboys reached a high of No. 5 in the AP after beating Georgia to start the season, but fell to 16th with the loss to Houston. The Cougars, who beat Texas Tech Saturday night, are No. 12 this week. Florida remained No. 1, with Texas second, Alabama third, LSU fourth and Boise State fifth.
Slideshow: Oklahoma State Football vs Grambling
Offensive line gets back to the basics in victory
Oklahoma State running back Keith Toston’s only job is to run through the gaps that his offensive line makes, so he knows those spaces well. Against Grambling State on Saturday, he noticed his job was somewhat easier than usual. “The holes were a little bit bigger than normal,” he said. OSU’s much-needed crushing of Grambling State helped to improve the performance and mood of the Cowboy offensive line, but there’s still a long way to go. OSU racked up 56 points on the Tigers’ defense and totaled 587 yards of total offense. The running game, where offensive lines shine in their blocking ability, was key for OSU’s victory. The Cowboys had 43 carries for 321 yards.
“Of course, those are the type of numbers you like, we prefer not to pass that ball at all,” senior offensive tackle Russell Okung said. “You’re just seeing things all come together and things starting to work. We are still a ways off, but we are seeing improvement each week.” But all of the line’s responsibilities don’t lie within the running game. Quarterback Zac Robinson needs time to make a read and find the right receiver in the passing game. The O-line fended off the GSU defense, allowing Robinson to go 13 of 16 for 189 of OSU’s 266 passing yards.
Rookies play well
If Oklahoma State had any questions about the future of its running attack, they were answered on Saturday night. True freshman Jeremy Smith saw the first action of his collegiate career and set a record for the most rushing yards ever by an Oklahoma State freshman in his first game. The Tulsa Union product carried the ball 15 times for 160 yards and one touchdown, becoming the third Oklahoma State running back to record more than 100 yards in a freshman debut. Smith is at the top of the list.
Terry Miller held the previous record of 128 yards against Wichita State in 1974. Vernand Morency ran for 108 yards against Louisiana Tech in 2002. But Oklahoma State expected this from the running back, whose redshirt was removed Saturday. “I think everybody on the team saw that one coming,” quarterback Zac Robinson said. “He can make you miss and has great speed.”
Oklahoma State rolls past Grambling 56-6
Saturday night went about as expected. Oklahoma State dominated the football game. Grambling State’s marching band dominated halftime. Next up for the 16th-ranked Cowboys after their 56-6 rout over the lower-division Tigers is some much-needed rest. Perhaps never before in the history of OSU football could a bye week have been more well-timed. With all due respect to the visitors from northern Louisiana, getting to play Grambling essentially equates to a bye-and-a-half for the Cowboys as they enter Big 12 play with a 3-1 record. OSU is nicked up, and among the injured are three players who many categorized as preseason All-Americans — wide receiver Dez Bryant (hamstring), cornerback/kick returner Perrish Cox (shoulder) and running back Kendall Hunter (ankle). None of the aforementioned played against the Tigers, nor did starting defensive end Jermiah Price.
OSU notebook: Cowboys defense shines, too
While the OSU offense featured old and new stars in rolling up big yards and points, the Cowboys defense did its job, too. Grambling State managed just 156 total yards, 66 of which came in the fourth quarter against mostly reserves. The Tigers scored with two field goals, one coming after an OSU turnover. "I think anytime you play a game, you’d like to get a shutout,” said Cowboys defensive coordinator Bill Young. "We didn’t get that done. But we hold them to two field goals, and we feel awful good about that. And we were able to play a lot of people.” For what it’s worth, the Tigers entered the game as the second-ranked scoring offense in the SWAC, averaging 32 points a game.
Loud and proud
The Grambling band, considered quite a bonus in the visit by the Louisiana program, did not disappoint, although there was some concern before the game even began. The band actually exited the stadium just before kickoff. While gone, OSU security and police emptied a scattering of fans from the section devoted to the visiting band. Eventually, the Grambling band returned and delivered on its halftime show to a rousing response, playing – and dancing – to Michael Jackson’s "Thriller.”
