‘I didn’t drop out, but I’m still a stripper’ OSU, college grads find work at Cowboy Cabaret
BELLA CASEY STAFF REPORTER @BELLACASEYYY
Students joke about it, but Ginger did it.
Some use the phrase “I’ll just become a stripper” to say they are tired of studying, doing homework or taking tough classes. Some associate dancing with making money easily or think of it as a way to make money without having a college degree.
“You definitely hear that in college, but I mean, then you have me,” Ginger said. “I have a degree. I didn’t drop out, but I’m still a stripper.”
Ginger, whose name is being withheld by The O’Colly for safety reasons, graduated from OSU in 2019 with a food science degree. She used it to get two jobs after college: one in southern Oklahoma, a location she disliked, and another that was temporary. She didn’t enjoy either of them.
But she enjoyed taking pole dancing classes. She started taking them years before she started dancing at the Cowboy Cabaret, a Stillwater adult entertainment venue, but it was only for fun.
“I came in here as a customer and was talking to some of the girls,” Ginger said. “And I’m a very social person, and I am energized and fueled by human contact and talking to people. And I like to be out. And so between loving dancing and loving socializing, it just
seemed like a perfect opportunity to give it (dancing) a try.”
It’s how she’s made a living the past seven months.
The red, blue and green flashing lights inside the Cowboy Cabaret shed light on the stereotypes that surround dancing.
Ginger’s story isn’t unique. The Cowboy Cabaret, a lonely white brick building located about 10 minutes from the heart of Stillwater, employs multiple other college graduates, a certified nursing assistant and women with “day jobs.”
“The whole idea of, ‘I’m just going to drop out of school,’ it’s funny,” said James Sanders, owner of the Cowboy Cabaret. “One of our girls has two grad degrees, an undergrad degree and is in the process of getting her doctorate. We have another one that’s got her master’s. There’s really no sense in dropping out unless you just want to.”
Harley has worked at the Cowboy Cabaret, formerly the Blue Diamond, for nine years. The married mother of two spent hours sitting at the bar doing homework or studying, earning her an undergraduate and master’s degrees in criminal justice from Colorado Technical University, and she’s preparing to apply for law school. She dreams of attending the University of Arkansas School of Law.
Dancing allowed her to study and do classwork during the day as well as take care of her children.
Harley’s end goal is to work with children, and she left dancing in 2022 to work for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. She returned to the Cowboy Cabaret in November 2023, but she said she isn’t back at square one. She’s home.
“We’re all like a dysfunctional family in here,” Harley said.
Dancers, staff and the owners of the Cowboy Cabaret arrive at the venue before it opens at 7 p.m., but customers usually don’t arrive for a few hours. This gives the women the freedom to spend their down time sitting at the bar or booths, while others laugh and talk behind the blue satin curtain that covers the entrance to the dressing room.
Center of Global Learning at OSU hosts annual Study Abroad Day
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
The Center of Global Learning at OSU held its annual Study Abroad Day on Sept. 19.
Despite the heat, multiple colleges, professors and students came together to share their experiences abroad and showcase all the opportunities available to students.
“It’s our biggest event of the year for students to come find out about the opportunities that may be for them here at OSU,” Interim Director for the Center of Global Learning Sam Ball said.
OSU has more than 75 different study abroad programs available to students. Ball said there is a program for everybody, no matter their major, year or travel experience.
“There are programs for everybody,” Ball said. “The students that may never have been abroad that are wanting to have a little bit more structure, our short-term programs are great. For more independent students wanting to have a little bit more long-term exposure, we have semester or year-long programs.”
Many students believe their financial situation determines their ability to study abroad, but The Center of Global Learning provides multiple scholarship opportunities and financial help to students.
“OSU is usually ranked No. 1 in the Big 12 in terms of study abroad scholarships; sometimes it’s around $900,000 a year annually given away,” Ball said. “We’ve got a lot of programs that are affordable, and we have a lot of opportunities on campus for students to get scholarships.”
For other students, a potential roadblock is a lack of travel experience. Manager of Outreach Programs and Operations for the College of Arts and Sciences Shane O’Mealy said he encourages students to get out of their comfort zone.
“We get a lot of students that have never traveled; some of them have never left the state or been on airplanes,” O’Mealy said. “It really is about getting an experience with a different culture and a different point of view.”
Anyone can study abroad, Ball said. He also pointed out the different programs for freshmen.
See GLOBAL on page 5A
Sanders and his partner prepare the venue for customers by stocking the bar for the night or picking up fast food for some of the dancers, who are in the building by the time it opens to customers. The Cowboy Cabaret has 10 “house girls,” who are scheduled to work at least four days a week but can work up to seven.
Dancers pay a fee based on what they do, such as private dances, table dances or VIPs. They keep all the money they make on stage. Security staff are paid based on how many dancers are in the building. Dancers must buy their own outfits, but the Cowboy Cabaret offers classes to help them learn to dance.
See STRIPPER on page 4A
UHS to host free flu vaccination clinic
cinations have been shown to have many benefits including reducing the risk of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and even the risk of flu-related death.”
Autumn in Oklahoma is starting strong with a temperature drop and some scattered showers. As temperatures plunge, flu season gears up.
The flu, or influenza, is a respiratory virus that affects millions yearly, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
OSU UHS is hosting a flu vaccine clinic from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Student Union Ballroom. Students attending can find more information on the UHS website, including a printable consent form, which will be available at the event.
The flu is highly contagious, and cases can range from mild to severe, sometimes leading to death. The CDC advises combatting the flu with the flu vaccine.
“An annual-season flu vaccine is the best way to help reduce the risk of getting the flu and any of the potentially serious complications,” Associate Director of Clinical Operations for University Health Services Alyssa Turner said. “Vac-
OSU UHS hosts an annual flu vaccination clinic to help students gain better access to the vaccine.
The clinic allows convenient access to the vaccine and is free for students. Benefit-eligible faculty and staff can also receive the vaccine.
Turner said the clinic is open to all students, regardless of their medical status or circumstances.
“It helps our students and the community,” Turner said. “It’s free, it’s easy, and it gives every student the opportunity to receive the vaccine, even if they don’t have health insurance.”
The clinic is a preventative measure and helps educate students on prioritizing their health during flu season.
“Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctor’s visits and missed work and school due to the flu and prevented flu-related hospitalizations and deaths,” Turner said. “University Health Services wants to ensure the well-being of the university community and preventative education in support of students’ academic success.”
See UHS on page 6A
File Photo
Murray Gauld (right) said he encourages students to take a chance and study abroad.
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Bella Casey
Harley, who has worked at the Cowboy Cabaret for nine years, said she has used the money she makes as a stripper to put herself through school, with dreams of attending law school.
Stillwater considering new tennis, pickleball courts amid park maintenance struggles
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Henri Uehara remembers when Stillwater had tennis courts scattered across the city.
The now Stillwater Tennis Association president played on Stillwater High School’s tennis team before he left the state for college and then work. When he returned to the city in 2012, he found the courts were not in the same state as they were in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
Today, the city has only a few courts, with many of them in disrepair.
“Even back then, 10 years ago, Sunset Park, the one by Sprouts (Farmers Market), was not in great condition, but it was better,” Uehara said. “It had cracks and was deteriorating, but it wasn’t near as bad as it is now because it’s been neglected. Actually, all the facilities have been neglected.”
There have been ongoing discussions and action from the city to maintain and improve its public parks system for several years. At Monday’s City Council meeting, Director of Community Resources Barbara Bliss said the city is conducting surveys of parks to determine specialized needs, and she proposed some upgrades to two parks.
One of the proposals is to sell Sunset Park, which could enable the city to install new tennis and pickleball courts at Couch Park. The city renovated Couch Park in 2017.
The money from Sunset Park could allow the city to build a bathroom facility and install lights at Couch Park, Bliss said. It would also be a better facility for schools to use and more convenient for maintenance.
“Believe me, I don’t want to be known as the director who just sold off park land,” Bliss said. “I want to make everything better for the public, and this way we could take care of them better, and they would be extremely nice.”
The city’s parks have faced many challenges over the years. The department was dissolved under former City Manager Dan Galloway, and its duties were spread out across the city’s departments. Under the City Manager’s office, Bliss said some progress has been made. But it has not eliminated the challenges.
The parks system is overburdened with the amount of land it has, which is about 95% more park land than cities similar to Stillwater’s population size, Bliss said.
“We don’t have a lot of valuable park land — we have a lot of park land,” Bliss said.
Bliss said funding and manpower are the park’s system’s two main issues. The city is currently only able to maintain parks, and in some cases, is not able to effectively do so.
The courts at Sunset Park are cracked because of drainage issues, and Bliss said it would cost about $500,000 to fix them. The park also doesn’t have space for parking to be added or for a bathroom facility. Lights cannot be installed because they would bother neighbors, Bliss said.
These factors, Bliss said, make Couch Park a better option.
Losing the central location that Sunset Park holds is “not as attractive” for Stillwater’s tennis players, Uehara said.
However, the park’s location is what makes it so valuable to sell. The park, along South Washington Street and West Eighth Avenue, is across the street from The Strip. For prospective buyers, this could make it an ideal purchase.
Councilor Kevin Clark, who sits on a subcommittee for the parks system, said the City Council will have to take action to sell park land. Sunset Park is not bound by covenants, a water resource board, federal money or state money. That would make it easier for the city to sell the land, if that is what the council decides to do, Clark said.
“I don’t really see a downside to doing that, or a big enough downside to not do it,” Clark said. “Yeah, it’s going to get rid of the neighborhood park. It’s going to get rid of tennis courts on the west side of town. Stillwater isn’t that big. It’s not that hard to get from the east side and the west side for the vast majority of us.”
Bryce Baker, vice president of OSU’s tennis club, said an expansion of the court system could alleviate tensions between the tennis and pickleball players who currently share tennis courts.
It would also help bolster the park system, he said.
“I think that would definitely bring a lot of attention, making it a good little tennis/ pickleball complex,” Baker said. “I feel like that would just bring the attention towards that park, and you can eventually do a lot more with the park to keep people out there.”
Uehara said he would like to see a community discussion about the best site for new courts, but the association also understands the demand for pickleball courts. The STA has had discussions with the city, and the group approves of selling Sunset Park if it means the money would go directly toward building new courts.
The ideal situation would be six to eight tennis courts, Uehara said, along with four pickleball courts. Having lighting, bathrooms and placing the courts in a central location would also be beneficial, he said.
“My go-to coffee order is probably a pumpkin spiced latte when it gets cold, just because it’s pumpkin flavored, and it just makes me really happy now that it’s cold and fall.”
- Abbey Collison
- Oakley Southard KENNEDY
“It’s hard to find a city of our size that doesn’t have a minimum of eight tennis courts in town that people can use,” Uehara said. “I’m just amazed that a college town like ours can’t justify eight decent tennis courts in one location.”
“An iced vanilla latte year-round. it’s just easy, and it always tastes good and everywhere has it.”
