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High-flying Oklahoma State opens Big 12 play

Oct 4, 2008 - 10:34 AM Texas A&M (2-2) at (22) Oklahoma State (4-0), 7:00 pm EDT

STILLWATER, Oklahoma (Ticker) -- In a league that features some of the nation's most potent offenses, Oklahoma State may be the forgotten team in the Big 12 Conference.

Off to their first 4-0 start since 2005, the 22nd-ranked Cowboys host Texas A&M on Saturday in the Big 12 opener for both teams.

Oklahoma State does not have a quarterback putting up huge numbers, a la Oklahoma's Sam Bradford or Missouri's Chase Daniel. But the Cowboys lead the Football Bowl Subdivision in rushing at 340.3 yards per game.

Oklahoma State boasts the top two runners in the Big 12 in Kendall Hunter (154.5 ypg) and Keith Toston (92.0 ypg). Hunter, who is third in the FBS, has rushed for six touchdowns.

Oklahoma State (4-0, 0-0 Big 12 South) completed the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 55-24 win over Troy last week as Zac Robinson and Dez Bryant hooked up for three touchdown passes. Bryant is fifth nationally in receiving yards, averaging 111.0 yards per game.

The Cowboys have scored 50 or more points in three games for only the second time in school history. They previously accomplished the feat in 1988, when Barry Sanders paced Oklahoma State's offense.

A win would give Oklahoma State its first 5-0 start under coach Mike Gundy, who is in his fourth season in Stillwater. The Cowboys won their first five games in 2004, but struggled to a 7-5 finish.

Oklahoma State is one of three Big 12 teams - Missouri and Oklahoma are the others - ranked in the top five in scoring in the FBS. The Cowboys are third at 51.8 points per game.

They will be a handful for Texas A&M (2-2, 0-0 Big 12 South), which struggled to get past Army, 21-17, last week. The Aggies opened with a disappointing 18-14 defeat to Arkansas State and suffered a lopsided 41-23 home defeat to Miami.

However, the Aggies lost to the Hurricanes without starting quarterback Stephen McGee, who was sidelined with a sprained shoulder. McGee aggravated the injury last week, leaving in the second quarter, and his status for Saturday is uncertain.

Last season, Texas A&M rallied from a 17-point deficit to edge Oklahoma State, 24-23. The Aggies shut down Robinson, holding him to 158 yards passing.