After losing three of their first four Big 12 games, the No. 22 Oklahoma State Cowboys are firmly in third place after a 31-3 thumping of Kansas Saturday in Stillwater.
“That was a good win for us,” said OSU coach Mike Gundy. “I told the team that I was proud of the way they started fast. From the first kickoff they started fast, really in all three phases. I wish we would have kicked the ball a little better, field goal-wise, but other than that we were pretty good. We were very aggressive on defense.
“They were able to contain them. Their running back [Pooka Williams Jr.] is a good player. He breaks one in just about every game, so we did a good job of containing him. We got some pressure on the quarterback [Carter Stanley]. On third down, we had an unbelievable day on defense. They went 6-17 on third down, and over half of them were over third and 10.”
Although it’s a long shot, if the Cowboys beat West Virginia in Morgantown, West Virginia, at 11 a.m. Saturday, and Oklahoma in Stillwater November 30, they have a mathematical chance to make the Big 12 Championship game.
League-leading Oklahoma would have to lose to TCU in Norman Saturday and Baylor would have to lose to Texas this weekend and to a hapless Kansas team on November 30. If OU and Baylor both win Saturday, they will play in the Big 12 finals in Dallas.
OSU running back Chuba Hubbard entered the game leading the nation in rushing yards and rushing yards per game. He finished with 122 yards to bring his season total to 1,726.
“We’ve known all year that we have a special team,” Hubbard said. “Obviously, we had some trouble early on in the season. Just getting in the groove and working up from here is good. It feels good to win, but we can’t get complacent and have to keep building off this.”
Hubbard had 100 rushing yards in the first half to mark his seventh 100-yard rushing half this season.
“We just try to come out fast every single game,” Hubbard said. “We try to put points up on the board, and our defense tries to stop them fast so we can get back out on the field. We did a great job of having guys flying around the field. It was an early game, so we knew one of the team’s was going to be sleeping and it wasn’t us. It was a great win.”
Kolby Harvell-Peel had two interceptions against Kansas to bring his season total to five.
“He has great football intelligence,” OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said of Harvell-Peel. “He is a guy who can pick my brain at practice. He understands offensive and defensive schemes. Defense is a lot about momentum and attitude. We have a lot of momentum right now and we’ve got to keep it up. Kolby is our leader for sure.”
Havell-Peel entered the game ranked No. 5 in the nation in passes defended with 14 on the season.
“He’s in the right place at the right time,” Gundy said. “It’s like Shaun Lewis. Remember years ago when Shaun Lewis was here?
“Every time the ball got tipped he was standing there and every time the ball was on the ground he was there. For some reason, he is in the right place at the right time. You know what people say about guys who are good players? They are usually in the right place at the right time. The second part of that is when he gets the chance, he catches it. He finishes and he catches it.”
With three against Kansas, the OSU defense has now forced 10 turnovers in the past three games and 11 in the past four.
“The energy is high,” said Havell-Peel. “You know, it just feels good. Before the season started, we thought that we were a team that could win a lot of games. During the middle of the year, it got a little rocky, but to be back on track now feels great.”
OSU has won 66 consecutive games when holding its opponent to fewer than 20 points, dating back to Sept. 13, 2003 – the longest active streak in the nation.
Cowboys wide receiver Dillon Stoner finished with 150 receiving yards to mark a new career high and the fourth 100-yard game of his career. He has at least one catch in 34 of his past 35 games.
OSU starting quarterback Spencer Sanders exited in the third quarter against Kansas with a thumb injury and was replaced by Dru Brown.
“He stayed focused and everyone knows that it is difficult to do what he is doing,” Gundy said of Brown. “He hasn’t flinched at all, so it was awesome to get to see him come in. He played pretty good.”
Oklahoma State entered the game leading the nation in 50-yard plays from scrimmage with 18 this season. OSU added one such play against Kansas to bring the season total to 19.
Saturday’s game marked the return to Stillwater by Les Miles, a former head coach at OSU who now coaches the Jayhawks.
“I really like this place,” Miles said of Stillwater. “These people here were kind to my family. I had two children born here. I enjoyed it and always look back and think how special this place is to my family.”