- Cole Anderson
“Chocolate mocha from Dutch Bros; it’s really good blended.”
Kaytlyn Hayes
Sunset Park has fallen into disrepair over the years, and it may be sold to finance new courts at Couch Park.
City Council approves budget for future water projects
The Stillwater City Council approved a budget of about $4.3 million with a 10% contingency for multiple upcoming water and sewer capital projects.
In Monday’s City Council meeting, engineering manager David Barth presented three task orders, with two presented for budget approval. The task orders pertained to future utility projects for fiscal year 2025.
Task order one included linear and pipeline projects, and task order two included water and wastewater facilities. Both task orders will be financed through the Water and Sewer fund for the approved amount.
The city is partnering with Black & Veatch, an engineering company based in Kansas City, Missouri, to address issues such as faulty water lines, outdated lift stations and water storage rehabilitation.
“A lot of work went into this over the late spring, early summer,” Barth said. “We sent consultants, requests for letters of interest… we then shortlisted, interviewed, and we ended up selecting Black & Veatch, who we’re excited to partner with again on this very important project for the City of Stillwater.”
The Sangre Road Waterline Replacement is the first project the city and Black & Veatch plan to address. The waterline located near Sangre Road is 1,300 feet long, and Barth said the plan
is not to replace it. With the north and south ends having issues, only those areas would need to be replaced.
“We’ve had several leaks along that stretch, and so we need to replace that water line,” Barth said.
The second project is the waterline replacement project for Hargis Road and Wright Drive. There have been several leaks north of Airport Road, Barth said. With new infrastructure being built around the airport, it is a priority to provide a reliable water source to those flying in and out of the airport.
The contractor for the current airport terminal project will build a portion of the waterline in front of the new terminal, and the project will connect on either end and extend into Washington Street. The alignment for the new waterline will be finalized as the terminal project progresses, Barth said.
Another area of concern for water outages is east of Burris Road and north of Perkins Road. The project, the Northeast Zone Transmission Waterline Replacement plan, will involve replacing corroded pipe with more durable pipe material. With this project in particular, the engineering company and the city will have to work with the Turnpike Authority as the line runs to the entrance to the Cimarron Turnpike.
Water storage rehabilitation for the drinking-water tanks placed around Stillwater is another important part of the fiscal year 2025 plan. An evaluation from 2016 showed the tanks need new coatings, safety and access equipment and other forms of maintenance.
One of these tanks will be converted into a storage tank for the northeast
United Way of Payne County hosts 29th annual ‘Day of Caring’ in Stillwater
zone; this project is called the Northeast Pressure Zone Storage Project.
“Currently, it’s (the Manning Tank) on the central zone, and then we will add a pump station and some piping, and we’ll be able to feed the northeast zone with central zone water,” Barth said. “It’s going to improve water quality, but also provide redundancy to that Northeast Pressure Zone.”
The last couple of projects are related to the Quail Ridge and Woodland Trails lift stations. Both need maintenance and improvement to match new developments in wastewater management.
Mayor Will Joyce said he is thankful for the work done to monitor water sources in all areas of Stillwater.
“You know, we talk about the transmission line, we talk about all the other big projects coming from Kaw Lake, but there’s so many little pieces around
town, and we’re very appreciative that you guys keep up with all the different things that we have,” Joyce said.
The council approved the budget to fund each of these projects in task order one and two. The third task order briefly mentioned the work currently being done on a five-year plan for utility improvement, which will be presented to the council soon, Barth said.
Vice Mayor Amy Dzialowski said she appreciates all the staff has done to make the projects happen.
“It is so very helpful to see all of the important infrastructure that goes into our water system, and for our community to be able to see that, especially when we have so much need there… even if I don’t know exactly what I’m looking at when I look at it, it’s great to hear you say this is progress and that things are happening,” Dzialowski said.
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SGA approves First-Year Representative Council expansion
AVA WHISTLER STAFF REPORTER KENNEDY THOMASON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
On Sept. 19, 730 volunteers across Payne County came together to support their community and complete more than 120 service projects in the area.
The United Way of Payne County and its volunteers completed a variety of projects in one day, including yard work, painting, planting flowers and more. The projects were directed toward nonprofit agencies, along with several local elderly individuals.
United Way of Payne County is a nonprofit organization in Stillwater, and its main objective is to raise money for its 22 nonprofit partner agencies.
Once a year, the organization hosts the “Day of Caring” in the community, collecting volunteers of all ages to help complete service projects. This year was its 29th annual event.
The day began with a breakfast on OSU campus at Wes Watkins Center, where hundreds of the volunteers gathered. Local businesses, including Iron Monk, hosted the volunteers throughout the day for an OBI blood drive, lunch with retired Police Chief Leon Jones and an afterparty at Stonecloud Brewing Co.
“They’re (volunteers) serving our county,” United Way board member Angela Vivar said. “By going to dif-
ferent agencies, even elderly peoples’ homes – those who don’t have the budget (for these services), we go provide these services to help fix up some projects and help where we can.”
In almost 30 years, the “Day of Caring” has brought in more and more volunteers with new members joining every year. Kristen Ingham is a firstyear United Way volunteer and said she enjoyed serving the community.
“We did some yard work and trimming for an elderly woman,” Ingham said. “She was really sweet and spunky. It was so rewarding, and she was super appreciative.”
United Way Board Member Regina Henry said the nonprofit service projects are helpful to the community.
“Things like painting the youth shelter,” she said. “Sometimes there’s a lot of wear and tear there. It’s nice to walk into a residence and be proud that it’s your home.”
But to freshen it up takes time, money and physical labor.
Although the hundreds of volunteers donated their time and labor, United Way sponsors helped financially. Some of these sponsors include OSU, Stillwater Medical Center, Iron Monk, local banks, agencies and small businesses in Stillwater.
The United Way of Payne County organization offers many other volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Donations can be made on its website.
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The First Year Representative Council is expanding.
The first-year branch of the Student Government Association allows freshmen to learn about student government and complete service projects, among other things. SGA approved a bill that increases the allowed council size as a response to the third consecutive year of record enrollment.
The council will now allow for 60 members instead of 50.
SGA Adviser Melisa Echols said the numbers were adjusted according to the alternate bubble, which is usually five.
Echols said the curriculum has been adjusted as well.
“(We) put it more in line with what administrators are putting out that align more adequately with the Ideal Graduate and those learning outcomes, and then changed some of the inside programming on each particular day that they meet to ensure that those learning outcomes are being met,” Echols.
The numbers also reflect OSU’s record first-year enrollment of 5,300 students. In response, Junior Greek
Leadership and President’s Leadership Council, groups that have similar objectives to the council, have increased their member numbers over the past few years.
The council, however, has not.
SGA Senate Speaker Cannon Mitchell, who interviewed candidates for the council, said the increase in available spots still keeps a competitive candidate pool. This year, he said the candidates were among the highest graded in the application process.
“So it’s just making room for those people who, in any other year would have been in no problem — in a much more competitive year, allowing them to still partake in the program,” Mitchell said.
Council members had their first meeting Wednesday, and they will meet through April 2025.
SGA Senate Internal Affairs Chair Zoey Russell, who presented the bill to the Senate on Wednesday, said Mitchell and Echols approached her with the bill idea. After some research and looking into the bylaws, Russell said it was easy to sign off on.
“I thought it would be a great way to get more freshmen involved,” Russell said.
The bill will take effect immediately, and no more candidates will be accepted into the program, Echols said.
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Raynee Howell
David Barth, City of Stillwater engineering manager, presents the fiscal year 2025 Water and Sewer Capital Projects for budget approval during Monday’s City Council meeting.
Stripper
Sanders said he has seen dancers make $170,000 per year, and Harley said she has made $30,000 in three months.
“This job has put me through a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree; this job has taken me from rock bottom to having my own car, my own house, being married,” Harley said. “I’ve done nothing but constantly grow. And that’s the thing about dancing. You will get a lot of bad talk about strippers. ‘Oh, they’re drug addicts, they’re alcoholics, they’re this, they’re that.’ It depends on who the person (is) and how strong you are.”
Harley began working at the Cowboy Cabaret after she was laid off from her job at Ditch Witch in Perry in 2015. She had been taking a pole dancing fitness class for one week before she lost her job. She had children to take care of, so she couldn’t be jobless for long. She messaged the Blue Diamond, desperate for a source of income. The dancers took her in, showing her the ropes and helping her get started. Now, Harley teaches pole dancing classes at the Cowboy Cabaret and helps teach them to “work smarter, not harder.”
She said dancing is easy as long as you know how to talk to people. She has regulars who visit the Cowboy Cabaret just to take a seat at the bar and talk with the dancers and bartenders. Some regulars want to sit down with a dancer to talk about their day, their job or their home life.
“We’ve got one guy, he comes in and all he does is play pool, but he says, ‘Hi,’ we catch up,” Harley said. “All the things. And he’s the sweetest person you’ll ever meet in (your) life.”
Of course, the club occasionally attracts rude, disrespectful customers, but Harley said she feels 100% safe working there. She said her relationship with her coworkers is no different than the ones found in a sorority house.
Harley spends most of her down time at the club with her best friend Barbie, a registered CNA who has worked as a stripper for 11 years.
Dancing helped her graduate from school, but she quickly realized she did not want to be a nurse after she saw someone die for the first time.
Plus, dancing was addicting. The pay, the hours and the coworkers were unmatched by any other job.
Fallon, another dancer at the Cowboy Cabaret, agreed. She’s addicted to dancing itself. The first time she tried dancing, it was hard. She could barely pull herself onto
Stillwater residents respond to increase in Rural Fire Service costs
Longtime Stillwater resident Mary Brown remembers sitting in on City Council meetings discussing the first version of the Rural Fire Service in the ‘80s.
Brown said she remembers it being a subscription service that would guarantee the Stillwater Fire Department would respond to residents living on rural property. Brown advocated for the program to her neighbors then and still signs the contract for the program each year.
“I just remember going to meetings when they were proposing it and then encouraging everyone I knew that lived around me in the country to subscribe,” Brown said. “The alternative was they were not going to send equipment out in the country to put out fires.”
The program’s purpose has always been to provide additional funding to allow the fire department to respond to rural areas. Initially the yearly fee was $50-$75, Brown said, but since 2008, the contract fee has remained steady at $100.
Brown moved to Perry until 2007. But when she moved back, she began paying $100 for the Rural Fire Service each year. Now, the rate she has paid for 16 years will be increasing in 2025.
SPD recently hired NewGen Strategies & Solutions to conduct an independent review of the fees and hourly rates. The results of its study were presented to the council in February. SPD Chief Terry Essary said the program covers approximately 40% of current personnel costs and 56% of apparatus costs.
The City Council approved an increase to double the contract fee to $200 a year and increase the hourly rates starting Jan. 1, 2025, in Monday’s meeting.
