Jacob Longan - NewsPress
October 14, 2007 12:16 am
—
Here’s an opinion many thought they would never read — Oklahoma State’s football program has surpassed Nebraska’s.
Even in the middle of a season including several disappointing losses for the Cowboys, they dominated NU on Saturday.
That marks three wins for OSU in their last four matchups with the program once known as “The Big Red Machine.”
This time, the Cowboys silenced the Sea of Red by being faster, tougher, stronger, smarter and more determined — in short, better.
Nebraska’s fans are known as the best in college football and, even after their team was embarrassed by a 41-6 whipping at Missouri last weekend, extended the NCAA-record consecutive-sellouts streak to 287.
But on Saturday they were reduced to cheering for little things like five first downs in the first half. One of the traditions of the fans is to release red balloons when NU scores for the first time. Those balloons were unnecessary until 14:55 remained in the contest.
Of course, that was after the Cowboys secured a 38-0 halftime lead. Many of the fans released their balloons during the opening 30 minutes — either as a weak celebration of one of the first downs or as a sign of disgust when NU turned it over on downs, threw an interception or fumbled — which it did a combined five times in the game.
The faithful Nebraska fans thought they had things set up for a rebound after their disappointment at Missouri. It was homecoming. They were honoring the 1997 national championship team. They were hosting a team that had won one of its last 14 road games and was coming off a heartbreaking 24-23 loss at Texas A&M.
OSU held a 17-0 halftime lead in that one but gave the game away with turnovers and penalties.
This time they built an advantage that was virtually impossible to squander.
And in the process, they handed NU a loss the locals say is the most disappointing of the four seasons Bill Callahan has guided their team.
It topped the shellacking at Missouri the week before and even a 70-10 embarrassment at Texas Tech on Oct. 9, 2004 — the most lopsided loss in the history of the program — because the Huskers were routed at home this time.
All that should put into context what this win means for OSU. It didn’t dominate the juggernaut Nebraska teams of the 1970s, ’80s or ’90s, but it did make a statement by blasting an opponent that is still a national name.
Because the Cowboys won’t meet NU again in the next two years — barring a matchup in the Big 12 title game — OSU can crow about being 3-1 against the Huskers since the turn of the millennium to several recruiting classes.
That might not be a program-changer like the 2001 upset of Oklahoma in Norman, but it will certainly help in Mike Gundy’s quest to take the Cowboys to the next level.
And, as always, here’s the best news for OSU fans — they have surpassed Nebraska before finishing the athletic village that will be one of the most impressive in America.
Let that sink in for a second — OSU is already ahead of Nebraska and will gain another major advantage on the red and white soon.
For this season, it means the Cowboys are back on track for a bowl berth with three home games and a road trip to Baylor remaining.
After ending the much-discussed road woes, OSU will try to claim back-to-back Big 12 victories for the first time in the Gundy era this Saturday when Kansas State comes to town.
The homecoming contest is slated to begin at 6:05 p.m.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.