PonyFans.com preview: OKLAHOMA STATE

[PonyPride]

When SMU travels to Stillwater to play Oklahoma State at 6 p.m. Saturday (in a game that can be heard on KTCK (1310 AM), the Ponies will be trying to break one streak and continue a trend. The Mustangs (0-3) will be seeking their first victory under first-year head coach Phil Bennett, but will be trying to build on a 6-1-2 series lead over the Cowboys. The teams haven't met since 1950, when SMU rolled over OSU, 56-0 in Dallas. The Cowboys are just 5-9 under second-year head coach Les Miles, but this is a team that knocked off the Oklahoma Sooners last year.

SMU will be the second Western Athletic Conference team Oklahoma State (1-2) has faced this year; OSU lost, 39-36, to Louisiana Tech in Shreveport in the season opener. After bouncing back the following week with a 45-10 laugher over Northern Iowa in their home opener in Stillwater, OSU then endured a 38-24 loss Saturday at home against #23 UCLA.

The loss to the Bruins confirmed what observers already knew: the Cowboys will throw the ball, and they throw it well. Junior Rashaun Woods (6-2, 190) is one of the top wide receivers in the Big 12 Conference. Through three games, Woods has 26 receptions for 444 yards and four touchdowns. He had seven catches for 143 yards and a touchdown against UCLA, drawing the praise of Bruins head coach Bob Toledo.

"He's a heck of a receiver, luckily we don't play too many like him," Toledo said. "We have played against a lot of good receivers over the years, but he certainly ranks up there as one of the best ones, and there is a reason he's as good as he is."

Woods' performance was his fourth straight in which he eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark, and the eighth in his career at OSU. He's scored nine touchdowns in his last six games. The UCLA game also was the 21st straight game in which he has caught at least two passes.

The game also marked the emergence of Woods' receiving counterpart: John Lewis caught seven passes for 113 yards, making them the first pair of OSU receivers to go over the 100-yard mark in the same game since Ethan Howell (103) and Marcellus Rivers (106) topped the century mark Nov. 7, 1998 against Texas.

Getting them the ball is sophomore quarterback Josh Fields (6-1, 210), who threw for a career-high 291 yards against UCLA. Fields completed 20-of-40 passes and the touchdown pass to Woods, but he also was intercepted a career-high three times. For the season, Fields has completed 65-of-114 passes for 756 yards, with four interceptions and six touchdown passes.

Fields lines up behind an offensive line that averages 6-foot-5, 298 pounds. The anchors of the line are tackles Kyle Eaton (6-8, 300) and Jason Russell (6-4, 315).

The OSU running game is a balanced attack. Freshman Vernand Morency leads the Cowboys with 37 carries for 190 yards, , followed by Seymore Shaw (21-174) and DeSoto, Texas product Tatum Bell, who has 13 carries for 47 yards.

Defensively, the Cowboys are somewhat unique in that they like to run their nickel (five defensive backs) more often than most teams; of course, facing a run-oriented team like SMU, they likely will change their format to a more conventional 4-3 alignment.

OSU's defensive line is led by defensive end Greg Richmond, who has 18 tackles and a sack through three games. But the star of the front seven is linebacker Terrence Robinson, a 6-1, 240-pound senior from Tyler, Texas, who has 15 tackles in three games. Robinson runs very well for a player of his size, and he's a ferocious hitter. He is one of those linebackers who always seems to be around the ball, and must be accounted for at all times.

The secondary is highlighted by senior weak safety Chris Massey (6-0, 220), who many expect will be a high NFL draft choice. Massey is very strong against the run and has the speed to drop into pass coverage and run with receivers and running backs. Massey has 16 tackles through three games. OSU's top two cornerbacks are senior Kabina Amoo (5-10, 195) and sophomore Darrant Williams (5-9, 170).

Placekicker Luke Phillips has made 2-of-3 field goal attempts this year.

[Hoofprint]

KG and Jonas will have their work cut out for them. They would even if Lewis hadn't gotten good. Woods is almost impossible to stop.

[RedRiverPony]

We can run on Oklahoma State. Their interior defense is strong, with Terrance Robinson running behind (noseguard) LaWaylon Brown (6-5, 305) and (defensive tackle) Kevin Williams (6-5, 290). But their defensive ends, Greg Richmond and Antonio Smith, aren't big. Richmond is 6-2, 240, Smith is 6-4, 255. Massey is a stud coming up against the run, but if we run away from him, we can move the ball on sweeps and options.

And I'll be there to see it. GO PONIES!!