Monday, Dec. 26, 2022

Why the Guaranteed Rate Bowl matters for OSU

not a marquee matchup. It isn’t played on New Year’s Day and it is not the culminations of one of OSU’s all-time best seasons.

Sam Hutchens Staff Reporter

Oklahoma State’s bowl game is

The game, the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against Wisconsin, matters to OSU because it is a glimpse into the new era.

If the Cowboys want to get back to marquee matchups and January first games — 2021 things — they would

be well served to win against the Badgers to salvage some from a difficult season and set the tone entering the offseason.

For Derek Mason, OSU’s firstyear defensive coordinator, the game will be a chance to experiment with his new-look defense. It will appear different because of a host of defensive departures in the transfer portal. Junior linebacker Mason Cobb, junior

Hands-on learning experiences in the New Frontiers Agricultural Hall

Thomason News and Lifestyle Assistant Editor

Oklahoma State University has used advanced technology in the New Frontiers Agricultural Hall to create hands-on learning experiences.

Launched in January 2020, the New Frontiers campaign is building a new facility for OSU Agriculture.

Construction on the New Frontiers Agricultural Hall is planned to finish in the fall of 2024. This campaign hopes to further OSU’s teaching, research and Extension.

Nine students at the OSU Institute of Technology in Okmulgee recently toured the New Frontiers Agricultural Hall to learn about the new technology, including the Hilti JAIBOT.

Danny Hancock, project manager of

Platinum Mechanical and OSUIT graduate, said the Hilti JAIBOT is a semiautomated anchor/hanger point layout and drilling robot. He explained it is the first type of this robot model in use in Oklahoma. It is being used to build the new home of OSU Agriculture.

The Hilti JAIBOT found its home in November at the New Frontiers construction site. It will be used on the site for about three months.

“This technology utilizes the project’s model created in Building Information Modeling, or BIM, to more accurately lay out the anchor points, which are areas where anchors will be located to hold piping or duct systems,” Hancock said The Hilti JAIBOT uses digital plans to mark and drill holes. It helps to prevent overhead installation incidents.

the departing group.

Wisconsin is a good running team. Braelon Allen, the Badgers’ sophomore running back, has rushed for 1,126 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Cowboys have struggled against top backs.

Not as pretty as it looks

Holiday plants that can be poisonous

Some of the most iconic holiday decorations may be poisonous to your pets or children. Here is a list of the most common and most deadly decorations you should keep an eye on. There are a few important notes, please keep in mind that people suffering from any poisoning might

not display all of the symptoms listed, but if you have a genuine fear for your child’s or your pet’s safety, you should call the poison control center. This information has been pulled from the official poison control website, (poison.org).

No. 1- Mistletoe A true titan among holiday traditions, its berries could be incredibly harmful if ingested.

defensive end Trace Ford and junior cornerback Jabbar Muhammad headline

Photos by Mackenzie Janish and Abby Cage

On Tuesday in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against Wisconsin, OSU looks to salvage a season that turned backward with injuries and resulted in many starters in the transfer portal.

Courtesy of OSU

The Hilti JAIBOT robot, which will be used for the next three months. A group of students from the OSU Institute of Technology in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, visited the New Frontiers site to watch the robot in action.

Courtesy of Modern Farmer

The Mistletoe, a true titan among holiday traditions, its berries could be incredibly harmful if ingested.

Jacob Plaxico Staff Reporter

Kennedy

Gabriel Trevino Sports Editor

Braelon Allen vs OSU’s defense

sports

Who has the edge?

Passing offenses

If you’re a fan of high scoring, back-and-forth, down the field football, you should probably go to bed early on Tuesday. Both of Wisconsin’s possible quarterbacks — Chase Wolf and Myles Burkett — have a combined 11 pass attempts all season. OSU’s Garret Rangel only has two starts in his career as a true freshman. By default, the edge will go to OSU, as Rangel has shown some flashes in his two starts (albeit both losses) as a Cowboy. The Cowboys will also likely have all of its best receivers from this season back for the bowl game.

Abby Cage

This is going to be the key to victory for each team. If OSU can stop star Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen, then it will have a good chance at victory. If Allen runs through the sea of orange and black, then expect the Badgers to be celebrating. Teams average 171.3 rushing yards a game vs the Cowboys, and 4.6 per attempt. Allen on the season averages 5.4 yards per carry. The Cowboys tasked with stopping him are depleted from the transfer portal and NFL draft. So I feel safe giving the edge to Wisconsin on this one.

