JimBob
01-01-2008, 08:52 AM
Finishing in style
MIKE By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
1/1/2008
Early lead helps Cowboys down Hoosiers
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Zac Robinson began the season as a backup quarterback. He ended the season as the primary playmaker in Oklahoma State's victory over Indiana.
In Monday's Insight Bowl, wit nessed by a Sun Devil Stadium crowd of 48,892, the Cowboys prevailed 49-33. Voted the offensive player of the game, Robinson had 372 yards of total offense and accounted for five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing).
The Cowboys rolled up 513 total yards and, for the second con secutive season, finished with a record of 7-6.
Indiana had one of the better pass-rush defenses in college football this season, totaling 42 sacks during the regular season. Against the Cowboys, Indiana did not have a sack. The OSU offensive line completed the season by allowing only 11 sacks in 13 games.
Making its first bowl appearance in 14 years, Indiana also closed with a 7-6 mark.
When the regular season ended, OSU had national rankings of No. 103 in total defense and No. 116 in pass defense. But against the Hoosiers, the Cowboy defense had a strong first half.
Defense, in fact, was largely responsible when OSU expanded its lead from 7-3 to 28-3.
Robinson was 24-of-34 passing for 302 yards, and the sophomore ran 15 times for 70 yards. OSU's single-season record-holder in total offense, Robinson finished his season with 3,671 total yards. He shattered the previous record of 3,073 yards, which had been set by Josh Fields in 2002.
In the postgame locker room, Robinson embraced Cowboy coach Mike Gundy and said, "Thank you for everything. This was a lot of fun."
Senior linebacker Donovan Woods, who finished with nine tackles, capped his Oklahoma State career by being voted the defensive player of the game.
"It is a good way to end it," he said.
Cowboy players, Gundy said, "made up their minds two weeks ago that they were going to practice hard and wanted to go out winners. They did. They played with great enthusiasm early in the game."
Cowboy senior tailback Dantrell Savage ended his college career by recording his 10th straight 100-yard rushing performance. Against the Hoosiers, he carried 23 times for 100 yards. Wide receiver Adarius Bowman, also a se nior, returned from a knee injury to total six catches for 74 yards and one touchdown. OSU's receiving star was freshman Dez Bryant, whose nine-catch, 117-yard effort included two touchdowns.
While surging to a 35-10 halftime lead, OSU benefited from an overwhelming advantage in field position. During the first half, the Cowboy offense ran 43 plays. Thirty-four of those plays were snapped in Indiana territory.
During a 13-minute span of the first half, OSU took control.
With the Cowboys leading 7-3, the OSU defense forced Indiana to punt from its own 20-yard line. The Cowboy offense answered with a 53-yard drive. On a slant route, Bryant had a 24-yard touchdown reception. OSU led 14-3.
The O-State defense again got a stop, with Indiana punting from its 23. Six plays later, Robinson scored on a 7-yard keeper. OSU led 21-3.
On the subsequent Hoosier possession, on a fourth-down play from the OSU 43-yard line, Indiana quarterback Kellen Lewis misfired on a pass. Again, the Cowboys capitalized by driving for a score -- Bowman's 14-yard touchdown reception that gave OSU a 28-3 lead with 10:11 remaining in the first half.
"That sequence was really big," Robinson said. "It was huge for our defense to play like that. Once our defense got stops, it gave us confidence that we could go down and score and get a cushion before the half."
Indiana received the opening kickoff and drove to a 43-yard field goal by Austin Starr, but OSU dominated from that point.
With 2:18 left in the opening half, Robinson sneaked 1 yard over right guard for the TD that gave the Cowboys a 35-10 advantage. OSU went to the halftime locker room with 322 total yards and a 4-of-4 success rate on third-down plays. OSU did not punt until the third period.
"I would say the story of the game was that Oklahoma State was awfully good," Indiana coach Bill Lynch said. "In particular, in the first half, they played really well."
MIKE By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
1/1/2008
Early lead helps Cowboys down Hoosiers
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Zac Robinson began the season as a backup quarterback. He ended the season as the primary playmaker in Oklahoma State's victory over Indiana.
In Monday's Insight Bowl, wit nessed by a Sun Devil Stadium crowd of 48,892, the Cowboys prevailed 49-33. Voted the offensive player of the game, Robinson had 372 yards of total offense and accounted for five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing).
The Cowboys rolled up 513 total yards and, for the second con secutive season, finished with a record of 7-6.
Indiana had one of the better pass-rush defenses in college football this season, totaling 42 sacks during the regular season. Against the Cowboys, Indiana did not have a sack. The OSU offensive line completed the season by allowing only 11 sacks in 13 games.
Making its first bowl appearance in 14 years, Indiana also closed with a 7-6 mark.
When the regular season ended, OSU had national rankings of No. 103 in total defense and No. 116 in pass defense. But against the Hoosiers, the Cowboy defense had a strong first half.
Defense, in fact, was largely responsible when OSU expanded its lead from 7-3 to 28-3.
Robinson was 24-of-34 passing for 302 yards, and the sophomore ran 15 times for 70 yards. OSU's single-season record-holder in total offense, Robinson finished his season with 3,671 total yards. He shattered the previous record of 3,073 yards, which had been set by Josh Fields in 2002.
In the postgame locker room, Robinson embraced Cowboy coach Mike Gundy and said, "Thank you for everything. This was a lot of fun."
Senior linebacker Donovan Woods, who finished with nine tackles, capped his Oklahoma State career by being voted the defensive player of the game.
"It is a good way to end it," he said.
Cowboy players, Gundy said, "made up their minds two weeks ago that they were going to practice hard and wanted to go out winners. They did. They played with great enthusiasm early in the game."
Cowboy senior tailback Dantrell Savage ended his college career by recording his 10th straight 100-yard rushing performance. Against the Hoosiers, he carried 23 times for 100 yards. Wide receiver Adarius Bowman, also a se nior, returned from a knee injury to total six catches for 74 yards and one touchdown. OSU's receiving star was freshman Dez Bryant, whose nine-catch, 117-yard effort included two touchdowns.
While surging to a 35-10 halftime lead, OSU benefited from an overwhelming advantage in field position. During the first half, the Cowboy offense ran 43 plays. Thirty-four of those plays were snapped in Indiana territory.
During a 13-minute span of the first half, OSU took control.
With the Cowboys leading 7-3, the OSU defense forced Indiana to punt from its own 20-yard line. The Cowboy offense answered with a 53-yard drive. On a slant route, Bryant had a 24-yard touchdown reception. OSU led 14-3.
The O-State defense again got a stop, with Indiana punting from its 23. Six plays later, Robinson scored on a 7-yard keeper. OSU led 21-3.
On the subsequent Hoosier possession, on a fourth-down play from the OSU 43-yard line, Indiana quarterback Kellen Lewis misfired on a pass. Again, the Cowboys capitalized by driving for a score -- Bowman's 14-yard touchdown reception that gave OSU a 28-3 lead with 10:11 remaining in the first half.
"That sequence was really big," Robinson said. "It was huge for our defense to play like that. Once our defense got stops, it gave us confidence that we could go down and score and get a cushion before the half."
Indiana received the opening kickoff and drove to a 43-yard field goal by Austin Starr, but OSU dominated from that point.
With 2:18 left in the opening half, Robinson sneaked 1 yard over right guard for the TD that gave the Cowboys a 35-10 advantage. OSU went to the halftime locker room with 322 total yards and a 4-of-4 success rate on third-down plays. OSU did not punt until the third period.
"I would say the story of the game was that Oklahoma State was awfully good," Indiana coach Bill Lynch said. "In particular, in the first half, they played really well."