Brown said it is unfortunate that the cost keeps rising, but it’s a fee worth paying, especially as a property owner.
“My understanding is they can come out and squirt out some embers on your property even if you’re not around, and you will have to pay for it whether you want them to put (it) out or not,” Brown said. “So to me, it is worth it, even if it’s $200 a year. If a grass fire starts in the ditch, it would be put out before it runs across my hay meadow and burns my house or shop or camper.
“I look at it like insurance.”
For members of the program like Brown, the cost of emergency response is at minimum $500 and at maximum $2,000. The hourly rate increase will cause average costs to rise, but the minimum and maximum charges will stay the same.
Personnel rates will increase hourly from the previous rates by $32 for line personnel, $37.50 for company officers and $70 for command officers. For equipment rates, the increases vary, but the ladder truck will have the largest increase of $450 higher than it was previously.
Increasing the contract fee and the hourly rates will help balance the cost of fire emergency responses outside of city limits.
“These increases will enable us to recover a reasonable amount of cost for providing fire protection, hazardous materials, instant response and rescue services to customers in our rural fire district,” Essary said. “This approach helps ensure that the financial burden for these services is shared more equitably.”
Essary said the average cost of fire response services is $4,000 for those not in the program.
Michael Denton, a Stillwater resident, has lived right outside of Stillwater city limits for 12 years, but has only paid for the program twice. Denton never had to pay a substantial bill for fire service when he was not in the program. But he said paying a fee for fire service is absurd.
“I think it’s ridiculous there’s an extra fee for homeowners who live outside city limits because we still pay property tax and taxes on goods we purchase when in town,” Denton said. “I live less
than a mile from the nearest fire department, so I think the response time would be fairly quick even though it is a city fire department.”
The reason he is currently paying for the program is to receive a $300 discount on his yearly home insurance. Denton said he will continue to pay the contract fee, even with the increase, to receive a discounted insurance rate.
Despite some mixed feelings toward the cost, more residents sign the contract each year.
“Since 2008 we have sold an average of 940 contracts a year, and this year, we’ve sold over 1,143 contracts, which is a new high, and it’s 18% of the yearly average,” Essary said.
The cost recovery was only 82% in 2008, according to the independent review, but now it is closer than ever to reaching 100% of the base costs. City Attorney Kimberly Carnley identified where the funds collected from the increase will go.
“Another change is also being proposed that fees collected pursuant to this section will be placed in a designated fund and used for support of operations of the Stillwater Fire Department,” Carnley said.
The money raised for the fund will support the fire department’s ability to respond to emergencies, both in city limits and rurally. Brown said she is open to paying more to protect her home and land.
“To me, it is worth it even if it’s $200 a year,” Brown said. “A person can’t afford to not have it if they own their property, and I have 85 acres.”
10 things to do in Stillwater on Saturdays
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
It’s football season in Stillwater, and Saturdays are for the fans.
The town comes to life every game day, bustling with traffic, tailgates and rowdy fans.
Many at Oklahoma State live for game days, tumbling out of bed for 11 a.m. kickoffs, driving across state lines, and taking on 100-degree temperatures for the love of the game.
College game day is the definition of a perfect day in Stillwater for many, but not for everyone.
Attending a football game is a college tradition, but if massive guys tackling each other is not your jam, never fear. You can take back your Saturdays and enjoy the day without going to the game. Here are 10 fun things to add to your weekend plans.
Stillwater Farmers’ Market
The Stillwater Farmers’ Market is a year-round market that provides fresh produce from multiple vendors. Escape the hustle and bustle of game day for fun shopping around the market.
During October, the Prairie Arts Center’s market will be open from 8 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Wednesdays.
OSU Museum of Art
The OSU Museum of Art is an artsy way to spend a Saturday. The museum features multiple rotating exhibits and
art from OSU artists. Visits are free for everyone.
The museum currently features the “Healing Through Conflict” and “How We Rebuild” exhibits.
The museum is closed Sundays and Mondays and open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Stillwater AMC
The Stillwater AMC is our fine city’s only movie theater. If you hope to catch a big weekend release during game time, this is the perfect time to grab the best seats.
Pumpkin patches
It’s fall, and the Stillwater weather is finally starting to act like it. Bundle up and hit the pumpkin patches during game day.
Some pumpkin patches to check out around town are the Stillwater Noon Lions Club Pumpkin Patch at Highland Park United Methodist Church, the Lost Creek Safari Pumpkin Patch and the Botanic Garden at OSU.
The Botanic Garden at OSU
The garden is a beautiful place to spend a Saturday afternoon, with plenty of plants to explore. Starting Monday, the gardens are having a mum and pumpkin sale.
The gardens are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Downtown Stillwater
I could list everything to see on Main Street, but it would take a minute. If you get the chance on a Saturday to walk around Main Street, you might discover
your new favorite hang-out spot or one of the many small businesses in the area.
Volunteer Many students at OSU work toward or are required to work a certain number of community service hours, and a Saturday or two can help students knock out those hours.
Two places always looking for volunteers are the Our Daily Bread food pantry and the Stillwater Humane Society.
Hit the lakes Stillwater has several lakes, including Lake Carl Blackwell, Boomer Lake and Lake McMurtry. Each lake has walking trails and serene spots for a Saturday afternoon picnic. The lakes also offer spaces to fish and boat with the proper licenses.
The theater Located on Perkins, Town and Gown Theater is Stillwater’s local community theater. The theater puts together multiple shows during the year producing a variety of performances.
Town and Gown’s next show, “Jeckyll & Hyde” opens Wednesday and runs until Oct. 13.
Lost Creek Safari The safari is an animal park located in Stillwater that gives visitors the chance to interact with exotic animals.
The experience is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and a ticket costs $11.
The Rural Fire Service contract fee is doubling to $200 effective Jan. 1, 2025.
Campus pickle lovers relish second annual Pickle Fest
MILO CANTRELL STAFF REPORTER
The Student Union Activities Board hosted the third annual Pickle Fest on Sept. 19 on the west side of North Dining.
Students could build their own pickle with toppings such as Takis, Tajín, chamoy and fruit roll-ups. Pickle-based foods such as ice pops, taffy and soda were also available to try. Activities weren’t limited to pickle-based snacks; students could play cornhole, take a picture with Pickleman’s “Big Dill” or SUAB’s pickle mascot or try their hand at the dunk tank, sending SUAB Vice President Zoe Kelley into the water with a splash.
SUAB President Jordan Erne said the event started out as a small test but quickly gained many fans.
“It’s literally just because people love pickles out here,” Erne said. “The first year we did it, it was mostly for fun (and to) see what happens, and it was a hit instantly. If you love pickles, or if you hate pickles, you can still come out and have a good time.”
Two students, Brooke Hall and Ella Parsons, were particularly excited about the event.
“It’s so out of the norm,” Hall said.
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“We have requirements on hours for some of our longer-term programs, but students as early as a freshman can experience another culture and then decide if they want to transition to doing an international internship for a summer abroad or a semester,” Ball said.
OSU’s study abroad programs allow students to explore new cultures, but they also give others the opportunity to explore their own culture from a new angle. Junior Mykah Vannoy attended Study Abroad Day with one country in mind.
“I want to go to Italy, because I’m Italian,” Vannoy said.
Vannoy is interested in studying abroad to gain experience and make the most of her time at OSU.
“I don’t want to ever have regrets, and I feel like college is a really good time to go and see things that you wouldn’t normally see,” Vannoy said.
Allie Putman traveled to Austria with the College of Arts and Sciences during spring break in 2024 and loved the experience. Now a graduate student at OSU, Putman tells anybody who will listen to study abroad.
“I think everyone should go at least once in their life,” Putman said. “You get the opportunity to see the world and experience new cultures and really live life in a way that you’re not used to living it.”
Putman emphasized the experience and the hands-on nature of studying abroad.
“We got real-world experience,”
“You (want to) be here because it’s quirky. I like it, and why wouldn’t you like pickles?”
“If someone likes pickles, they love pickles,” Parsons said.
The Pickle Fest boasted all types of attendees, from diehard pickle enthusiasts to more neutral students. Taylor Longan invited Zach Howey to the event. Both Longan and Howey were first-time attendees.
“I’m a big fan of free food, (though) I didn’t know what to expect,” Howey said. “My friend asked me if I wanted to go with her and I said, ‘Why not?’ I like that you can take pictures with the pickle mascot. I liked (that they had) the pickle soda… (though it) wasn’t great.”
Howey didn’t express any strong feelings about pickles; Longan, on the other hand, is a huge fan of them and enjoyed the snacks.
“I (found out about) it in an email, and I was like, ‘Oh, that seems cool!’ I do love pickles. I got Takis and the chamoy… it was kind of spicy, but it was pretty good… I like the dunk tank (too), it’s pretty fun,” Longan said.
Though Pickle Fest has maintained its popularity since it first began, the crowd dispersed a bit once everyone received and ate their topping-covered pickle. To help with this, some students
Putman said. “For me, it was good work experience, and I got to put it on my resume.”
O’Mealy said studying abroad can be a game changer and showcases the different avenues students can take during their time at OSU and after graduation.
“Studying abroad really opens up your horizons and what you’re potentially going to major in,” O’Mealy said. “It can give you a better view of the globalization of the world and what you could do with your degree.”
OSU offers many study-abroad programs, and the university also hosts students from other countries.
Murray Gauld is from Scotland. He spent Study Abroad Day talking with students and sharing his experience.
“We’re trying to get people to learn more about studying abroad and look at the opportunities we have around the world,” Gauld said.
Gauld studied abroad at OSU in 2022 and decided to come back to OSU for his master’s in international business.
“I had such a great experience that me and a couple of friends came back to get our master’s, and that’s what we’re doing now,” Gauld said.
A lot goes into studying abroad, and it might seem overwhelming, but Bond said studying abroad is imperative to creating a well-rounded student.
“It really does open up their minds and give them different cultural perspectives on things, regardless of their field of study,” Ball said.
“Having an international perspective on why countries approach things the way they do and how we work together in a global context is important.”
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had ideas about more activities to add to next year’s event.
Parsons suggested the dunk tank be turned into a huge pickle jar.
“(Put) pickle juice in the dunk tank, with pickles floating inside,” Parsons said.
“You know how you have apple bob-
bing? (We) could have pickle bobbing,” Hall said.
President Erne also had an idea.
“An actual pickleball (court) set in the middle of the field to play on… pickleball, Pickle Fest, it makes sense” she said.
‘We are no hazing’ Greek community participates in National Hazing Prevention Week
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Every year during the last week of September, fraternities and sororities nationwide participate in National Hazing Prevention Week.
The initiative raises awareness and encourages Greek life members to stop hazing.
The Hazing Prevention Network defines hazing as “any action taken or situation created intentionally that causes embarrassment, harassment or ridicule and risks emotional and/ or physical harm to members or a group or team, whether new or not, regardless of a person’s willingness to participate.”