Nobody knows to what extent Luke Fickell will be coaching in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl as Wisconsin’s new head coach. He went on record saying he doesn’t know either. But no matter hands on he is, he’s one of the best coaches in the sport. At Cincinnati, he went 2-2 in bowl games, but the losses are to Georgia in the Peach Bowl the year before the Bulldogs won a national championship, and to Alabama in the College Football Playoff the year it won a natty. Mike Gundy on the other sideline is also one of the best college coaches. His bowl record is 125, the most notable in last year’s Fiesta Bowl. Some of those 12 wins were tough, too. This is a toss-up, but I’ll give the slight edge to Gundy, as Fickell is simply too new at his position to tell. If this was a Fickell-led team at Cincinnati, I’d probably pick him.

Pass rush:

EDGE

EDGE

Courtesy of Wisconsin Athletics

Courtesy of Tribune News Service

Luke Fickell vs Mike Gundy:

EDGE

Both teams have very average offensive lines. Wisconsin allows 2.08 sacks per game, and OSU allows 2.17. Getting to the quarterback is another story. Wisconsin averages 2.58 sacks per game, while OSU only 2.00. This may not seem like much of a difference, but 10 of OSU’s 24 sacks happened in the first three games of the season. In the nine games after, the team has struggled to get to the other teams’ quarterback. And, 23 of the 26 times an OSU player was sacked occurred in conference play. That’s why we don’t assume averages are everything. This edge will go to Wisconsin.

EDGE

Courtesy of Wisconsin Athletics

Overall: These are two pretty poor teams. It could go any way. Rangel, Ollie Gordon and other young OSU players can prove themselves on a bowl game stage, solidifying themselves for next season, but they can also show their youth. Wisconsin, behind Allen, can run over OSU’s defense, but also not find any consistency like the Badgers have in games this season. For my pick, though, I’ll give the edge to the Wisconsin and Allen.

EDGE

Courtesy of Wisconsin Athletics

Braelon Allen vs OSU front seven

The OSU defense tended to give up big rushing performances in the regular season. In six of their final seven games, the Cowboys gave up at least 175 yards rushing, and that was before departures. Without lineman Tyler Lacy and linebacker Mason Cobb, an already leaky front seven has even less depth, which could be a problem against running back Braelon Allen, who rushed for 1,126 yards this season. If Allen (or even backup Chez Mellusi) gets going, it could make for a long day for the OSU defense.

Which quarterback steps up biggest?

Both teams are in less-than-ideal quarterback situations. Wisconsin three-year starter Graham Mertz and OSU four-year starter Spencer Sanders, who combined for almost 15,000 passing yards and 105 touchdowns since 2019, both left their programs and opted out of the bowl game. Both teams will now have to rely on an inexperienced QB. Senior Chase Wolf is the most seasoned quarterback on Wisconsin’s roster, but he’s only attempted 31 passes in four years. Freshman Garret Rangel started two games for the Cowboys, including the season finale, and has two touchdowns and three picks. Who will make the most plays and fewest mistakes and help pull out a win?

Cowboy offense struggling to break the cap OSU failed to score more than 20 points in its final five games, and those games were not against world-beater defenses. Wisconsin’s defense doesn’t qualify as that either, but it’s good. The Badgers are 12th nationally in total defense and 25th in scoring defense, allowing 20 points per game. It will be a challenge for a Cowboy offense averaging less than 14 points a game in its last five – now without Sanders or running back Dominic Richardson – to have success against a stout defense. Can OSU muster enough offense to keep up?

3 players to watch Wisconsin

Myles Burkett, quarterback, freshman Wisconsin has quarterback issues. Think Spencer Sanders entering the transfer portal hurts the Cowboys? Well, the Badgers lost their starting quarterback Graham Mertz to the Florida Gators in the portal. At least the Cowboys have two other quarterbacks with starts this year, the Badgers have two guys with a combined six passes this year. Burkett, a freshman, is the clubhouse leader to get the start over the redshirt senior Chase Wolf, and could show himself to be the future of Wisconsin football.

