Column: The playoffs have begun for OSU
By Tony Capobianco
Staff Writer, Enid News & Eagle
Hell week: A common term for college students during the week leading up to finals. It’s a week when students cram an entire semester’s worth of studying in one week for a few tests that determined the fate of the term.
The Oklahoma State football team has something like that, too. It’s called the month of November.
“We knew going into the season that November was going to be a difficult stretch and if we could make it to this point, we’d have a shot,” said senior wide receiver David Glidden Monday during OSU’s weekly press conference. “And that’s really all we could ask for.”
The Cowboys have built up a No. 14 ranking and an unblemished 8-0 record off seemingly powerless opponents. Their schedule has saved the true tests for last, as they start this week against No. 5 TCU at home, go on the road against Iowa State then finish off in Stillwater with a battle against No. 2 Baylor and or course, Bedlam.
These battles will be fought through an array of arial assaults. All three undefeated Big 12 teams rank in the FBS Top 10 in passing yards per game. At No. 4, TCU ranks higher than anyone else in the conference except Kliff Kingsbury’s sharp shootin’ Red Raiders at Texas Tech.
“I don’t think that we necessarily need to talk about TCU and the type of football team they have,” said OSU head coach Mike Gundy.
“We’ll have our work cut out for us this week, but we’re at a point where we’re really excited about the game.”
Under quarterback Trevone Boykin, the Horned Frog offense has scored an absurd average of 48 points per game, the second highest offensive output in the FBS. Offense is all the rage among the Big 12’s finest and Oklahoma State has proved through its victory over Texas Tech it can sling it like the best of them.
“You would hope that you don’t have to score that many points to win a game,” Gundy said, “but in this league, with the quarterback play that you’re seeing, it’s very similar to four or five years ago when we had several NFL quarterbacks in this league. You’re going to see some numbers that are considerably higher than other conferences in the country. That’s just my opinion. It’s based on great quarterback play.”
College football has created a climate where a top team’s greatness is come to question because of close victories. There are plenty of close calls for Oklahoma State when it comes to conference opponents. It needed a botched punt to beat Texas, it beat West Virginia in overtime, it beat Kansas State with a field goal in the then battle of the unbeatens and its 70-point outburst against Texas Tech actually was a come-from-behind victory.
When Gundy was asked Monday about whether or not the close games benefit the team: “Mentally, yes. Physically, it’s more wear and tear on their bodies.”
“We’re concerned about that right now with our team,” Gundy said, “but they at least know that they can fight back and win if they’re behind. You’d like to not be dealt that hand as many times as we have, but it is what it is.”
Those close games are not to be considered as a sign of weaknesses, but as building blocks to moments like this upcoming game.
“We try to keep calm,” said sophomore quarterback Mason Rudolph. “We know that we’re capable of putting up a lot of points in a short period of time.”
This will be a fun month for every Big 12 fan. This week is TCU at Oklahoma State. Next week is Oklahoma at Baylor. Then we get a true Big 12 showcase in Week 12 with TCU at Oklahoma and Baylor at Oklahoma State, and with finally Bedlam and TCU at Baylor serving as college football’s turkey.
The real winners for this upcoming slate of games are the fans. The more OSU wins, the bigger the event becomes in Boone Pickens Stadium. The bigger the event, the more they become worthy of playing in the college football playoff.
Capobianco is a sports reporter for the News & Eagle. Contact him at tonyc@enidnews.com.
Copyright 2015, Enid News & Eagle, Enid, OK. Provided by AP Exchange.
The Gayly – November 7, 2015 @ 1:30 p.m.