Just what the doctor ordered
Two of Oklahoma State’s preseason All-Americans attended the game in street clothes. Several other Cowboys also were no-shows Saturday against Grambling State. The highlight for many of the record crowd of 56,901 came when neither team was on the field (Grambling State’s Tiger Band was worth the price of a ticket, by the way). And with all the that the game against the Tigers couldn’t have gone any better if OSU coach Mike Gundy had scripted it. Well, maybe he did. I would imagine in his dreams he envisioned something like a 56-6 win where everybody wearing an OSU uniform got a chance to play and nobody got hurt any more than they already were.
Saturday’s victory over Grambling was the perfect cure to what had been ailing the Cowboys the past two weeks. It was a win that should put a little swagger back in a team that had plenty of it coming off its win against Georgia to open the season.
Pickens Drills Deep Into Pockets for Oklahoma State Victories
Stillwater, OK -- T. Boone Pickens has donated $284 million to Oklahoma State University’s sports program the past six years and the billionaire oilman and hedge-fund manager says he’s confident his investment is about to pay off. His money renovated the stadium that bears his name, beefed up recruiting and now is helping win more football games. The Cowboys, ranked No. 9 by the Associated Press before the season started, opened with a 24-10 victory over No. 13 University of Georgia.
Pickens, a 1951 graduate of the Stillwater, Oklahoma, school, said the money has been spent well. Now the 81-year-old, who Forbes magazine reported in March had a net worth of $2 billion, is looking for the Cowboys to earn a slot in one of the five Bowl Championship Series postseason games. “I expect to get there,” Pickens said in an interview Sept. 4. “We have a good football team this year. If we can stay healthy, we’re going to be tough.”
Oklahoma State’s bid for a trip to this season’s national championship game took a hit in the second game of the season after it blew a fourth-quarter lead and lost to the University of Houston, 45-35. The Cowboys are ranked 16th in the AP poll this week after beating Rice, 41-24, Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium.
ATTENDANCE: (Stadium Record): 56,901 Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK.
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Following Saturday's 56-6 win over Grambling State, the Oklahoma State Cowboys improved two spots in this week's Associated Press poll, released Sunday. OSU (3-1) is ranked No. 14 after spending the last two weeks at No. 16. The Cowboys reached a high of No. 5 in the AP after beating Georgia to start the season, but fell to 16th with the loss to Houston. The Cougars, who beat Texas Tech Saturday night, are No. 12 this week. Florida remained No. 1, with Texas second, Alabama third, LSU fourth and Boise State fifth.
Slideshow: Oklahoma State Football vs Grambling
Offensive line gets back to the basics in victory
Oklahoma State running back Keith Toston’s only job is to run through the gaps that his offensive line makes, so he knows those spaces well. Against Grambling State on Saturday, he noticed his job was somewhat easier than usual. “The holes were a little bit bigger than normal,” he said. OSU’s much-needed crushing of Grambling State helped to improve the performance and mood of the Cowboy offensive line, but there’s still a long way to go. OSU racked up 56 points on the Tigers’ defense and totaled 587 yards of total offense. The running game, where offensive lines shine in their blocking ability, was key for OSU’s victory. The Cowboys had 43 carries for 321 yards.
“Of course, those are the type of numbers you like, we prefer not to pass that ball at all,” senior offensive tackle Russell Okung said. “You’re just seeing things all come together and things starting to work. We are still a ways off, but we are seeing improvement each week.” But all of the line’s responsibilities don’t lie within the running game. Quarterback Zac Robinson needs time to make a read and find the right receiver in the passing game. The O-line fended off the GSU defense, allowing Robinson to go 13 of 16 for 189 of OSU’s 266 passing yards.
Rookies play well
If Oklahoma State had any questions about the future of its running attack, they were answered on Saturday night. True freshman Jeremy Smith saw the first action of his collegiate career and set a record for the most rushing yards ever by an Oklahoma State freshman in his first game. The Tulsa Union product carried the ball 15 times for 160 yards and one touchdown, becoming the third Oklahoma State running back to record more than 100 yards in a freshman debut. Smith is at the top of the list.
Terry Miller held the previous record of 128 yards against Wichita State in 1974. Vernand Morency ran for 108 yards against Louisiana Tech in 2002. But Oklahoma State expected this from the running back, whose redshirt was removed Saturday. “I think everybody on the team saw that one coming,” quarterback Zac Robinson said. “He can make you miss and has great speed.”