Braelon Allen, running back, sophomore Allen is Wisconsin’s most electric player. He averages 5.4 yards a carry and 9.5 yards a catch. Those chuck plays added up to 1,230 total yards and 10 touchdowns. Allen let three passes fly this year, completing two for 33 yards. With the Badgers’ quarterback issues and a little bowl game wackiness don’t be surprised by a trick play pass

Tanor Bortolini, OL, redshirt sophomore

As per the usual, Wisconsin’s starting center declared for the NFL draft. Joe Tippman is a projected day-two draft pick so it paves the way for Bortolini to get the start at center. Bortolini is fluid, starting this year at guard and has also done well filling in a center two games. But that could change as he handles an inexperienced quarterback, a different position and a pounding Cowboy pass rush.

Mackenzie Janish

With two straight losses, OSU slides to No. 9 in The O’Colly’s Big 12 football power rankings.

sports

3 players to watch: OSU against Wisconsin

Last year at this time, the Cowboys were readying to play in one of college football’s preeminent bowl games. This season, Oklahoma State mustered just a 7-5 record and an appearance in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.

Sam Hutchens Staff Reporter

Without the Fiesta Bowl trophy at stake, the players wrapping up 2022 will provide the intrigue in OSU’s matchup against Wisconsin. Here are three Cowboys to watch.

Rangel, a freshman quarterback, is like a teenager with a new driver’s license. Senior quarterback Spencer Sanders recently announced his intentions to transfer. Rangel, who currently stands in line gets the keys to the offense, has had a couple test drives. Now, he gets a chance to solidify his spot.

The test drives were up-and-down affairs. In his two starts against Kansas and West Virginia, Rangel flashed promise. He threw for 304 yards against the Jayhawks. He also tossed three interceptions in that game, spotlighting his inexperience.

If Rangel balls out in the bowl game, it sets the tone for the offseason. If he struggles, it leaves lingering questions about OSU’s future at quarterback.

The transfer portal dictates importance. Smith, a freshman, will be one of OSU’s corners holding down the secondary. Junior cornerback Jabbar Muhammad announced he is entering the transfer portal. Muhammad had 48 tackles and an interception in 12 games this season.

Smith, a redshirt freshman with experience, has a chance to be one of the key pieces in the new-look secondary.

He stayed. That was the first thing to watch.

Gordon, OSU’s highly touted freshman running back, did not enter the transfer portal. Because senior running back Dominic Richardson announced his intentions to transfer to Baylor, Gordon has a clear path to a significant uptick in carries next season.

Watching Gordon share the backfield with Rangel could be a glimpse into OSU’s future. Expect redshirt freshman running back Jaden Nixon to get touches as well, but look for Gordon to be fed the rock. He has only gotten double-digit touches once in a game this season (17 against West Virginia). Look for him to hit that mark against the Badgers.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Chase Davis

Freshman running back Ollie Gordon could star in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl as starter Dominic Richardson recently announced his transfer to Baylor.

Ollie Gordon:

Mackenzie Janish OSU freshman quarterback Garret Rangel will likely start in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl after Spencer Sanders entered the transfer portal.

Garret Rangel:

Mackenzie Janish

Redshirt freshman Cam Smith will see an increased role in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl with Jabbar Muhammad in the transfer portal.

Cameron Smith:

What the Guaranteed Rate Bowl will mean for Wisconsin

After taking Cincinnati to a Peach Bowl and College Football Playoff, Fickell decided to make the Power Five jump and pack his bags for Madison.

Decisions he won’t be making are personnel and plays.

Trevino Sports Editor

The firing of Paul Chryst marked the end of an era for Wisconsin football.

After a 2-3 start to the 2022 season and a home loss to Illinois, the Badgers gave Chryst — the coach with multiple 10+ win seasons, wins in the Cotton and Orange bowls and a trip to the Rose — the boot. A replacement wouldn’t come until after the season.

The Guaranteed Rate Bowl will be the first in the Luke Fickell era.

“It would be pretty arrogant of me to walk in here and think I could make a better decision in three weeks than what (the assistant coaches) have seen over a long period of time,” Fickell said. “Those guys have got a grasp on what we have to do to be successful. We sat down, we talked. It’s going to be a little bit of a different situation. He got to do what’s best for us. I believe they have got the best idea of what that is.”

