It's Bedlam week and Oklahoma State receiver Tay Martin expects to 'whoop' Sooners
Jacob UnruhOklahoman
LUBBOCK, Texas — Oklahoma State receiver Tay Martin understands the importance of making the Big 12 title game.
It’s a first for the Cowboys after they clinched a spot with a dominating 23-0 win over Texas Tech late Saturday night in which Martin had seven receptions for 130 yards.
Still, the Cowboys’ super senior isn’t looking too far ahead just yet.
Next up is Bedlam. Beat rival OU on Saturday night and OSU is the No. 1 seed in Jerry World and still on track for a possible College Football Playoff berth. Perhaps a Cowboys win even knocks the Sooners out of the title game.
Martin, a transfer from Washington State before last season, definitely gets the magnitude of the game. But he’s not approaching it any differently.
“I would expect to whoop their ass, honestly,” Martin said. “I don’t go into a game thinking otherwise. So, as long as we just do what we have to do, you know, take care of the little things, not try to do too much, do what we did to get here, honestly, we’ll be fine.”
The Cowboys have not beat OU since 2014, a 38-35 overtime win in Norman.
That’s why OSU plans to remain focused this week while knowing they have a Dec. 4 date in Arlington, Texas, with either a Bedlam rematch or Baylor.
Most players had yet to even worry about OU until after Saturday’s win in Lubbock. They did not watch OU’s win over Iowa State on Saturday.
It’s one game at a time, a method that’s worked all season.
“I watched, like, the first drive when the guy knocked the fumble out and he was out of bounds,” defensive end Tyler Lacy said. “I saw that, but after that I took a nap. I had to worry about this game.”
Tech fans get rowdy
It started with the tossing of the tortillas at kickoff.But it became more dangerous than just fried flour. Texas Tech fans threw cans and bottles onto the field during the second half, even earning an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Red Raiders.
“The refs are in a bad situation, because they don’t really want to penalize the players for people in the stands,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “But ultimately if things keep flying on the field it becomes disruptive to the game.
“You know, they got helmets on, so in most cases they’ll be OK. I guess a coach can be vulnerable. But they had to penalize them.”
Officials cleared out two sections of students in last week’s upset of Iowa State as well.
On Saturday, a delay happened early in the third quarter after a can was thrown onto the field. Officials called over game management to handle the situation, a message warning fans was put on the videoboard and eventually the public-address announcer notified fans that the next object would result in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
That came early in the fourth quarter, resulting in a penalty half the distance to the goal for Tech’s offense.
Gundy said officials explained they had no choice.
But even he thought there was a moment that went too far.
“I said, ‘Well, I think that one bottle was whiskey, that’s definitely worth a 15-yarder’” Gundy said with a smile. “Anyway, they’re trying to do the right thing. They’re in a tough situation.”
Richardson has big day
At one point, Gundy counted five freshmen on the field for the Cowboys’ offense.That included receiver John Paul Richardson.
Richardson, a former star at Ridge Point High in Missouri, Texas, has rapidly improved this season. But Saturday while filling in for injured Brennan Presley was Richardson’s best game yet.
He caught a career-high six passes for 41 yards and a touchdown. He was targeted by quarterback Spencer Sanders 10 times.
“It was great, man,” Martin said. “He’s been doing some good things at practice. I’m used to seeing him make big plays. It wasn’t a surprise to me that he was going to go out there and do a good job filling in the role for BP. He did what he had to do.
“I’m excited for him and I’m excited to see what type of player he’s going to be in the upcoming years.”
Richardson’s lone tough outcome was on a trick play. He caught a backward pass and looked to throw a touchdown to a wide-open Jaden Bray. But Bray tumbled before the ball arrived as his shoe came off. He was unable to catch the pass.
“We missed it,” OSU offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn said. “He’s out there pissed off right now.”
Injuries hinder offense
The Cowboys were short-handed on offense.Presley was limited to only punt returns, which he did not actually return one of the nine that came his way. He only fair caught each one.
Center Danny Godlevske did not play after suffering an injury last week against TCU. Left guard Josh Sills did not start, but entered when Tyrese Williams suffered an injury. Sills later left the game himself.
Braden Cassity, Logan Carter and Jaylen Warren also did not practice last week, though Carter and Warren played.
“Our practices on offense this week were very average because we didn’t have anybody out there,” Gundy said. “Coach Dunn and his staff had to work hard to manage to put some things together to, one, run some clock and, two, find a way to score enough points.
“We felt pretty good at halftime if we could get it to a three-score game that just seeing what was happening it would be tough for them to catch us.”
OSU was 5 for 6 in the red zone, with Tanner Brown kicking three field goals. The lone time OSU did not score in the red zone was the game’s final possession. The Cowboys kneeled to end the game.
Warren did rush for 37 yards on 12 carries, but he was not 100%. Gundy said he was OK, but not “full speed.”
Nic Nic vs. Rabbit
OSU running back Dominic Richardson and Texas Tech safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson had quite a rivalry in high school.Both were star running backs, with Taylor-Demerson at Carl Albert and Richardson at McGuinness. They played in district games three straight years. They faced off in Class 5A state title games twice. They were both selected to The Oklahoman’s All-State team.
This time, they were on opposite sides of the ball. Richardson in OSU’s backfield and Taylor-Demerson in Tech’s secondary.
“I was very excited to be out there and play against him again,” Richardson said. “A lot of memories from high school for sure.”
Richardson, nicknamed "Nic Nic" in high school, rushed for 84 yards on 20 carries. Taylor-Demerson, nicknamed "Rabbit," did assist on one tackle of Richardson, a 2-yard run on the game’s final drive.
Taylor-Demerson, who was also teammates with OSU’s Jason Taylor II, finished with seven total tackles — five solo — and two pass breakups.