The Greek community hangs banners, sets up tables, brings in speakers and shares the positive experiences of Greek life through social media campaigns.
“We’re trying to raise awareness about what hazing is and if people are experiencing it, trying to let them know that there are ways they can get help… and talking through their options,” Director of Recruitment for the Interfraternity Council Parker Huizinga said.
Members of the Greek community acknowledge that hazing is an ongoing issue among individuals, but on an organizational level, “no hazing” policies are heavily enforced.
“We are ‘no hazing,’ absolutely not happening,” Vice President of Public Relations for the Panhellenic Council Ali Williams said.
Outside of National Hazing Prevention Week Fraternity and Sorority Affairs host speakers and require educational sessions such as Greek 100 to deter hazing. Their efforts focus on making sure students feel safe and confident enough to report a hazing incident.
“We have a lot of educational programs such as Greek 100 and then a lot of check and balances in place to make sure that nothing out of the ordinary is happening in our chapters,” Howell said.
Another goal for the week is to promote positive and healthy experiences among Greek life members, students and potential new members.
“We want to focus on those positive relationships that we have in our chap-
ters and kind of move away from those negative connotations of hazing that are portrayed in the media, because we don’t support that here at Oklahoma State,” Howell said.
In the past, hazing was considered a normal part of initiation, but times have changed.
“Back then, hazing was viewed as something that built brotherhood or built bonds between guys that were in the same house and now, it’s pretty obvious that it’s not what it does,” Huizinga said.
Huizinga said hazing has no place in houses and recommends finding new ways to welcome new members.
“There are lots of different ways to build brotherhood besides hazing new members, and in most of our chapters here, there’s ways they do that with bigs and mentors that have more experience in college and help them through the whole process,” Huizinga said.
Fostering a healthy environment is the goal, and Williams recommends talking with members of Greek life to anyone thinking about joining.
“Go talk to anybody and kind of get to know their experience,” Williams said. “I feel like you don’t fully know what’s going on until you talk to somebody about their experiences.”
For Williams, Greek life at OSU is the highlight of her college experience, and the community makes it possible.
“I think there’s just something so special about having someone by your side constantly and always having people there,” Williams said. “I know that no matter where I go, what I’m going through, if I went to someone’s room in the house, they would have open arms.”
Williams, Huizinga and Howell agree that hazing has no place at OSU, and as each year passes, they are one step closer to eliminating it.
“We’re not about hazing, and that’s just not something we want to identify with or want to be part of our community,” Williams said.
Students experiencing hazing or who know someone who is experiencing it can report it to Student Support & Conduct at (405) 744-5470 and Fraternity & Sorority Affairs at (405) 744-5490.
Students can also contact the AntiHazing Hotline at 1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293).
OSU recommends dialing 911 in an emergency situation.
Lilian Easter
Two pickle-flavored sodas sitting in front of students in line to enter Pickle Fest at North Dining.
News
UHS
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The first flu vaccines were developed in the early 1900s, approved for public use in 1945 and continue to adapt as the virus does, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination,” Turner said. “These antibodies provide protection against the flu illness.”
A flu vaccine is one way to guard against the flu, but there are other ways to stay diligent and healthy.
“The best way to reduce the risk of seasonal flu is to get the vaccine,” UHS employee Tierra Eller said. “Actions such as washing your hands, covering your cough and avoiding others who are sick can help stop the spread of germs.”
Washing hands is easy, but Eller recommends students prioritize treating their bodies right.
“Students should also get plenty of sleep, drink lots of fluids and try to work in some physical activity,” Eller said.
The clinic is in the Student Union Ballroom next Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students attending can find more information on the UHS website, including a printable consent form, which will be available at the event.
If students can’t attend the event, appointments can be scheduled with UHS through the patient portal on the UHS website.
The 30 days between Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 are dedicated to honoring Latino culture in what is known as Hispanic Heritage Month.
The month-long celebration began as only a week-long celebration under President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968. President Ronald Regan expanded the holiday to the month-long celebration it is today.
On Aug. 17, 1988, the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month was enacted as a law.
Sept. 15 is chosen for its significance.
Many Latin American countries — including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua — claimed independence on that date.
During the month, Mexico and Chile also celebrate the anniversary of their independence.
Here are ways you can support Latino culture during the month.
Literature
Authors like Nobel Peace Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez and Mariana Enriquez are included in Penguin’s Random House highlighted authors to read during the month.
The books on the list span from stories with goblins and ghosts to contemporary novels driven by an undying love.
“Catalina” by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio follows a college student confronting life and all its heartbreak, love and oddities.
Author Daniel Lode’s literary debut, “Hades, Argentina” details the life of a medical student in 1976 during a politically tumultuous time in history.
New York Times Best Seller “Solito” by Javier Zamora is a memoir following the young poet as he migrates from El Salvador to the United States.
Pulitzer Prize winning Quiara Alegría Hudes and co-writer for “In the Heights,” published a memoir about her experiences,“My Broken Language.”
Music
The rise of Latin music has taken over with artists like Karol G and Bad Bunny. Bad Bunny was Spotify’s most globally streamed artist from 2020-2022.
Here are some of “Billboard’s” Latin and Spanish artists to check out: Singer Calle 24 collaborated with Fuerza Reglda and Chino Pacas to produce “Qué Onda” and ranks No. 8 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs.
Venezuelan singer-songwriter Joaquina is a popular pop artist and won the Latin Grammy Award for Best new Artist in 2023.
Kenia Os Flores Osuna, or Kenia Os, started as a YouTuber and now writes and sings her own songs. She also made several reality TV appearances, including “The Masked Singer” and “The Voice of Mexico.”
17-year-old Argentinian Rapper Milo J’s song “Milo J: Bzrp Music Session, Vol. 57” generated international attention, hitting No. 2 in Spain and No. 31 on the Global Bill Board 200 chart.
Sports
Latin American athletes are showcased during the month for representing their heritage on and off the field. The NFL will highlight players like Cairo Santos and Will Hernandez in its “Por La Cultura” campaign
I REMEMBERED THE LORD!
“When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.” (Jonah 2:7NIV)
This was one of the most hopeless situations found in the Bible. Jonah had been running from God. He had boarded a ship and a great storm came up on the sea. He admitted to the sailors that he was fleeing from God and he was the cause of the storm. The crew threw him overboard, and he had been swallowed by a large fish. What a mess! What a hopeless mess caused by his own disobedience. Maybe you can relate to Jonah?
Another translation reads; “When my heart fainted within me, I remembered the Lord.” There seem to be no way out. He was completely helpless, and he had caused the whole thing. When all hope was gone; when my heart was fainting; when my life was slipping away, I remembered the Lord.
Listen to me! God is ruler over hopeless situations. He is ruler over our self made problems. He is God no matter what the situation. I want you to remember the Lord. No matter how terrible your sins, the magnitude of your failure or the greatness of your difficulty, God is bigger. There is hope,for the hopeless, in Him.
“...the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.”(2:10) Everything turned around for Jonah when he remembered God, humbled himself and began praying. God has put these true stories in the Bible to encourage us all and give us hope. He wants us to come to him; admit our hopeless condition and call on him for help. Be serious about it, and look to the Lord. This is the time of his grace; his unmerited favor. Christ gave his life for the ungodly, the weak, the needy. So reach out to him, call on him and hold on to the Lord. See what he will do!
ESPN will also commemorate athletes for Hispanic Heritage month with special content.
Women’s College Basketball player
Hannah Hidalgo plays for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish as a guard.
Major League Baseball player Juan Soto plays for the New York Yankees.
Footballer Maria Sanchez lends her talents to two teams, the San Diego Wave of the National Women’s Soccer League and represents Mexico on the international level.
NFL running back Isiah Pacheco plays for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Movies and Television
“Fandango” is celebrating the acting talent found in Hispanic heritage this month. The company is highlighting wellknown Hispanic actors and actresses. Javier Bardem stars in “No Country for Old Men” as Anton Chiguh and was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance.
Zoe Saldana brings Neytiri to life in James Cameron’s sci-fi epic “Avatar.”
In her breakout role, Salma Hayek portrays Carolina, a bookstore owner, in the 1995 western “Desperado.”
Antonio Banderas acts as everyone’s favorite sword-savvy cat Puss In Boots in “Shrek 2.”
APPLICATIONS INVITED FOR SPRING SEMESTER 2025 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF THE O’COLLY
Applications for Spring Semester 2025 Editor-in-Chief of The O’Colly will be accepted from now until 12 p.m. (noon) Monday, October 7, 2024.
Applications are now available in the Paul Miller Journalism and Broadcasting Building, room 106. Applicants must return their completed applications to room 106 no later than 12:00 p.m. (noon) Monday, October 7, 2024.
To be eligible for Editor-In-Chief, the applicant must be a student on the Stillwater campus of Oklahoma State University, be in good academic standing (i.e., not on academic probation), have a grade point average of not less than 2.5, and have completed at least 60 hours toward a degree.
Applicant must show evidence of having worked one semester in an editor position on The O’Colly. Students serving as an Editor-in-Chiefmay take up to 6 credit hours of independent study in consultation and approval of their major advisor.
An internship on a newspaper in a newsroom capacity may be substituted for one semester of service on The O’Colly. The internship must meet the requirements of the School of Media and Strategic Communications’ current internship course.
Bad Bunny was Spotify’s most globally streamed artist from 2020-2022.
‘Transformers One’ more than meets the eye
“Transformers One” is an origin story that delights and surprises.
The film diverts from the Michael Bey saga of films and pulls from the source material to build a solid origin story. As the first full CG-animated “Transformers” film, fans worried it might be childish, but the movie stamps out those fears with emotional story beats and well-written dialogue.
Inspired by Generation 1 of the “Transformers” toy line and the art-deco style, “Transformers One” is beautifully done with bright colors and imagery that screams the ‘80s. This connection is a unique way of paying homage to the Autobots’ first on-screen appearance in the 1984 show “The Transformers.”
The backstories for Orion Pax, the future Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth), and D-16, the future Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry), vary across the media. In the 2010 show Transformers Prime, Megatron started as a gladiator. In some original cartoons, Optimus Prime has many backstories as a dock worker, police officer and student.
This time, both Orion Pax and D-16 are workers who mine “Energon,” a highly coveted commodity necessary for survival. This choice works well for the film. Our main characters start in the same place, and their decisions throughout the film determine
their fate. Two paths diverge.
The main story beats are still present. Energon is the driver for conflict, but this time, it is between the working-class Transformers and the elite.
The class war results from the miners’ lack of the ability to transform.
The conflict over the glimmering blue substance plays a minor role here, but its inclusion hints at future battles.
From the comics, shows and movies, we know that the lack of Energon because of war drove the Autobots and Decepticons to search for more across the galaxy, eventually landing them on Earth, but this story only sets up the avenues to the future.
Greed, corruption and a lust for power drive the villains, and for anyone who knows, the lore is Cybertron’s eventual undoing.
