Daily Bullets (September 26)

Optimism?

The Cowboys have been here, done this and got the Alamo Bowl t-shirts – while still playing for the league title late in the season.

If there’s one thing Oklahoma State can say, it’s that it has been here before.

A year ago, the Cowboys turned the ball over four times in a loss to Baylor in their Big 12 opener. They then reeled off seven consecutive victories before losing at Oklahoma to end the regular season.

Does this team — whose expectations were arguably even higher — have the same resolve to bounce back? Can it overcome the shock of losing a game so early this season? [TulsaWorld]

While this weekend didn’t inspire a lot of the optimism, the 2013 and 2016 seasons come to mind.

Rosy Outlook

If you really want to feel better about Saturday, here’s another argument.

But they did claw, and that’s why everyone needs to step away from the ledge.

Think about this, Cowboy fans: that game was a complete disaster. OSU, missing the starters on the right side of the offensive line, looked completely out of whack offensively. They could barely run and Mason Rudolph was pressured all game. The defense looked helpless to get a stop, giving up third down after third down and letting Gary Patterson’s boys chew up the clock. The special teams were anything but special. The Cowboys turned the ball over four times to TCU’s one, played undisciplined and racked up penalties, and just couldn’t get out of their own way all game.

And with three minutes left in the contest they were within six points with a chance to win the game. [Heartland College Sports]

I was as confident – and crushed – as the most idealistic Poke fan but on their sloppiest, most underwhelming day they did go toe-to-toe with a top 15 Gary Patterson coached team.

OSU and NCAA Notes

CBS has the Pokes still in the top 15 in their rankings….Mike Gundy received “Hair of the Week” through CBS….Pokes fell a spot in the Big 12 power rankings….A quick look at the CFB slate for the weekend

Can’t stop Dez.

.@DezBryant is in there somewhere… scoring a @dallascowboys TD. ?#DallasCowboys #DALvsAZ pic.twitter.com/pscujQ8FBy

— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2017

Big VT doing well down in South Beach.

Rookie DT Vincent Taylor played 29 snaps after just 3 in Week 2; he earned a grade of 80.2, 19th-highest of all DI #MIAvsNYJ #FinsUp

— PFF MIA Dolphins (@PFF_Dolphins) September 25, 2017

Smart is down 20 pounds to 223 since the end of last season.

Marcus Smart jokes — sort of: "I was an undersized four-man."

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) September 25, 2017

“Not trying to talk about anybody’s kids but that is one ugly baby.”

New Pelican Tony Allen getting cultured in Mardi Gras traditions ?? @aa000G9 #PelicansMediaDay pic.twitter.com/3fPsOywogo

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) September 25, 2017

What You Missed on PFB

• Mason Rudolph is no longer a Heisman favorite
• Check out the latest recruiting Reload
• Grading the uniforms from Week 4
• Why OSU’s third-down defense struggled on Saturday
• Line update – injuries and scheme took their toll

Other Stuff I’m Reading

• Billy Donovan must mesh the Thunder’s superstars
• Older piece but “your brain on fiction” is interesting