OSU football: Great win in Seattle
We talked all week about how much was on the line for OSU in its Seattle game against Washington State. Much of that analysis focused on what would happen if the Cowboys lost. But here’s the benefit to playing such season openers: What if you win?
That’s exactly where OSU finds itself. Look at what the Cowboys gained from beating Wazoo 39-13 at Qwest Field. Confidence. Momentum. A victory to add to their already-established five sure wins.
This season suddenly looks different for State. Barring calamity, OSU will get off to a 5-0 start. I lumped Texas A&M in among OSU’s four tossup games this year; the most winnable of the four, but still a tossup. After Saturday, when Arkansas State beat A&M and OSU rolled, we have to adjust. I would make it six automatic wins, plus the victory over Washington State, and OSU is on track for seven wins, minimum.
The tossup games remain at Colorado and home against Oklahoma, which are the two toughest tossups on the original list. So it will remain difficult to get to 8-4 or 9-3. But still possible, especially if the Cowboys improve from was established in Seattle as a solid performance threshold.
Here’s more reason for optimism. Saturday, only two BCS-league schools won on the road. Southern Cal and OSU. Wake Forest did it, too, on Thursday, and as I post this, Kentucky looks like it will win at Louisville. But still, that’s good company for OSU.
2008 suddenly looks much more promising.
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
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Comments
Dez Bryant is going to get killed in the Big !2 if he goes up for jump balls like he did against Wash State. I can just see D-Backs cutiing his legs out from under him play after play until he gets hurt. OSU better figure out a way for him to keep his feet on the ground or put the jump balls behind the D-Backs so he just gets pushed downfield with him momentum.
I don’t know. It seemed to work pretty darn well for Rashaun Woods for four years. It should also help to get Damien Davis back this week. He seemed to be emerging as the homerun threat in camp and might help open up the deep ball as well. Hopefully similar to the Woods, John Lewis tandem.
Good points Don, but I usually remember Rashaun running beside or behind the defender with an athletic jump to turn and catch the ball over his sholder, and a chance to continue to move downfield. Bryant seemed to be standing still then jumping in the flat – a great position to be flipped on your head.
Yes, 2008 does look very promising. This is just what we needed to kick off the year. I’m looking forward to a very good turnout this Saturday. Thanks for the kind words. However, you can keep your “Bozo” out of the Poor Aggies club. He doesn’t deserve to be in that group either!