This time, the villain, Sentinel Prime (Jon Hamm), masquerades as a Prime, Cybertron’s chosen leadership, and uses the mined Energon to pay off a warring alien race, the Quintessons.
Never fear. Bug-like creators are not the primary villain of the story, and the well-written
misdirect of the film reveals that Sentinel Prime, in all his pompous glory, is not the primary antagonist.
The best part of this film is D-16’s downward spiral into Megatron, the eventual leader of the Decepticons.
The film builds a friendship between Orion Pax and D-16, establishing a strong brotherhood in the first act with a few subtle cracks.
Orion Pax is a dreamer and always keeps a level head, but D-16 is practical and a realist. As the film continues, Orion always finds a solution and a new angle as D-16 spirals further into disillusion.
It’s the classic good vs. evil, order vs. chaos and light vs. dark. The best comparison is with the characters of “Star Wars,” Anakin and Obi-Wan. The two characters face horrible realities but handle them in very different ways.
We’ve seen this story before; fans know it is coming, but it works. As a fan, I hoped that D-16 would not turn, but he did.
The film’s best and most emotional scene happens when D-16 fires a kill shot at Sentinel Prime driven by revenge,
and Orion takes the shot. D-16 attempts to save him, but in the end, he lets Orion fall, completing his villain transformation.
At this point, Orion is chosen to become the next Prime because of his level-headed selflessness and gifts with the matrix of leadership.
The film wraps up with a clear path toward the brewing wars that will ravage Cybertron and lead to the Transformers’ eventual visit to Earth.
One high point of the film is the ability to experience a young Orion Pax or Optimus Prime. The leader of the Autobots is steadfast and stoic in most of his appearances, and this time around, he is a goofy young bot, but his overall personality shines through.
The story set-up is a subtle high point for “Transformers One.” The storylines and cameos meant for future installments do not detract but build the foundation for future conflict. Naturally, names are dropped, but the characters we meet do not feel forced or shoehorned in as a cash grab.
The supporting characters, Elita-One (Scarlett Johanson) and B-127, Bumblebee
(Keegan-Michael Key), are so much fun. Elita-One is a welcome addition who compliments Orion’s kind approach to conflict with a slap of realism and a glare that puts even the most fearsome Decepticons in their place. B-127 is perfect. Bumblebee is the heart of the “Transformers” series. His kind demeanor and humor light up the screen. Seeing him on screen with his voice still intact is a welcome change.
In cartoons and films, Bumblebee is known for using a series of beeps and other sounds to speak after losing his voice box to Megatron during the war on Cybertron. He is a joy in the film, and I find myself quoting Bumblebee’s lines with friends. Overall, the film is riotous, fun and a great way to spend an afternoon at the movies. Fans get to sit back and enjoy the show, and newcomers experience a gauntlet of emotions.
Is it the same origin story we’ve seen a million times? Yes, but it is done well and exceeds expectations. Go for the popcorn, stay for the adventure.
WHEN: Saturday, 11 a.m.
WHERE: Bill Snyder Family Stadium
Why Cowboys assistant coach Snyder is returning to Kansas State on the other side
If fortune favors the bold, let Sean Snyder’s journey serve as a prime example.
In 1990, after redshirting his freshman season at Iowa, he bet on himself and transferred to Kansas State to play under his father and legendary college football head coach, Bill Snyder.
Fast forward and Snyder earned a spot in the coaching ranks as a special teams coordinator at USC from 2020-21, before holding the same role at Illinois. In 2023, he was named the special assistant to the head coach at Kansas, while maintaining the roles of a special teams coordinator.
Now, he holds a similar role at Oklahoma State — punters and kickers coach. But on Saturday, it will be slightly different for Snyder when the No. 20 Cowboys head to familiar confines to face No. 23 Kansas State at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. A grand homecoming for a figure sporting a prominent last name — Snyder — ingrained in K-State football lore.
It’s nothing off-brand for Snyder, though. He stood in enemy lines during last year’s Sunflower Showdown. Of course, heckling from the student section ensued out of familiarity. He’s expecting a similar response this weekend, his players said.
“He’s done it before,” punter Hudson Kaak said. “He obviously did it last year, so I don’t think it’ll be too much of an adjustment for him.”
OSU hired Snyder as its special teams coordinator in July. OSU head coach Gundy cited a multitude of reasons for why he decided to approach Snyder about
the position, but one in particular.
“I was tired of getting scored on,” he said with a laugh. Sean, players said, introduced an aggressive philosophy the moment he arrived in Stillwater. Longer workouts. Fewer off days. And an enhanced focus
on conditioning, which Gundy described as “just like his dad.” Wherever Sean has been, special teams success has followed. In 1991, as a junior at K-State, he was named the Big Eight Newcomer of the Year by the conference coaches after finishing fourth in the
league and 27th nationally with a 40.5 punting average. Then, as a senior in 1992, he was named an Associated Press first-team All-American. He finished his senior season after logging the best punting average in K-State history with 52.8 yards per punt.
OSU’s offense looking for a kickstart on three-match road trip
bounded, off-the-bar follow-up by Nicole Ray.
Outside of that, OSU has been unable to crack the seal, despite being the higher-ranked side in each match.
Sometimes statistics can be deceiving. On the surface, Oklahoma State’s offense is generating more than two goals per game. Typically, when a soccer team is hitting this offensive mark, along with allowing only four goals through 11 matches, it would not be unrealistic to expect an undefeated record. But in reality, OSU’s offense has been disappointing.
Twelve of its 25 goals have come in two matches – a pair of six-goal explosions against Texas A&M-Commerce and UL Monroe. Against Power Four conference opponents, OSU has scored five total goals. In the last two matches against Colorado and Texas Tech, both of which were at home, the Cowgirls mustered only one goal — a re-
“We know the runs we need to do; we know the things we need to do,” junior midfielder Chloe Wright said. “I think it’s just about putting it on the field and having that want to go and score, being able to get in the box, make those hard runs, being able to fully put your body on the line and get in front of those first defenders and just put the ball on the net.”
After the losses, an OSU team that once found itself flirting with the top 10 is now unranked and facing a pair of tough opponents on the road in BYU and Utah.
Luckily for the Cowgirls, their offense has shown the ability to score multiple goals on tough opponents multiple times this season.
Earlier this year, OSU defeated then-No. 6 Nebraska 2-0 on the road. Later in nonconference play, OSU took down San Diego State 3-0 in San Diego.
Gundy’s 20th
Gundy recalls getting ‘lucky’ landing the OSU job, his first game as head coach See SNYDER on page 2B
Schmidly called it “the worstkept secret in Oklahoma.”
Editor’s note: This is a story from “Gundy’s 20th,”
The O’Colly’s weekly series to commemorate OSU football head coach Mike Gundy’s 20th season as the leading man. This week, we talk about Gundy getting the OSU job and his first game.
Mike Gundy doesn’t remember much about his first day as Oklahoma State football’s 22nd head coach. It was Jan. 3, 2005. It’s a blur to him.
The then-37-year-old, who had been the Cowboys’ offense coordinator and assistant head coach, was the next-in-line candidate for OSU’s head coaching vacancy once Les Miles left for Louisiana State University. Atthe-time OSU President David
The day before he was told he was going to be named the leading man, Gundy went to the OSU president’s house and met with Schmidly and the OSU/A&M Board of Regents. They may have been “quizzing” Gundy, as he recalls it. They asked him questions for “about an hour” before he left.
“They sent me home, and then the next day they said, ‘We’re gonna name you as the head coach,’” Gundy said. “They didn’t ask about money; they didn’t ask about a contract; they didn’t do anything.”
Gundy must’ve passed the quiz then, and he must still be passing it now. He’s in his 20th season at OSU — which is by far the longest-tenured football coach in school history — and has completely changed the image and trajectory of the Cowboys’ program.
Mykalyn Daidone
In five matches against Power Four opponents, the Cowgirls have only scored five total goals.
File Photo
Mike Gundy getting
Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics
OSU hired Sean Snyder (right) in July to serve as the program’s special teams coordinator.
Snyder
During stints at USC and Illinois, the Trojans and Illini ranked in the top 25 nationally in overall special teams efficiency. This year with OSU Kaak is averaging 43.2 yards per punt on 10 attempts, while kicker Logan Ward is 8 for 10 on field goal attempts.
The Cowboys have reaped the rewards of having him on staff, and Gundy said he couldn’t be happier.
“Some of what we were doing, he was already doing because we stole it from them when he was (elsewhere),” Gundy said. “But then there’s about 50% of what we’re doing that he brought with him. And the fundamental side, the execution — there’s a real art to special teams. It’s pretty interesting once you get into it. I’ve been into now (for) about 10 years. I don’t claim to be any good at it, but I at least know what’s going on. And so, I am very pleased with
the transformation that we’re making scheme wise and fundamentally with the players understanding the concepts at this point.”
Still, that hasn’t deprived OSU’s specialists of banter during practices.
“I’ll still walk up to him and be like, ‘Hey, you excited to go back home?’” Kaak said. “He’ll look at me, look at us, laugh, and try to play it off. But deep down, I know he finds it funny.”
Kaak said Sean has told him he’s expecting to be heckled again Saturday. But as the old idiom goes — he who laughs last, laughs best. Maybe Sean will laugh best. That remains to be seen.
Through it all, OSU is fortunate to have Sean around. And regardless of what transpires Saturday, the admiration toward someone who bet on themselves, they said, will remain constant.
“Just a great coach who cares about us and his craft,” Ward said. “And he wants to win. You can see that in his game planning and philosophy. And honestly, we’re just lucky to have him.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
PARKER GERL
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
@PARKER_GERL
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy prefers not to panic.
After a sloppy 22-19 loss to Utah this past Saturday — which dropped the Cowboys to 3-1 and 0-1 in Big 12 Conference play — Gundy doesn’t think there’s heightened desperation for No. 20 OSU’s Week 5 game against No. 23 Kansas State.
“It doesn’t do any good anyway (to play desperate),” Gundy said. “So the worst thing you can ever do in most anything you do in life is get in a system in a time of desperation and not function and think and try and react and do things the right way.”
But Saturday’s game is a big one nonetheless. Recent history says the winner of this matchup propels itself toward a strong season, and that opportunity is on the table for a third straight season at 11 a.m. Saturday in Manhattan, Kansas. In 2022, the Wildcats were coming off a loss before they routed OSU 48-0 at home. KSU then went 3-1 to finish the season, defeated TCU in the Big 12 Championship Game and reached the Sugar Bowl to cap off a 10-4 season.
The Cowboys were 2-2 heading into last season’s matchup with the Wildcats.
After a 29-21 upset win, OSU closed the
regular season 6-1 and reached the Big 12 Championship Game, which they lost to Texas.
With both teams coming off a loss again, OSU linebacker Kendal Daniels, who was in Manhattan for the 48-0 loss two years ago, said he views Saturday’s game as another opportunity to pick up momentum.
