I love games like that!
To be more specific I love games like that when OSU wins them. I sit in the stands and stress out. I cheer at the good plays, I groan at the bad plays. I high five my neighbors, hug strangers, and turn my back because I just simply can’t watch the ‘make it and win’/’miss it and lose’ field goals.
(Luckily the super sweet lady who sits behind me every year makes me turn back around so I end up seeing those plays. Good job by the way, Ben Grogan!)
But really aren’t those down to the wire games fun? Sure, during the game there’s frustration and anger but there’s also excitement that you just don’t get when your favorite team is up by 3 scores. The crowd stays engaged, the crowd STAYS (looking at you, student section), and every one links arms and sways while singing the alma mater at the end of things. It’s really special.
It used to be that my favorite games were Oklahoma State versus Texas A&M. Those games always seemed to end up being competitive and entertaining, but now that the Aggies moved to a more southeastern locale, Kansas State has become that fun, but frustrating, game every year. Bill Synder is an amazing coach and his team is always well prepared. The Wildcats will power it out and grind you down on offense and play solid defense. They won’t make mistakes, and if you do they usually make you pay. It always adds up to a fun time, especially against the Cowboys, where the games are usually decided by less than a touchdown. This last game was no different.
Kansas State came in off a bye week and gave the Cowboys all they could handle. Mason Rudolph showed us that he is the future in Stillwater for sure, but also reminded us that he’s a true sophomore, more than once. The running game was nonexistent against a solid Wildcat defensive line, a problem that refuses to go away because the offensive line is atrocious. The defense dialed it in for the second half allowing just 121 yards, just 1 yard in the 3rd quarter, and 72 of that total came on one play because of a busted coverage. Emmanuel Ogbah once again showed us that he is a scary, scary man.
I still don’t know what to think of this team. Offensively, they go from looking unstoppable to looking below average many times a game. The defense plays better the later in the game it is. But, will that hold up against the likes of TCU, Baylor, and Texas Tech, who will put serious pressure on them? I know that run game has to get better.
But really what I think of this team doesn’t matter. All that matters are the facts. The facts are this team doesn’t quit. They play hard from start to finish. They are 5-0, which a lot of other teams wish they were. They are ranked in the top 20 and it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter that it looked ugly getting there because an ugly win is still a win, and in the end winning is what gets them where they want to go.
**If you want a chance to win FREE Big 12 gear from your favorite team, be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter! **
