The Oklahoma State Cowboys had too many weapons on the ground, through the air and in their return game for the Missouri State Bears and rolled past the Bears 52-10 Saturday in Stillwater, Okla., in the 2006 football season opener for both teams.
The Cowboys got a 96-yard return from freshman Perrish Cox on the opening kickoff of the game, punched in another touchdown before the game was three minutes old, and added 24 points in the second period for a 38-0 halftime lead. The Bears came back with a field goal and a touchdown in the last half in their first game under the leadership of new head coach Terry Allen.
Oklahoma State gained 230 yards on the ground, 213 through the air and 277 on punt and kickoff returns and the Cowboys’ speed kept the Bears’ off balance through the evening. OSU QB Bobby Reid hit eight passes for 165 yards, including touchdown throws of 19 yards to WR Adarius Bowman, 33 yards to RB Keith Toston, three yards to FB John Johnson and 72 yards to WR D’Juan Woods. TB Mike Hamilton ran for 155 yards for Oklahoma State.
The Bears were playing without the top two tailbacks they had available at the start of preseason camp with Michael Cooper out with an injury and P.J. Ikner ruled ineligibile the night before Saturday’s opener. Junior letterman Gerald Davis moved into the starting spot and gained 45 yards on on 14 carries while catching three passes for 15 yards.
The Bears utilized two quarterbacks in the contest, both 2005 high school graduates, as redshirt freshman Matt Krapfl started and was 11 of 19 through the air for 126 yards while sophomore juco transfer Garrett Congdon came in to hit 8 of 12 passes for 140 yards. The 19 completions for a total of 266 yards were spread among nine pass receivers with junior WR Jeremy Nicholson grabbing four for 94 yards, sophomore transfer WR Eric Davis catching four for 60 yards and senior TE Payne Hall joining Gerald Davis with three grabs each.
Freshman TB Jonathan Davis came in late in the game and carried eight times for 17 yards and scored the lone Missouri State touchdown on a one-yard run with seven minutes to play.
Junior K/P Nathan Stokes took over the Bears’ placekicking and punting duties after two seasons as a backup to all-America Jon Scifres and Stokes averaged 45.8 yards on seven punts and added his only PAT and field goal tries of the night. Of the 51 Bears who saw action in the game, 13 were making their playing debut in Missouri State uniforms.
The Bears return to action Saturday, Sept. 9, when they host Southwest Baptist at Plaster Field at 6 p.m. in the Missouri State home opener.