“I feel like not a lot of people think about it like that, but I was thinking about it earlier,” Daniels said Monday. “Whoever wins this game goes on to have a great season. So, I feel like it’ll be fun to just go out there and not put pressure on yourself. Just go out there loose and have fun.”
The Utes shut down the Cowboys and led 22-3 in the fourth quarter. OSU Quarterback Alan Bowman was 8 of 22 at halftime and was pulled by Gundy before reentering the game in the fourth quarter.
KSU was blown out 38-9 by BYU and surrendered 24 points in the span of six minutes and eight seconds. The Cougars limited Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson to 130 yards and intercepted the sophomore twice.
On Saturday, OSU and KSU each have an opportunity to avenge an ugly loss and start a run toward the conference championship.
“I feel really good about this week. I really do,” Bowman said.
“There’s a fire lit under all of us, myself included. We’ll see how it goes on Saturday, but I’m really excited.”
‘I feel like we’re coming along’ How OSU defense showed grit, improvements against Utah
CALIF PONCY STAFF REPORTER @PONCYCALIF
When Oklahoma State won the 2021 Fiesta Bowl, it was on the back of one of the nation’s best defenses.
Led by Malcolm Rodriguez, OSU allowed only 18 points per game and forced 20 turnovers en route to a 12win season. Following that season, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles left for Ohio State, and the pillars of one of the best units in program history moved on.
Since then, OSU has been searching for answers for how it can get its defense back to that form. Last weekend against No. 10 Utah was the first time in a while that the Cowboys can say they were close.
With backup quarterback Isaac Wilson, the Utes scored just 22 points despite being on the field for more than 42 minutes.
The Cowboy offense didn’t produce until the home stretch of the fourth quarter, but at that point, it was too late, and the best defensive performance under second-year defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo was all for naught.
“Offensively, we were awful,” OSU head coach Mike Gundy said postgame. “We couldn’t get any quarterback play. Early in the season in college football, in my opinion, about half the games are given away. Teams don’t win. The other team just gives it to them. I have a ton of respect for them — class organization, well coached, great guys after the game, very class, first class all the way and came and played physical and ran the ball. But I felt like — I told the team, ‘You guys gave them a game.’”
Despite the disappointing Big 12 Conference opener, the clear progression of the defense was a positive for the Cowboys. In terms of total yardage, the game was nothing special for
OSU. The Utes racked up 456 yards of offense, including 249 on the ground. However, 110 of those yards came on just two runs, and outside of a few explosive plays, the Cowboy defense held up well.
“They played great. They played amazing,” OSU wide receiver Brennan Presley said. “I don’t know how many snaps they played, but I know they played a lot, and to hold them to 22 points — and that last fourth-quarter touchdown throw. Really, it’s only like 16 points throughout really the entirety of the game. Even though they’re on the field for that many snaps, it’s hot, stuff like that. They played great. We tried to pay it back, but sometimes it’s just one of those days, and that happens.”
The defensive development from OSU in such a big spot is encouraging, especially when looking at the unit’s struggles earlier in the season. Against Arkansas, the Cowboys allowed 648 yards and consistently gave up explosive plays. Even Tulsa, which scored only 10 points, was able to record 352 yards. Considering the defense was on the field for 93 plays across a full game plus two periods of overtime against Arkansas and 69 plays against Tulsa, 456 yards on 81 plays against a top-10 Utah team doesn’t seem so bad.
OSU still has to prove it can stop a good offense when its QB1 is playing, but the game against Utah was a significant step for Nardo’s squad. If OSU’s offense can find itself and OSU’s defense can repeat its performance against Utah, the Cowboys could go from a solid team to a very good team quickly.
“Yeah, I feel like we’re like coming along, safety Kendal Daniels said. “I mean, we still have a long way to go; there’s still little things that we need to do better so we can win those games. I feel like we did OK on Saturday. I feel like we still let too many plays go. I’m saying that for myself. I let too many plays go — some plays that we need to get fixed. We’ll be better.”
File Photo
After OSU and Kansas State started Big 12 Conference play 0-1, a win could propel their seasons.
Bryson Thadhani
OSU safety Kendal Daniels said the defense is “coming along” after the Utah game.
Payton Little
Kicker Logan Ward said Sean Snyder cares about the specialists and “his craft.”
sports
Gundy’s 20th
Continued from 1
‘I just got lucky’ Gundy said he “didn’t have a clue” about what to do when he was named head coach.
His parents flew in from Miami, Florida, for his introductory press conference because his brother, Cale, was coaching Oklahoma’s running backs in the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 5. They flew in and flew back out.
Once the presser was done, Joyce Robbins, Gundy’s former administrative assistant, told him that his office was unlocked.
“I went in there and shut the door and just sat at my desk, and I thought, ‘I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do now,’” Gundy said.
Luckily, he wasn’t asked what his first move as head coach would be at the president’s house.
Montana State 15-10 in his first game as head coach, Gundy gave credit to the opposing team’s staff and shared a familiar message — even 20 years later — about “fun” close games.
“Now, that was fun,” he said. “You guys thought I was not having fun. I was having a good time. I found myself being more of a cheerleader in the first game more than anything.”
It was an ugly game. An “awful” one, as Gundy recalls it 20 years later.
“We went right down the field the first time we touched the ball and scored and got a 2-point conversion, and after that, we scored one more time,” Gundy said.
OSU outgained the Bobcats 378-254, but the Cowboys had two turnovers compared to Montana State’s one. Not to mention, Donovan Woods and Bobby Reid split snaps at quarterback. Not the kind of game folks typically have watched in the Gundy era.
Alan Bowman leaned into the joke. Because it seems true.
Oklahoma State evidently always takes the difficult route.
Like last year, when the Cowboys needed a win to clinch a Big 12 Championship Game appearance, an 18-point comeback and a double-overtime victory over BYU got them there.
Now, after losing 22-19 to Utah in their Big 12 opener, the Cowboys are going to have to take the difficult route to get to Arlington and beyond. Instead of taking the 270-or-so-mile straightsouth route after a strong conference play start, OSU will need to weave through Manhattan, Kansas, and Provo, Utah, among other places, and leave victorious to get there.
“We still have everything in front of us. We can still win the Big 12. Realistically, we wouldn’t want it any other way at Oklahoma State — the hard way; that’s how we do it around here,” Bowman said.
“As last year showed. We’re a better team than we were last year. So I wouldn’t doubt us to go run the table.”
Whether it was a seventh-year player, media-trained quarterback or not, the Oklahoma State QB sure did seem genuine when talking about his outlook on the team’s season and at halftime against Utah.
“The one plus of playing for seven years is that I’ve been through a lot,” Bowman said. “I wouldn’t be here if I was a five-star recruit and being in the NFL three-and-done. That’s not my story. I wouldn’t be here if I was that guy. The situation we were in, I’ve been there before multiple times.
“It’s nothing that’s going to change my perspective or change my mentality. That’s my outlook on life and everything — football aside. Sometimes you’re not going to have a great day. Sometimes
you’re not going to agree with everything. Just put your head down and work.”
Although Bowman wasn’t made available to the media after his 16-of-33, somewhat-statpadded outing against the Utes, he was Monday. A couple of days before he was available, though, OSU head coach Mike Gundy made one thing clear: Bowman was still the QB1.
And he should be. Bowman’s shown more than redshirt sophomore Garret Rangel, who came in for four drives in his place and went 3 of 11 for 31 yards, and redshirt freshman Zane Flores, who Gundy said simply hasn’t gotten the live reps in practice required for him to see the field.
However, despite Rangel’s poor outing (in an admittedly tough spot) and Flores’ immaturity, Bowman’s approval rating with OSU fans is shaky. Unlike his first three games, he went back to last season’s Bowman: jittery, unsure of what to do and reverting to his backfoot-Bowman ways.
He can be the definitive starter, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be benched if he plays poorly. We know that now.
With a massive road trip against Kansas State this weekend, Bowman, the seventh-year, media-trained quarterback, needs to show he’s deserving of the QB1 spot by not only walking onto the field but taking control of the offense.
K-State, too, has seemingly chosen the hard way, as after being proclaimed one of the conference’s frontrunners in the preseason, it lost its first Big 12 game on the road to BYU, 38-9.
It’s expected that the Wildcats — like all the other teams the Cowboys have faced this season — will load the box to contain running back Ollie Gordon II. That would leave Bowman in a situation, like against Utah, where he has to take a step up from being a game manager to a game controller.
Whether he has that in him after getting benched is to be determined. But if the OSU is going to run the table like he proclaimed, he needs to comfortably lean into his role of being the seventh-year, don’t-mess-up-but-make-a-play-whenwe-ask quarterback.
If he does, then OSU taking the difficult route may not be the most difficult thing after all.
“I can make some sh*t up,” Gundy said with a smile. “That I could do… I could’ve made something up, but the truth of the matter was, I had no clue what to do. Just got lucky.”
What he did in that office, though, was begin writing on a piece of paper what he thought he needed to do to get started. The first decision was to contact Joe Deforest, the special teams coordinator, and “talk him into staying.”
Deforest was the only coach from the 2004 season who stayed on staff. He was promoted to associate head coach.
“He and I started working together to do the rest,” Gundy said.
The first game After OSU defeated Division I-AA
But looking back at that season — the only one in the last 19 that’s ended without a bowl game appearance — it was laying the foundation for the new, golden era of Cowboy football.
Gundy repeated often that he got “lucky” when recalling moments from him getting the job and his first season. But the same things that he said got him the job are the same things still radiating off of OSU’s program today. Hard work. Discipline. And so on. They were the “only things” that saved him.
It’s what nailed him his “dream job.”
“People in this profession will tell you that you are never supposed to let the administration know that you are at your final destination,” Gundy said at his intro presser. “I do not have a problem with that, because I am just fired up to be at Oklahoma State.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Payton Little
OSU quarterback said OSU can still reach its goals, but his play needs to improve for those to be met.
File Photo
Mike Gundy said he got “lucky” getting the job, but he’s made 18 straight bowl games as head coach.
How OSU softball is a ‘totally different team’ heading into fall season because of The Program
us way too long to bounce back… Omri actually came over to me; he goes, ‘This is gonna be a long day, coach.’ And I was like, ‘Man, I got football games to watch and a pizza that’s gonna get delivered.’”
Offense
Continued from 1
“Goals are a premium, and we’ve kind of scored in chunks,” OSU head coach Colin Carmichael said. “We go through phases where we score a bunch, and then a little phase like we are in now where it’s really hard for us to score. It’s not just goal scoring; it’s goal creation.”
The upside OSU has shown on both sides of the ball makes it one of the most dangerous teams in the Big 12. Until the offense works itself out, the stress is going to continue to be placed on Grace Gordon and the Cowgirl defense, which has allowed four goals in the last two matches after stringing together the longest consecutive run of not allowing a goal in the NCAA to start the season.
