In-state implications Monday, November 22, 2021
What obeying a fan’s shirt gets the Cowboys
and cream has not been worn at a Big 12 championship game was in 2009 when Texas beat Nebraska. But Oklahoma State has more to gain than the satisfaction of snapping their in-state rival’s dominance. For one thing, the Sam Hutchens Cowboys could gain another Staff Reporter game. With a win to close out the The TV cameras kept regular season, OSU would march finding him. And it made sense into the conference championship why. game a one-loss team. No team Amid the celebrating mass has ever made the CFP with two of Oklahoma State fans huddled losses. together in the visitor’s section at A OSU Bedlam win would, Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, in all likelihood, give OSU a Texas, one fan wearing orange chance to beat Baylor for its first was shown multiple times on College Football Playoff bid in the FOX broadcast as the final school history. seconds away in the Cowboys Shirts aren’t printed for victory over Texas Tech. commonplace, unimportant and His shirt — orange with easy-to-accomplish thing, though. white lettering passing on a simple Beating OU is something the message —caught the camera’s Cowboys have done just four times attention. this millennium. “Beat OU” We got big things to OSU (10-1, 7-1 Big 12) has accomplish this year,” defensive clinched a spot in the Big 12 end Tyler Lacy said. Championship. It’s a game the After the Texas Tech game Cowboys have never played in ended, sophomore quarterback before. Shane Illingworth tweeted a 2009 “It’s hard to get there,” video of Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike Gundy said. “Games guard Kobe Bryant. It features are hard to win in college football the NBA legend in a postgame and with the parity in this press conference after moving league… for these guys to find a to 2-0 in the NBA Finals saying way to get in that game is a big monotonously, “What is there accomplishment.” to be happy about? Job’s not But before the Cowboys finished.” travel to Arlington to play for its Senior receiver Tay Martin first conference championship was less reserved commenting on since 2011, they host Oklahoma. Saturday in regard to the pivotal So what does beating looming Bedlam game. OU, and completing what the “I expect to whoop their ass, aforementioned fan’s shirt honestly,” Martin said. “I don’t go implored, get the Cowboys? into a game thinking otherwise.” A new opponent, for one. If Martin and his fellow And probably a game with a veterans beat the Sooners, the college football playoff bid on the 2021 team remains in contention line. to reach the school’s first College With a Bedlam win, Football Playoff. Martin’s quote something OSU has not gotten may be one printed and sold on since 2014, the Cowboys would orange T-Shirts in Stillwater one open the door for Baylor to join day. them in Arlington, Texas, to “We had several players that play for a conference title. If the came back for the super senior Sooners lose and Baylor handles season and that’s why they came Texas Tech, it would result in the back, and so you just hope that first Big 12 Championship game works out,” Gundy said.” without OU since the game was reinstated in 2017. sports.ed@ocolly.com The last time the crimson
Cowboys plaster Red Raiders, claim spot in Big 12 title game Abby Cage
Dean Ruhl Sports Editor LUBBOCK, Texas – Linebacker Devin Harper came back for this reason. Tyler Lacy ran stadiums in the offseason for the same purpose. On Saturday, nestled in northwest Texas, Oklahoma State achieved its seasonlong goal. The Cowboys clinched a spot in the Big 12 Championship game for the first time in school history. OSU soundly shut out Texas Tech 23-0 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas, and with the help of rival Oklahoma defeating Iowa State earlier Saturday, the Cowboys were able to claim a spot in the title game on Dec. 4. “Every day, all the early workouts, the late workouts, they always preached it,” Harper said. “Now it is happening. We’ve got to follow through.”
The game itself was what fans had come to expect from OSU (101, 7-1 Big 12) in recent weeks. The defense remained in the limelight and put up its most impermeable game to date. The unit tallied 12 tackles for loss and allowed just 108 total yards of offense, its lowest amount this season. The most resounding stat, a zero in the TTU (6-5, 3-5) points column, is the first time since 1995 the Cowboys have shutout a conference opponent, and Saturday was the first time Tech had been held scoreless since 1987. “I’ve been telling them all year ‘Don’t play small, play big’,” defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said. “They believe right now.” The offense carried over its efficacious football from the past several weeks, despite several injuries. Center Joe Michalski remained on the starting line after Danny Godlevske was unable to return and left guard Tyrese Williams started in place of Josh Sills. Williams himself sustained an undisclosed injury, ushering Sills into the game.
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Abby Cage