The Rich Rodriguez era with the 1-0 Arizona Wildcats began a thrilling overtime win over 0-1 Toledo. 'Zona draws the No. 19 Oklahoma State Cowboys next.
1-0 Okla. St. had an easier time routing 0-1 Savannah State 84-0. The 'Boys scored five touchdowns during the first quarter alone on five runs, two junior running back Joseph Randle's and three junior RB Jeremy Smith's. Sophomore RB Desmond Roland added to Oklahoma State's rushing statistics with a five-yard and 24-yard TD during the second period.
The Cowboys encompassed 682 yards, a nickel short of 400 yards on the ground. Thankfully for the Tigers Okla. St. just had two running TDs during the second half on Roland's 42-yard pick up and freshman RB Corey Bennett's 10-yard scamper. Freshman quarterback J.W. Walsh tossed two third-quarter TDs to wide receivers junior John Goodlett and freshman Austin Hays while junior QB Clint Chelf found freshman WR Brandon Sheperd in the end zone to begin the fourth period.
Elsewhere last weekend the 'Cats outlasted the Rockets 24-17 in OT. Arizona's senior placekicker John Bonano made a 26-yard field goal for the first points at Arizona Stadium on Saturday. Following a Toledo strike senior QB Matt Scott capped a quick drive with a 30-yard bomb to sophomore WR Austin Hill to put the Wildcats back ahead. Sophomore RB Ka'Deem Carey's 73-yard run at the beginning of the second half got 'Zona back in front, but Bonano missed two FGS including a chippy to win the game in the waning seconds of regulation.
The 'Cats won the game on a gutsy 10-yard pass that was more like 20 yards from Scott who was falling out of bounds to senior tight end Terrence Miller. The Arizona defense played phenomenally limiting a potent Rockets attack to 358 yards. The Wildcats manufactured 624 yards.
Last season 'Zona was pulverized 37-14 in Stillwater by the 'Boys. Oklahoma State led 21-0 at halftime, but didn't put away the pesty 'Cats until the start of the fourth quarter with a six-yard run. Many stars from both squads are gone, but Arizona seems to be better off and the Cowboys might just be better than what experts projected.
The Wildcats are riding a three-game winning streak having won at 1-0 Arizona State and against 1-0 Louisiana-Lafayette last season. 'Zona's 3-3 home record in 2011 is a bit misleading since two teams to make BCS Bowls accounted for two of their three losses in Tucson.
Okla. St. is also riding a three-game win streak, but began last year 10-0 and right in the BCS National Championship discussion booting No. 19 Stanford, then No. 4 nationally, 41-38 to win the Fiesta Bowl. The 'Boys were 5-1 on the road demolishing half of their away opponents by 21 plus points.
The 'Cats' gameplan last seaosn was to outscore the opposition. If Arizona goes in playing into Oklahoma State's hands of slinging the football around in a backyard two-hand touch game the Wildcats will lose and likely by a plethora of points. I doubt the Cowboys score more than 84 and will take the underdog with a considerable number of points here.
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