For the Cowgirls to be at their best, the talented attacking group of Xcaret Pineda, Laudan Wilson, Logan Heausler and more have to be able to score goals and control the ball to give the defense some time to rest. Without time to reset their shape and get settled in, the Cowgirl defense, like any, will spring leaks a few times per game and allow for goal-scoring opportunities.
Most players on Kenny Gajewski’s team were pissed.
The Oklahoma State head coach had led his team to Broken Bow, a place that his team usually unwinds in May amid all the postseason buzz, for what was seemingly a team-bonding trip.
Little did the Cowgirls know that it was a business trip. The Program was coming.
For three years, the leadership development company has put OSU softball through physical workouts and mental challenges before its season. But this allegedly wasn’t supposed to be a physically or mentally strenuous trip, so Gajewski hid the surprise with ultimate frisbee.
As two freshmen began to draft ultimate frisbee teams at Broken Bow High School, Omri Rachmut, a lead instructor for The Program, walked toward down a hill the Cowgirls.
“I said, ‘Hey, let’s go ahead and stop. I want to introduce our guest referee,’” Gajewski said.
Although the Cowgirls were expecting a carefree trip, what transpired next is what gave Gajewski and his players confidence in this year’s team heading into the fall season. They showed grit.
“It brought out a totally different team, and I think that’s where I kind of realized, holy cow, this team is gonna be even better than we were last year,” first baseman Karli Godwin said.
When Gajewski envisioned his team seeing Rachmut during the ultimate frisbee draft, he expected his players to be fired up. But that wasn’t the case. It was awkward silence. Quiet anger, mostly.
“I was really bummed,” Gajewski said. “And it took me a moment to be like, ‘OK, I guess if I was at Broken Bow thinking I’m on this fun trip and The Program walks up, I’d probably be pissed too. But it took
But the team — and especially the newcomers, who were individually challenged because Gajewski and Co. gave Rachmut their names — responded to the physical workouts. But that wasn’t the end.
After that, the team returned to its cabin and was split into seven groups. They were tasked with building and starting a fire from a cotton ball and a cube fire starter. Once they had their “baby fires,” as Godwin called them, they were supposed to shovel them into one big fire that would have to burn all night. The message behind building the fires was it being a lot like a team and a season of softball.
“It’s a lot easier to have the spark, and you can find fuel, but can you have the oxygen to maintain the fire the whole year?” Gajewski said.
The Cowgirls stayed up all night, taking shifts for who was on fire duty, and when Gajewski and Rachmut got there at 7 a.m., the whole team was outside waiting.
With a burning fire.
When they saw that, Rachmut turned to Gajewski and acknowledged what was in front of them.
“‘Hey, think we got a good team here,’” Rachmut said.
And after nearly two full weeks of practice and fall ball now underway, the trash talk has been high, and the competitiveness is apparent in the Cowgirls’ scrimmages against each other.
“We’re trying to whoop the other teams ass — like whichever team your on, you guys are going head to head, and we have not had that here in Oklahoma State for me in my three years,” third baseman Tallen Edwards said. “We have not had a team that has done that this early in the fall and had that type of competitive spirit and that grit.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
With Big 12 Conference play now in full swing and OSU on a three-match road trip — BYU, Utah and Kansas — it’s imperative that it figure out how to consistently create goals, as the Cowgirls were the highest-ranked team in the conference less than a week ago.
“We’ll keep working at it,” Carmichael said. “We’ll keep working drills; we’ll keep running them through scenarios. We’ll push them hopefully to be a little bit cleaner in those big moments in front of goal.”
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OSU goes 6-4 against Kansas State in 10 EA Sports College Football 25 simulations
We’re mixing things up a little with this week’s simulation.
XBOX instead of PlayStation. Allen instead of Slaughter. The premise, however, remains the same.
According to my EA Sports’ Simulations, No. 20 Oklahoma State has a bit of an advantage over No. 23 Kansas State this Saturday, despite the game being played in the Little Apple.
I simulated OSU’s road contest against the Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Stadium 10 times, making sure the conditions were precise to weather forecasts for this weekend’s game: 11 a.m. kickoff, 15-minute quarters and 75-degree weather.
Below are the results.
Average winner, score Through 10 simulations, OSU went 6-4 against K-State, winning five of the last six.
The Cowboys averaged roughly 33 points per game, while the Wildcats averaged close to 29 points per game. The margin of victory never surpassed nine points.
With the spread (K-State -5) practically favoring a straight bet, betters should not find solace in formulating a final plan off these simulations.
Cowboy statistics
OSU averaged roughly 429 yards per to K-State’s 405.
Quarterback Alan Bowman completed close to 59% of his passes on average and
never threw more than two interceptions. He averaged 255.3 passing yards per game, 4.5 touchdowns to 1.2 interceptions.
Running back Ollie Gordon II averaged roughly 174 yards per game but struggled to find the end zone. On the bright side, only one fumble.
Wide receiver Brennan Presley averaged 77.2 receiving yards per game and caught at least one touchdown in nine of the 10 games. Rashod Owens averaged 59.3 receiving yards per game and caught a touchdown pass in six of the simulated games, while DeZhaun Stribling averaged 29.8 receiving yards per game and logged a touchdown reception in four games.
Defensively, linebacker Nick Martin and safety Kendal Daniels split games in leading the Cowboys in total tackles — five apiece. Cornerback Korie Black led all defenders in interceptions with six total.
Not many field goals were made — or attempted, for that matter — but kicker Logan Ward was 11-for-15 with a long of 49 yards, coming in the finale.
More results
The longest play from scrimmage was an 88-yard rushing touchdown from Gordon, which came in Game 6 – a 37-24 win for OSU.
Two simulations went to overtime — Games 3 and 5 — and OSU won both. If EA Sports is on par with reality, Bowman could have the game of his OSU career, and Gordon will (finally) emulate his Doak Walker Award form displayed a year ago. And perhaps most importantly, at least, according to OSU fans, the Cowboys will log an imperative win in the heat of the Big 12 Conference race.
Courtesy of OSU Athletics
For the third straight season, The Program challenged the Cowgirls physically and mentally.
Jose Brito Chloe Wright said OSU knows how to fix its offensive woes.
Lutz talks schedule, roster outlook for upcoming season
PARKER GERL ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @PARKER_GERL
When an email including the Big 12 Conference’s “tentative schedule” hit Steve Lutz’s inbox, it reminded Oklahoma State’s first-year head coach of the situation he’s in.
“That’s when it hits you,” Lutz said. “Like, holy smokes. I mean, the day I took the job, that’s when you’re overwhelmed with emotion and you’re saying to yourself, ‘Wow, I’m here’... Now, the levity of it, when that Big 12 schedule came across that email, (it) was like, ‘Oh, OK.’”
Lutz and the Cowboys had their first practice Monday, roughly six weeks from their season-opening game against University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Before Lutz gets a taste of the Big 12, he and OSU will delve into a challenging nonconference schedule, which Lutz said will help better gauge his squad.
Bedlam is back and will be played Dec. 14 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The Cowboys will also participate in the Charleston Classic, which includes but is not limited to, games against FAU and one of Drake or Miami.
“I think we’re going to test the team enough that we’ll find out about ourselves, right?” Lutz said. “I’m really excited about Bedlam, I’m really excited about the Charleston Classic and you got to go to New Jersey and play Seton Hall… We’ll know a lot more about our team based upon what happens in the nonconference schedule.”
Big 12-wise, the Cowboys play Houston twice and Kansas in Lawrence. Given the competiveness of the new-look conference — five teams finished 202324 ranked — OSU isn’t expecting an easy year.
“It’s going to be very, very tough,” Lutz said. “There’s absolutely no question that this is the best conference in the country this year. There’s no question. You look at those preseason polls and you know that we have some of the best
players and obviously some of the best coaches in the league.”
Size, versatility
The final addition to Lutz’s first OSU roster was Serbian 6-foot-10 big man Andrija Vukovic, whom the Cowboys signed in late August.
Vukovic and Xavier transfer Abou Ousmane are the tallest players on OSU’s roster and figure to be key components to the Cowboys’ rim protection and rebounding. Although OSU lacks a sevenfooter, it has several forwards in the 6-6 to 6-8 range that can help Ousmane and Vukovic on the defensive side.
“I haven’t made the final determination, like, (if) we need to double the post,” Lutz said. “We don’t have plus size. We don’t have 7-1, 7-2, 7-3 and lots of length, but I know that we have enough physicality and enough size to
bang in this league.”
The Cowboys are deep at guard, which fits Lutz’s fast-paced, up-tempo offense.
Jamyron Keller and Bryce Thompson will pair with newcomers including Arturo Dean (the nation’s leader in steals), Davonte “Devo” Davis, Brandon Newman and Khalil Brantley.
Lutz said he expects the guards to work well off each other and be on the same page despite how many could be involved.
“You’ve got guys that will accept that,” Lutz said. “And they all have the same goal to go to the NCAA Tournament. So instead of averaging 11 points, if you average nine and we go to the NCAA Tournament, they all have the same mindset that (it’s) worth it.”
Returnees, added experience
With Keller, Thompson and guard
Cowboy golf finishes third in Fighting Illini Invitational
“I know I’m not just playing for myself, but I’m also playing for the school,” Lee said. “So there’s a lot more factors that go into it, so I try to keep that in mind and just try to keep pushing and score as best as I can.”
Oklahoma State tied for third with North Carolina in the Fighting Illini Invitational at the Olympia Fields (Illinois) Country Club, as the Cowboys finished 1-under.
Head coach Alan Bratton said this is the second tournament in a row where his team has beaten good golf program like Texas.
“You go two tournaments in a row where not very many teams are beating you for the bulk of the tournament,” Bratton said. “We tightened up some of the things that we let get away a little bit at Sahalee in the final round and had a slow start this week, but closed well. So I’m excited about what we’ve got going forward, and we’ve got some depth at home that can continue to push the guys that are in the lineup.”
Sophomore Ethan Fang remained solid, finishing in fifth place with a score of 5-under. He said getting birdies early in the rounds built momentum throughout the day.
“It definitely helps those birdies to drop early, for sure, helps you get your confidence up,” Fang said. “Also knowing that when you’re hitting it, good putts start dropping, you can have a good round out there.”
Sophomores Eric Lee and Preston Stout tied for 22nd with a score of 2-over. Lee struggled out of the gate with a 76 in round one but shot 68 twice to finish inside the top 25.
Stout went bogey free on round two, putting up a 69. He said it is a big confidence boost to go bogey-free on a course as tough as Olympia Fields.
“It was just a pretty stress-free round, with a lot of two-putt pars, which kind of got frustrating, but it was definitely confidencebuilding,” Stout said. “Especially going into that final round right after. Knowing how well I was hitting it, I was ready to get back on the course and try to put up a low number.”
Freshman Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson rounded out the tournament 4-over, but finished strong with a final-round score of 69. Junior John Wild struggled in the tournament, finishing 10-over.
