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SEATTLE (AP) -
Kendall Hunter
ran a career-best two touchdowns,
Zac Robinson
passed for or 182 yards and ran for another score and Oklahoma State made Washington State's new offense look inept in the
Cowboys' 39-13 rout of the Cougars on Saturday.
New coach Paul Wulff, the first graduate to lead the Cougars since Phil Sarboe left after the 1949 season, also became the
first coach to lose his debut game at Washington State since Jackie Sherrill in 1976. By the end of another three-and-out
series late in the fourth quarter, the 41-year-old former Cougars lineman was angrily slapping his hand in silence of Washington
State's annual ''home'' game across the state.
The Cowboys, seventh last season nationally in total offense at 486 yards per game, gained just 367 yards with coach Mike
Gundy primarily calling the plays for the first time in his four seasons as head coach. Twelve of their first 25 points came
thanks to a 42-yard punt return by
Dez Bryant
, a safety and a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by
Perrish Cox
.
Their no-huddle, spread offense didn't find a groove until the fourth quarter. Robinson, who set an Oklahoma State record
with 3,671 yards in total offense last season, and
Dez Bryant
connected on four passes for 65 yards to set up a 1-yard touchdown sneak by Robinson. That put Oklahoma State up 32-13 with
9:45 left. Hunter ran in untouched from 10 yards two minutes later.
The Cougars are still waiting to get going.
Wulff's own no-huddle, spread offense showed it still has huge kinks from its summer implementation. It gained 51 yards on
its first 28 plays into the third quarter against an Oklahoma State defense that allowed 443 total yards per game last season
- 101st out of 119 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
The Cougars trailed 18-0 before they finally crossed into the Cowboys' side of midfield, midway through the third quarter.
That drive ended with star receiver
Brandon Gibson
, who had three drops but finished with six catches for 53 yards, making a twisting catch in the end zone of 9-yard pass from
Gary Rogers
.
Then Washington State's problems in its kicking game turned decisive.
Wade Penner
shanked the extra point to keep the Cougars down 18-6 with six minutes left in the third quarter.
Then Cox zigzagged without a WSU player getting near him for his third career touchdown on a kickoff return to send the Cowboys
cruising, up 25-6.
Rogers, a fifth-year senior making his first career start with record-setting
Alex Brink
graduated, was 12 of 24 for 82 yards passing with a touchdown, one interception and two sacks while continually skipping passes
low and behind receivers. He had Gibson open running toward the goal line at the Oklahoma State 20 in the first quarter but
threw behind him. That allowed
Jacob Lacey
to break up the pass. Gibson then dropped a throw while open near midfield on WSU's final drive of an inept first half and
another in the end zone in the second half.
The Cougars' day in reverse reached its nadir midway through the second quarter when four consecutive plays over two drives
went for a total of minus-12 yards.
The Cowboys made it 15-0 at the end of the half on the second of three field goals by
Dan Bailey
, from 21 yards.
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