The Badgers will be playing without their starting quarterback, Graham Mertz, who transferred to Florida after the regular season. Most

of the other starters are there. Winning the Guaranteed Rate Bowl won’t change the minds of the players who already entered the portal and found new homes after a 6-6 season. But for those who stayed, it would symbolically signify what is to come for Fickell and Wisconsin football — for recruiting and for culture building.

“These games are rewards,” Fickell said. “The reward is to go play a game and compete against a great opponent. But more than anything, it’s a reward for everybody and all that they put in, and all the work that they have done.

Just having this opportunity to be around these guys for the last three-and-a-half weeks has really given me an advantage in relationship building.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

For OSU...

“It will be a really good matchup,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “Wisconsin is a good football team. Very physical up front, as we know -- you guys have seen them out here -- on both sides of the ball.”

If the Cowboy defense shines, it will be a building block for Mason to use with players he will rely on next season. If it falters, it could push OSU coaches to comb the transfer portal to negate the losses.

The game is also important for freshman quarterback Garret Rangel. He has started two games and emerged as the potential 2023 starting quarterback after senior Spencer Sanders announced his intentions to transfer. Rangel showed flashes of inexperience and promise in his games against Kansas and West Virginia.

Gundy says the offense will look different. If it looks good, Rangel will put himself in good position to play a lot more in his sophomore season.

“Not as much run with him as what we would have with Spencer [Sanders],” Gundy said. “I don’t think there is any secret there. Spencer is a pretty electric guy on his feet, moving around. [Garret] Rangel moves around OK and can avoid the rush and make some plays with his feet but certainly not like Spencer.”

Continued from 1 sports.ed@ocolly.com

Chase Davis

OSU freshman quarterback Garret Rangel will likely start in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl after Spencer Sanders entered the transfer portal.

Courtesy of Wisconsin Athletics

Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell (right) could win the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in his debut as the Badgers’ lead man.

Gabriel

U.S. Air Force Aircraft Damaged Stillwater Airport Runway

Mak Vandruff Staff Reporter

An aircraft carrying the U.S. Air Force women’s basketball team landed on the Stillwater Regional Airport’s runway with no approval on Dec. 13 for the team’s game against Oklahoma State University.

The aircraft, a U.S. Air Force C17 Globemaster, weighs around 400,000 pounds, which is 45 tons over the weight limit for the Stillwater airport runway. Damages to the runway were sustained, but have been temporarily patched. Engineers are determin-

ing the best course of action to fix any potential damages below ground.

Because of the extreme excess weight and the pavement consisting of multiple levels, engineers are determining the best method for assessing damage to the structural integrity of the airfield.

In October, an aircraft of the same type requested to land for the U.S. Air Force Academy baseball team. It was denied due to the weight restrictions.

City officials say all charter flights are required to receive permission prior to using the airport — but in this case, prior approval was neither

requested nor granted.

Officials of the Air Force claim the aircraft was within the weight restrictions, and it was approved with airport officials before landing.

Other officials within the U.S. Air Force Academy say the aircrafts are used “to save taxpayer money and support required military airlift training” according to the Associated Press.

“When military airlift is unpractical or unavailable, commercial airline tickets are purchased,” Miller wrote in an email to the AP.

The officials also say the damage sustained was not caused by the Air Force’s aircraft, and the true cause

of the damage has not yet been found.

Stillwater Regional Airport Director Paul Priegel and City Administration are talking with U.S. Air Force and have also requested the Federal Aviation Administration open an investigation into this incident. Messages left Thursday with the FAA were not immediately returned.

Though the Air Force plane may have destroyed the concrete, the team did not beat the Cowgirls. OSU soundly defeated the Air Force Falcons.

Davis Cordova

A plane carrying the Air Force women’s basketball team damaged the Stillwater Regional Airport’s runway after it landed.

OSU medical students find inequalities in ophthalmology research

Michael Clark Staff Reporter

A group of students from OSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine department published an article analyzing the inequalities of ophthalmology care for Black and Hispanic patients.

Christian Hemmerich, the lead author for the study and sophomore at OSUCOM, helped explain the team’s findings.

“Our research team recognized that deficient ophthalmologic care is costly to patients, making identifying groups not receiving adequate care of

vital importance,” Hemmerich said. “Overall, lowerincome patients were more likely to have vision impairment, use eye care services less, and have lower adherence to eye examinations.”

