mdpoke
01-02-2008, 09:04 AM
The part about Dez is exciting.
IU's dream ends with nightmarish results
Cowboys speed, experience trumps Hoosiers
1/1/2008
TEMPE, Ariz. – After beating Purdue on Nov. 18th, everything had gone the Hoosiers way. Not only did they get to play in a 13th game, but they got to play it in sunny Arizona against a team from the Big 12.
Even during the pre-game activities things were coming up in IU’s favor. The Hoosiers got to partake in an improvised version of ‘The Walk’ that senior offensive lineman Kyle Thomas called one of the best ever.
All that changed after the opening kickoff. Oklahoma State trounced the Hoosiers 49-33, making all of the positive pre-game activities a distant memory.
After the game, there were many theories as to why the Cowboys had their way with IU. One thought was that the speed of Oklahoma State’s offense overwhelmed the Hoosiers defense. The Cowboys scored touchdowns on their first five possessions in stunning fashion.
“They looked fast to me,” sophomore defensive end Greg Middleton said. “That’s pretty much the fastest team we’ve gone up against all year.”
Cowboy playmakers such as running back Dantrell Savage, wide receiver Adarius Bowman and offensive player of the game, quarterback Zac Robinson all had impressive days. The trio blazed past IU defenders with relative ease, but Middleton said the player who impressed him most on OSU’s offense was a mere freshman.
“Dez Bryant,” Middleton answered as to who stood out. “He’s amazing, he made some good catches. He’s going to be good.”
Another faze of the game Oklahoma State had the advantage in was experience in bowl games. While none of IU’s roster had played in a single one, virtually the entire Cowboy team had experience due to their Independence Bowl victory a season ago.
“Anytime you come out to a bowl trip you’re going to know what to expect – how to control yourself when you have the lay off,” sophomore wide receiver Andrew Means said. “I don’t think this team really knew what to expect in the bowl game.”
Middleton said he didn’t think IU’s lack of experience had anything to do with the outcome of the game, and said once two teams take the field it is just football.
“We just got outplayed,” Middleton said. “It wasn’t about schemes or personnels. They executed better then we did.”
What the Hoosiers could agree upon was that the loss wasn’t due to a lack of intensity. Playing in their first game since beating rival Purdue, IU had the challenge of getting as emotionally invested in the Insight Bowl as they were for the battle of the Old Oaken Bucket.
“Purdue game was a big rivalry, but this was another game,” sophomore quarterback Kellen Lewis said. “They thought they were going to get to a better bowl game and came out really hard. I don’t think we came out too complacent, we just came out a little flat.”
Now with the season officially over and the goal to ‘play 13’ finally achieved, IU must now look to continue this season’s success and get back to a bowl game. Only next year, if the Hoosiers make it back to a bowl game they hope for a different outcome.
“(‘Play 13’) was our slogan,” Means said. “We got here and next here I think we’re going to change our slogan to win 13.”
IU's dream ends with nightmarish results
Cowboys speed, experience trumps Hoosiers
1/1/2008
TEMPE, Ariz. – After beating Purdue on Nov. 18th, everything had gone the Hoosiers way. Not only did they get to play in a 13th game, but they got to play it in sunny Arizona against a team from the Big 12.
Even during the pre-game activities things were coming up in IU’s favor. The Hoosiers got to partake in an improvised version of ‘The Walk’ that senior offensive lineman Kyle Thomas called one of the best ever.
All that changed after the opening kickoff. Oklahoma State trounced the Hoosiers 49-33, making all of the positive pre-game activities a distant memory.
After the game, there were many theories as to why the Cowboys had their way with IU. One thought was that the speed of Oklahoma State’s offense overwhelmed the Hoosiers defense. The Cowboys scored touchdowns on their first five possessions in stunning fashion.
“They looked fast to me,” sophomore defensive end Greg Middleton said. “That’s pretty much the fastest team we’ve gone up against all year.”
Cowboy playmakers such as running back Dantrell Savage, wide receiver Adarius Bowman and offensive player of the game, quarterback Zac Robinson all had impressive days. The trio blazed past IU defenders with relative ease, but Middleton said the player who impressed him most on OSU’s offense was a mere freshman.
“Dez Bryant,” Middleton answered as to who stood out. “He’s amazing, he made some good catches. He’s going to be good.”
Another faze of the game Oklahoma State had the advantage in was experience in bowl games. While none of IU’s roster had played in a single one, virtually the entire Cowboy team had experience due to their Independence Bowl victory a season ago.
“Anytime you come out to a bowl trip you’re going to know what to expect – how to control yourself when you have the lay off,” sophomore wide receiver Andrew Means said. “I don’t think this team really knew what to expect in the bowl game.”
Middleton said he didn’t think IU’s lack of experience had anything to do with the outcome of the game, and said once two teams take the field it is just football.
“We just got outplayed,” Middleton said. “It wasn’t about schemes or personnels. They executed better then we did.”
What the Hoosiers could agree upon was that the loss wasn’t due to a lack of intensity. Playing in their first game since beating rival Purdue, IU had the challenge of getting as emotionally invested in the Insight Bowl as they were for the battle of the Old Oaken Bucket.
“Purdue game was a big rivalry, but this was another game,” sophomore quarterback Kellen Lewis said. “They thought they were going to get to a better bowl game and came out really hard. I don’t think we came out too complacent, we just came out a little flat.”
Now with the season officially over and the goal to ‘play 13’ finally achieved, IU must now look to continue this season’s success and get back to a bowl game. Only next year, if the Hoosiers make it back to a bowl game they hope for a different outcome.
“(‘Play 13’) was our slogan,” Means said. “We got here and next here I think we’re going to change our slogan to win 13.”