OSU Smokes Tulsa in Midnight Madness

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At least we can say it was historic. Oh, the NCAA doesn’t keep track of “latest game ever played” stats so we can’t even say that?

Well, at least we can say it was fun. Except that there is little to nothing fun about Clint Chelf throwing incomplete passes at 3:30 AM central standard time.

I guess we can just say it’s over and leave it at that. Even though it felt like it never would be. And the entire game might have been one big NCAA violation.

The three hour rain/lightning delay turned into a huge game of “who can say the funniest thing about OSU sports on Twitter” (there were some good ones) so that was mildly entertaining for about an hour before we started pining for some real football. The fans were even escorted into Tulsa’s basketball gym where Q got a good pic of both sides rooting on FSU against OU in Tallahassee.

We finally got going at approximately 12:15 am on Saturday night Sunday morning much to the chagrin of sportswriters everywhere (Jimmie Tramel had the tweet of the night regarding that).

It was a game in which the Cowboys had nothing to gain and everything to lose.

I got about eight “I have a horrible feeling about this game being played in the rain post-midnight” texts in the span of 3 minutes as Tulsa booted it to Justin Gilbert.

I loved Monken’s first four play calls as Randle just slammed it up the middle as if to say “we don’t care that we’ve been in your minuscule visitors locker room for three straight hours, we’re still the #7 team in the country and we’re about to show you what that feels like.”

Weeden would turn it over on (another) tipped ball pick later in the drive and the Cowboys would actually trail for the first time this year. That lasted for all of about 11 seconds though as Justin Gilbert took the ensuing kick to the house while I had convulsions on my living room floor.

Weeden and Co. wouldn’t look back from there either adding a strike to Hubert Anyiam, two rushing TD’s from Randle, and a Quinn Sharp FG to make it 31-6 at halftime.

The second half was a complete zoo: 41 points in the 3rd, onside kicks, and diving picks somehow translated into a 52-26 lead for OSU heading to the 4th before they closed it out with their usual potion of Smith, Randle, and Weeden.

What we learned
We learned that Justin Blackmon having great games is not a pre-requisite for this team to win games. He only had 7 catches for 57 yards and 1 TD and the thing was an absolute rout.

We learned that Gundy isn’t afraid to play his starters nearly all four quarters of a game that was all but decided at the half.

We learned that this really is the deepest team Gundy has ever had. 10 different receivers have caught a pass in every game so far this year. I predicted it would happen, I just didn’t think they’d get it done this soon.

Uniform thoughts
The uniforms as a whole look extremely sharp on TV no matter what color they’re wearing. The white helmet with the black “OSU” was a little odd I thought (does this mean there are 4 helmets?) and just another sign pointing towards the fact that Nike screwed up the black and gray helmets in what has become one of the bigger uniform clusters in recent memory (Maryland’s state flag excluded). I should also mention how clean I think the all whites would look, maybe we’ll bust them out for A&M next weekend.

Stat(s) you should know
Weeden became the only player in the country with three 350-yard passing games so far this year.

He also had his 8th career 300-yard passing game. Fields had 4, Zac had 3, Gundy had 2.

Tulsa had 365 rushing yards which is the most OSU has given up since October of 2005. Obviously that’s not ideal but I guess I’m willing to overlook it a little because the majority of those were in the second half. They also weren’t facing Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael either…

Tulsa had 6 turnovers, you aren’t going to beat many Conference USA teams when you do that, much less top-ten ranked Big 12 teams.

A few other notes

• Kelly Kapowski got some love on the TU sideline playcalling board.
• Alex Elkins sat this one out. They didn’t need him, but they will next week in College Station.
• I think Broderick Brown only makes dramatic interceptions. He went Jim Edmonds-style last night as he snagged one over his left shoulder and immediately went into a forward roll halfway across the turf.
• Sometimes it feels like Weeden could throw Blackmon an 8-yard comeback on every play and that could just be the entire offense.
• I wrote about it in my 10 thoughts last night (or this morning or whatever) but it sucked for Tulsa that Kinne got hurt. It wouldn’t have made a difference but I hope he’s back for them next week at Boise.
• I thought Gundy looked completely drunk in his pregame interview with Jeremy Bloom.
• Blackmon’s 100-yard games streak ended at 14. I’m fine with that, the embarrassment of riches OSU has at WR meant it was going to happen at some point this year.

My last thought on a crazy night in northern Oklahoma…

Next Saturday in College Station is going to be ELECTRIC.