Oklahoma State rolls past Grambling 56-6
Saturday night went about as expected. Oklahoma State dominated the football game. Grambling State’s marching band dominated halftime. Next up for the 16th-ranked Cowboys after their 56-6 rout over the lower-division Tigers is some much-needed rest. Perhaps never before in the history of OSU football could a bye week have been more well-timed. With all due respect to the visitors from northern Louisiana, getting to play Grambling essentially equates to a bye-and-a-half for the Cowboys as they enter Big 12 play with a 3-1 record. OSU is nicked up, and among the injured are three players who many categorized as preseason All-Americans — wide receiver Dez Bryant (hamstring), cornerback/kick returner Perrish Cox (shoulder) and running back Kendall Hunter (ankle). None of the aforementioned played against the Tigers, nor did starting defensive end Jermiah Price.
OSU notebook: Cowboys defense shines, too
While the OSU offense featured old and new stars in rolling up big yards and points, the Cowboys defense did its job, too. Grambling State managed just 156 total yards, 66 of which came in the fourth quarter against mostly reserves. The Tigers scored with two field goals, one coming after an OSU turnover. "I think anytime you play a game, you’d like to get a shutout,” said Cowboys defensive coordinator Bill Young. "We didn’t get that done. But we hold them to two field goals, and we feel awful good about that. And we were able to play a lot of people.” For what it’s worth, the Tigers entered the game as the second-ranked scoring offense in the SWAC, averaging 32 points a game.
Loud and proud
The Grambling band, considered quite a bonus in the visit by the Louisiana program, did not disappoint, although there was some concern before the game even began. The band actually exited the stadium just before kickoff. While gone, OSU security and police emptied a scattering of fans from the section devoted to the visiting band. Eventually, the Grambling band returned and delivered on its halftime show to a rousing response, playing – and dancing – to Michael Jackson’s "Thriller.”
Just what the doctor ordered
Two of Oklahoma State’s preseason All-Americans attended the game in street clothes. Several other Cowboys also were no-shows Saturday against Grambling State. The highlight for many of the record crowd of 56,901 came when neither team was on the field (Grambling State’s Tiger Band was worth the price of a ticket, by the way). And with all the that the game against the Tigers couldn’t have gone any better if OSU coach Mike Gundy had scripted it. Well, maybe he did. I would imagine in his dreams he envisioned something like a 56-6 win where everybody wearing an OSU uniform got a chance to play and nobody got hurt any more than they already were.
Saturday’s victory over Grambling was the perfect cure to what had been ailing the Cowboys the past two weeks. It was a win that should put a little swagger back in a team that had plenty of it coming off its win against Georgia to open the season.
Pickens Drills Deep Into Pockets for Oklahoma State Victories
Stillwater, OK -- T. Boone Pickens has donated $284 million to Oklahoma State University’s sports program the past six years and the billionaire oilman and hedge-fund manager says he’s confident his investment is about to pay off. His money renovated the stadium that bears his name, beefed up recruiting and now is helping win more football games. The Cowboys, ranked No. 9 by the Associated Press before the season started, opened with a 24-10 victory over No. 13 University of Georgia.
Pickens, a 1951 graduate of the Stillwater, Oklahoma, school, said the money has been spent well. Now the 81-year-old, who Forbes magazine reported in March had a net worth of $2 billion, is looking for the Cowboys to earn a slot in one of the five Bowl Championship Series postseason games. “I expect to get there,” Pickens said in an interview Sept. 4. “We have a good football team this year. If we can stay healthy, we’re going to be tough.”
Oklahoma State’s bid for a trip to this season’s national championship game took a hit in the second game of the season after it blew a fourth-quarter lead and lost to the University of Houston, 45-35. The Cowboys are ranked 16th in the AP poll this week after beating Rice, 41-24, Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium.
ATTENDANCE: (Stadium Record): 56,901 Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK.
