By D. Wright | OKC CBS KINB-FM 105.3
On a rare occasion the Oklahoma State Cowboys played a football game on Friday night. For decades football games have been decided on certain days of the week, depending on what level the squad is on. Die hard football fans get confused when their favorite team plays on the wrong day. That confusion doesn’t last long, nor does it deter fans from coming out to support their favorite team. On Friday evening 53,855 fans showed up to Boone Pickens Stadium to watch and support the Cowboys of Oklahoma State and the Wildcats from Kansas State play football under the Friday night lights.
Oklahoma State took their opening drive seventy-two yards into the endzone for a seven-point lead but more importantly OSU showed balanced ball movement. For the first time this season the cowboys scored on their first drive. OSU spread the ball across the field, from sideline to sideline between passes and runs. Every play wasn’t a complete success but most of them were for positive yards. Cowboys took almost six minutes off the play clock. Ironically the triumphant opening drive for the cowboys was a microcosm of the whole game for OSU’s offense. The Cowboys offense found ways to move the ball in the middle of the field but had difficulties close to the endzone, eventfully scoring. Senior kicker Alex Hale tied an OSU record, with five field goals made.
On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys defense was tested in many ways. The Wildcats offense started slow and unsuccessful but subsequently they scored and made the game a close contest. KSU used misdirection and fake hand offs to test the eyes of the Cowboys defense. At the end of the second quarter OSU defense scored a pick six to widen their lead. The Wildcat’s offense would not quit and came out in the second half of the contest determined to score. The Wildcats scored eight points on their 2nd possession of the third quarter. For the fans of both squads this was when nervousness set in. At that point no one in the stadium knew who would win. So, OSU defense and their fans started working together to stop the Wildcat’s offense. It worked for the most part until KSU scored a touchdown with 2:35 left in the game. From this point every aspect of OSU initial game plan was tested. Which was to have a productive offense and a frugal
defense. In the end Oklahoma State was victorious on a rare Friday night under the big lights.
