Published: October 06, 2008 10:03 am            

Full speed ahead

5-0 Cowboys look forward to Saturday slugfest

Oklahoma State’s defense had one of its best outings of the season Saturday.

Now comes the real test.

The No. 17 Cowboys face their toughest challenge yet when they meet third-ranked Missouri in Columbia this Saturday. The Tigers, led by Heisman Trophy contender Chase Daniel, have averaged 53.4 points in their first five games — which ranks second in the nation behind Tulsa’s 56.4.

Meanwhile, O-State ranks 54th nationally in scoring defense. The Cowboys forced five turnovers in the first half against Texas A&M last Saturday and cruised to a 56-28 victory in their Big 12 opener. OSU is 5-0 for the first time since 2004 and just the eighth time in program history.

“I think we are just having fun this year — we have a new swagger to us,” said junior Andre Sexton. “It just feels good to be playing well on defense finally. We are just going to keep turning eyes and get better each week.”

This Saturday’s contest, which will be televised at 7 p.m. on ESPN2, certainly has the makings of a shootout. The Cowboys are third in the country in scoring offense (52.6 points per game) and have set a school record for putting up at least 50 points in four consecutive games.

In the first half against the Aggies, however, the majority of O-State’s points came from the defense and special teams. Sophomore Ugo Chinasa and junior Patrick Lavine each returned an interception for a touchdown, and Dez Bryant’s 78-yard punt return for a TD helped guide OSU to a 28-7 advantage at halftime.

“I was really, really proud of the defense,” said Cowboy coach Mike Gundy. “There has been so much talk go on outside of our building about the offense outscoring everybody. They wonder if the defense can hold up.

“(The interceptions) not only kept us in the game, but also kept the momentum from swinging in Texas A&M’s favor. It was a great lift for them. Give a lot of credit to the defensive side of the ball for what they were able to accomplish in the first half.”

It will take a strong performance to slow down the Tigers (5-0, 1-0). Daniel completed 18-of-23 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns during a 52-17 rout of Nebraska in Lincoln last Saturday. Like OSU, Mizzou’s defense is a work in progress.

The Tigers are 83rd nationally in yards allowed (377 ypg) and rank 114th in pass defense (282 ypg). For the Cowboys, this will be their opportunity to prove they can play with the big boys.

“We are a lot better defense than we were last year,” Lavine said. “We have made some great improvements. We are just growing up. ... We are also going to have our (bad) days, and the offense will pick up the slack. It just tells you how good of a team we can be.”

OSU and Mizzou are two of the 15 teams in the nation that are still unbeaten. Of those clubs, five come from the Big 12 including four from the South division (O-State, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech).

A win Saturday would give the Cowboys a 6-0 record for just the second time in school history and first since 1997.

OSU also won its first six games in 1945, the same year it finished undefeated with a Sugar Bowl championship.

        

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