Other authors on the study team include secondyear student Garrett Jones, third-year students Jordan Staggs and Rigel Bacani, third-year Cherokee Nation student Reece Anderson, and Office of Medical Student Research Director Matt Vassar. This group analyzed 75 articles based on ophthalmic research that discussed health and income inequalities.

The study, which

is published in the peerreviewed journal JAMA Ophthalmology, analyzed previous studies and reports on the same subject and also points out a lack of attention toward articles covering LGBTQ patients.

“There are many surprising findings,” Hemmerich said. “However, some of the most noteworthy were that zero studies investigated inequities within the LGBTQ groups, and only 27% of studies that focused on race and ethnicity inequalities included American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander patients.”

The published article recommended future studies to examine the barriers to clinical studies and medical trainee recruitment as well as patient values, preference studies, and the implementation of telemedicine in under-resourced areas.

“I feel honored to have this research published in such an esteemed journal,” Hemmerich said. “I am incredibly grateful to have this opportunity and to use the JAMA platform to share our research and contribute to the scientific literature.”

The robot is operated on the ground, away from drilling, which reduces risks such as exposure to concrete silicate for the workers.

Hancock said it is important for students to see this type of advanced technology in action.

“It’s critical for students to connect actual installation with their classroom training, so they can see the byproduct of what they were taught,” Hancock said. “Physically seeing something done has a better chance of making an impression that they will likely never forget.”

Zane Moneypenny, OSUIT construction management student, said seeing the new technology in person during the tour was a beneficial experience.

“It was a big eye-opener,” Moneypenny said. “Being able to take what we have learned in the classroom and see first-hand the technology used in the field is a huge benefit, especially on a project like this one.”

The construction site tour is one of many examples of hands-on learning happening at New Frontiers Agricultural Hall. Another group of construction management students from OSU’s Stillwater campus plan to tour the site in January.

Courtsey of OSU

Christian Hemmerich, the lead author for the study and sophomore at OSU-COM.

Courtesy of OSU

The Hilti JAIBOT robot, which will be used for the next three months. A group of students from the OSU Institute of Technology in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, visited the New Frontiers site to watch the robot in action. news.ed@ocolly.com

Both European and American mistletoe have poison berries, though the American one has been found to contain more of the poison. The side effects are normally non-fatal, though nonetheless unpleasant. The symptoms are blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.These side effects have been observed to be much less pronounced in adults but pose a genuine risk to small children or animals.

No. 2- Holly

While both the berries and the leaves contain about the same amount of poison, the leaves are covered in hard spikes making it a much less appetizing part of the plant. The main concern is the berries.

Poison control recommends that anyone decorating with fresh holly remove the berries. This prevents them from drying out and falling to the ground, which can make it much easier for a child or pet to consume. The symptoms of holly poisoning are vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and drowsiness. Like mistletoe, holly poisoning is typically non-fatal.

No. 3- Bulbs

A strange addition to this list, bulbs are any plant with a seed that is described as a “bulb.” These bulbs can look incredibly similar to shallots or potatoes. Be sure to store bulbs separately from your food to prevent children from mistaking them as anything else.

Reports indicate that adults who ate as many as 4 bulbs only had a mild tummy ache and a feeling of “weakness”, both persisted for about 5 days. An important note is these were adult men during World War 2, the effects are much more pronounced in smaller individuals and especially children. The biggest risk tulip bulbs specifically have is developing “tulip fingers,” where one develops an

allergic reaction to tulip bulbs after handling too many. It has to be a truly startling amount of bulbs per day to develop this allergy so most gardeners are safe.

General plant tips: This section is dedicated to plants that are normally safe but under certain conditions turn deadly. As a rule of thumb, refrain from consuming any decorative plants or steeping them to make tea. The steam from steeping alone could be dangerous with the right plant. Make certain to keep any and all decorative plants away from small, hungry children and mischievous pets. Keep an eye out for your loved ones during the holidays because the doctor who will have to treat them during the holidays is definitely going to be unhappy, and nobody in that situation wants to deal with said situation.

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Courtesy of Gardner’s Path

Bulbs are any plant with a seed that is described as a “bulb.” These bulbs can look incredibly similar to shallots or potatoes.

Courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens

Many holly plants will produce colorful fruit that remains in place for three to six months of the year.