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Delaware State Hornets 21, Hampton Pirates 6
DSU athletic director Derek A. CarterDSU fights for first win
HAMPTON, Va. -- There would be no last-second heartbreak for Delaware State this year. A year after a late touchdown gave Hampton a win in Alumni Stadium, Delaware State's Olusegun Ayanbiola snatched an interception and ran it back 13 yards for a touchdown to seal the Hornets' 21-6 win over Hampton at Armstrong Stadium. A glance at the stats would indicate domination by Hampton, which had 390 yards of offense to the Hornets' 277. The Pirates also had more first downs and forced six punts. The Pirates also were flagged 14 times for 141 yards and were picked off three times.
Mistakes, flags doom Pirates
HAMPTON - It's tough to beat a quality team when you give away yards and the ball. That was the theme of the day as Hampton fell to Delaware State 21-6 at Armstrong Stadium. Hampton was flagged 14 times for 141 yards and intercepted off three times. "We kept shooting ourselves in the foot, but my hat goes off to them because they obviously did enough to win," Hampton coach Donovan Rose said. "I thought our offense was doing fine, but every time we got a good drive going, we'd get a big penalty or give the ball away. I know it's disappointing to our guys right now, but it's not the end of the world."
The statistics indicate domination by Hampton, which had 390 yards of offense to the Hornets' 277. The Pirates also had more first downs and forced six punts. Yet every time they seemed poised to break out, something held them back. Hampton threatened in the first quarter after a 31-yard run by LaMarcus Coker gave it the ball on the Hornets' 18. The Pirates lost three yards on the next three plays before Jordan Stovall came up short on a 38-yard field-goal try.
Attendance: 4,632 Armstrong Stadium, Hampton, VA
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Morgan State Bears 12. Towson Tigers 9
Morgan State's defense saves the day vs. Towson
Morgan State coach Donald Hill-Eley went conservative in Saturday's game with Towson. The rain started in the first quarter and got harder as time went on, so Hill-Eley decided to play the field-position game - and his plan worked perfectly. Darren McKhan returned a blocked extra point for a two-point conversion and made a crucial fourth-quarter interception, and Morgan's defense came up with several key plays late to help the Bears hang on for a 12-9 victory over Towson at Hughes Stadium. This was the Bears' first victory against the Tigers since 2003. Hill-Eley's plan worked because his defense came up big several times.
Morgan State Bears RB Darren McKhan scores one against Towson.
Towson ran up 344 yards of total offense, but the Bears forced three turnovers, blocked the extra point and limited the Tigers to two of 13 third-down conversions. Punter Nicholas Adams made a number of good kicks to pin Towson deep. "I didn't want to do anything that would give them any energy," Hill-Eley said. "Some coaches don't take it into consideration, but with me, we always take Mother Nature into consideration." The Morgan offense never really got going, finishing with only six first downs and 161 yards but had just one turnover. All three of Towson's turnovers came in the fourth quarter, ending its last three drives and handing the Tigers a 13th straight road loss.
Attendance: 4,307 at Hughes Stadium, Baltimore, MD
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Morgan State coach Donald Hill-Eley went conservative in Saturday's game with Towson. The rain started in the first quarter and got harder as time went on, so Hill-Eley decided to play the field-position game - and his plan worked perfectly. Darren McKhan returned a blocked extra point for a two-point conversion and made a crucial fourth-quarter interception, and Morgan's defense came up with several key plays late to help the Bears hang on for a 12-9 victory over Towson at Hughes Stadium. This was the Bears' first victory against the Tigers since 2003. Hill-Eley's plan worked because his defense came up big several times.
Morgan State Bears RB Darren McKhan scores one against Towson.Towson ran up 344 yards of total offense, but the Bears forced three turnovers, blocked the extra point and limited the Tigers to two of 13 third-down conversions. Punter Nicholas Adams made a number of good kicks to pin Towson deep. "I didn't want to do anything that would give them any energy," Hill-Eley said. "Some coaches don't take it into consideration, but with me, we always take Mother Nature into consideration." The Morgan offense never really got going, finishing with only six first downs and 161 yards but had just one turnover. All three of Towson's turnovers came in the fourth quarter, ending its last three drives and handing the Tigers a 13th straight road loss.
Attendance: 4,307 at Hughes Stadium, Baltimore, MD
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