The team has two weeks off before Big 12 Conference Match Play Tournament at Houston Oaks on Oct. 7-9. Bratton said the team is trending in the right direction w but needs to clean up on the short game before match play.
“We had way too many three putts this week from a couple of our young guys,” Bratton said. “And to win matches, you got to make putts, so we’ll be focusing on our speed and building confidence on the greens as we lead into the Big 12 match play.”
Connor Dow as the only returnees from last year’s team, OSU’s roster features several new faces.
But seven of the new additions are in their fifth or sixth year of college basketball and three have played in the Big 12 — experience is a premium for the Cowboys’ new-look roster, which will see new faces work together, Lutz said.
Keller flashed as a freshman last season and Thompson has scored 939 points at OSU. Lutz said he expects Thompson to have a “productive season” and said Keller is “self-motivated” and ready to take “another step forward.”
“The best predictor of the future is the past, right?” Lutz said. “So if you’ve been through the Big 12 and played a lot of college basketball, the experience is just going to help you navigate road trips, going to help you navigate highs and lows.”
Entering Year 26 at OSU, Sanchez highlights ultimate reason for Cowgirl equestrian success
KENZIE KRAICH STAFF REPORTER @KRAICH20
It’s easy to measure success through numbers, but that is a secondary feat for Oklahoma State equestrian head coach Larry Sanchez.
If you were to ask him what his keys to success were 20 years ago, Sanchez would have given you measurable quotas. But since watching his own children go through athletic programs, he has a new perspective.
“Having that experience of being a dad through this whole process, I’ve figured out what I think is important,” Sanchez said. “I think about what I would want as a dad, what I would want (my daughter) to have access to while she was going somewhere.”
Sanchez’s 26-year career at OSU has been productive, and his six-year stretch at New Mexico State University before that was just as notable, as he won national titles in 1995, 1997 and 1998.
Since being under Sanchez, Cowgirl equestrian has six national titles, 23 individual titles and 10 Big 12 Conference titles. OSU has claimed the Big 12 trophy for 10 of the last 15 years, setting not one but two conference records for the most consecutive titles won. Sanchez has earned Big 12 Coach of the Year five times, along with NCEA Coach of the Year in 2022.
While many praise Sanchez for the success inside the ring over his career, he emphasizes the importance of the relationships he and his athletes create outside of it.
“If you establish the relation-
ship when things are good and get to a place where you truly care, then they know you care about them,” Sanchez said. “They sense that, and when you have to address something that’s difficult, it’s received much differently than if you don’t have that relationship with your riders.”
Senior Riley Hogan and graduate student Claire McDowall wore smiles on their faces when talking about the relationship they have with their coach, giving him the credit for all the success they’ve had in and out of the ring throughout their careers.
“He’s not just here to coach a team,” Hogan said. “His heart and soul is into this team.”
The ultimate reward for Sanchez lies in the success of his riders when they leave his program. The 205 Academic All-Big 12 selections and five Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year honorees under Sanchez are a testament to his ultimate motive in coaching these athletes.
“We want to make their college experience as good as it can be as a competitor and academically,” Sanchez said. “We’re here to help them be as successful as they possibly can be.”
From the athletes to coaches, his program is rooted in family, and those in the program highlight Sanchez and his wife, Julie, for making that a priority. From team dinners at his house to unpaid therapy sessions in his office, Sanchez stays true to the values he emphasizes on his team. And he’ll carry that into the team’s season opener on Oct. 3 at TCU.
“It’s what I’ve known for the past 25 years, and I think my love for it just keeps getting deeper and deeper,” Sanchez said.
Payton Little
OSU men’s basketball head coach Steve Lutz said he’s
“really excited” about playing Bedlam in Oklahoma City on Dec. 14.
Courtesy OSU Cowboy Golf
Preston Stout (pictured) and Eric Lee tied for 22nd in the Fighting Illini Invitational, as OSU finished third overall.
DALTON ARREDONDO STAFF REPORTER
DJ Giddens may not be the flashiest back in a Big 12 Conference with Ollie Gordon II and Tahj Brooks, but he may be the most consistent.
Coming off a 2023 season in which he ran for 1,226 yards, Giddens has been joined in the backfield by former Colorado star Dylan Edwards, but his yardage hasn’t suffered because of it. Through four games, Giddens has already racked up 68 carries for 417 yards and a touchdown, and the addition of Edwards has allowed Giddens to be more efficient with his touches. Giddens is up to 6.1 yards per carry, and Oklahoma State has already shown itself to be vulnerable to big days from running backs. Running backs Micah Bernard of Utah and Ja’Quinden Jackson of Arkansas have posted career days against the Cowboys this season, and Giddens could be next in line to have a dominant day.
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WILDCATS to Watch
3 Storylines Will Alan Bowman bounce back?
Alan Bowman was terrific against South Dakota State. He struggled in the first half against Arkansas but rebounded and played well in the second half, and his performance against Tulsa was elite, regardless of competition level. Then, against Utah, Bowman was a shell of who he was just a week earlier.
Bowman was eventually sat down for a few series, which Mike Gundy has said was just a quick reset and has nothing to do with his security as a starter.
Gundy typically means what he says, but if Bowman struggles again and backup Garrett Rangel joins him, fans will continue to call for Zane Flores. Bowman will need to rebound if OSU wants to win in Manhattan, Kansas, and if he doesn’t, the quarterback situation will get more interesting.
Last week’s game against Utah brought few positives for OSU, but the performance of the defense can’t be ignored.
The yardage totals don’t tell the full story. The Cowboy defense was on the field for more than 40 minutes against Utah. In the rare circumstance that OSU’s offense picked up a first down, the drive typically fizzled out or a turnover occurred.
Barring another horrific performance from OSU’s offense, it is unlikely the defense will spend that much time on the field again, and if the Cowboys can reproduce the success they found against the Utes, they could take down K-State on the road.
Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson has had his struggles passing the ball, but his ability to kill defenses with his legs is undeniable.
Against BYU, Johnson threw two costly interceptions and completed 15 of 28 passes along with zero touchdowns. On the ground, Johnson surpassed 70 yards for the second consecutive game, this time against a defense that’s had troubles with being running quarterbacks in the past. OSU fared all right against Utah backup Isaac Wilson, but he had a 48yard scamper that Johnson would’ve taken to the house with ease.
With no Collin Oliver, the OSU pass rush is likely to be held at bay throughout the game, but if the Cowboys can at least keep Johnson in the pocket, they dramatically increase their chances of escaping with a win.
Kansas State has a history of always having one massively productive linebacker, and the player currently filling that role is Austin Romaine.
Romaine’s emergence has come as somewhat of a surprise. The sophomore linebacker has already topped his 2023 tackle total by five, and he has also doubled his sack total from last season.
Romaine’s best game of the season was against Tulane, when he had eight tackles and two sacks against the Green Wave.
Romaine still has to prove he is a true difference-maker against a higher level of competition, but he got off to a good start against BYU and OSU’s hardheadedness when it comes to feeding Ollie Gordon II up the middle has led to opposing linebackers having good statistical games.
Why Edwards is back home, thriving for Kansas State
Things didn’t go as planned for anyone in Boulder, Colorado, last season. Deion Sanders led CU to an improved 4-8 record, but the glitz and glam that came along with it wasn’t for everyone.
Dylan Edwards, who led the Buffaloes in rushing as a freshman, was one of those people.
Edwards committed to CU after a tumultuous recruiting process saw him flip his commitment twice — once from Notre Dame to Colorado — but before that, from Kansas State to Notre Dame.
Edwards started strong, but his playing time shrunk as the season went on. When the offseason came, he joined a flurry of teammates and entered the transfer portal. Eventually, Edwards committed to K-State and joined its star running back DJ Giddens to form what may be the best backfield in the Big 12.
While he was in the portal, Edwards picked up interest from the likes of Georgia, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, but after leaving his home state once, Edwards was focused on one landing spot.
“I’m happy I got to learn from that situation, and I wouldn’t be where I am today (without it),” Edwards said to CatsTalk by WildcatNIL. “Things happen, and God let me back here. I’m here for a reason. I can make it right, all here, right now.”
Edwards, the son of former
Wildcat Leon Edwards, was a highly-touted recruit out of high school. As a four-star, he picked up interest from schools all over, but before he had a bunch of stars next to his name, it was the Wildcats who showed interest in Edwards and gave him his first Power Four offer.
“I was in the car driving home from the mall or something,” Edwards said. “I was just so excited. I literally rushed home, told my mom — she was cooking for me at the time – she just started tearing up, and I was like, ‘Mom, I’m going D-I, I’m going D-I.’”
Edwards’ recruiting journey led him away from the Wildcats for his first season, but now he’s back home and showing why he was so in demand in the portal, despite playing behind one of the nation’s best running backs. He already has 179 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 21 carries this season — good for a whopping 8.5 yards per carry. Most importantly, it allows the Wildcats to keep an elite back on the field at all times and still keep Giddens, who has 417 yards of his own, fresh compared to most elite college backs. Edwards is likely to take the mantle of RB1 if and when Giddens elects to head to the NFL, but until then, the Wildcats will boast one of the best running back rooms in all of college football.
“I want little kids to want to be like Dylan Edwards, to wear my jersey — here — at Kansas State,” Edwards said. “I just want to win football games and be electrifying.”
Can OSU’s defense carry its momentum from last week into Manhattan, Kansas?
calif poncy
Against Utah, the Oklahoma State defense was on the field for more than 40 minutes, and yet, the Cowboys still had their best defensive performance of the year. The fact the Utes were missing star quarterback Cam Rising certainly played a role, but regardless of the opponent, OSU cashed in a great performance. Do I expect OSU to hold every opponent to 22 points? No, but I think its defensive performance against Utah could have been a breakthrough for a unit that has at times struggled under defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo.
Ashton Slaughter
Although Oklahoma State’s defense looked good against Utah, I think expecting a repeat performance — or close to it — is a high ask. The Cowboys still allowed 456 yards against the Utes. And with Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson having the ability to make plays with his legs, let’s remember what Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green did to this defense in Stillwater — 477 total yards himself. Running quarterbacks tend to throw more wrenches OSU’s way, so I’ll lean on recent history to predict the future.
Snapshots from Osu-Utah sports
Utah defeated Oklahoma State 22-19 this past Saturday. Here are some of our staff’s best photos:
ROW 1 LEFT: OSU quarterback Garret Rangel commanding a huddle.
ROW 1 RIGHT: OSU quarterback Alan Bowman after throwing an interception.
ROW 2 LEFT: OSU fan yelling during the game.
ROW 2 RIGHT: Utah quarterback Isaac Wilson taking a snap.
ROW 3 LEFT: Utah wide receiver Money Parks and OSU cornerback Korie Black between plays.
ROW 3 RIGHT: OSU running back Ollie Gordon II celebrating a first down.
ROW 4 LEFT: OSU wide receiver Rashod Owens celebrating a touchdown.
ROW 4 RIGHT: OSU head coach Mike Gundy taking the field pregame.
