Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022

Column

Gabriel Trevino Sports Editor

When the Texas Longhorns ran out onto the field of Boone Pick ens Stadium, tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders led the posse carrying the lone star flag of Texas.

A cascade of jeers erupted from the north side of OSU fans, before Sanders looked straight to the stands and waved the flag, proclaiming the state of Texas to a group of Oklahomans during Homecoming.

Forty-nine play ers on OSU’s roster hail from Texas. Only three (Langston An derson, Tyler Lacy and Ollie Gordon) received a scholarship offer to play for the Longhorns. Over the years, many on OSU’s roster, even Lacy, expressed their past hopes to play for Texas after high school. But now they’re at OSU, and play OSU’s way.

In OSU’s 41-34 win over Texas on Saturday, the Cowboys didn’t play like Texas. And they didn’t play like the team OSU wants to become, either. But it should be the way for the remainder of the season.

Following OSU’s loss to TCU last week, OSU coach Mike Gundy expressed the impor tance, and difficulty, of establishing the run this season. Starting running back Dominic Richardson entered this game without a run of 20 yards or more, and averaged 3.3 yards per carry in Big 12 play.

It didn’t get better today.

Richardson carried the ball 13 times for just 24 yards, culminating in an abysmal 1.8 yards per carry, with a long of five yards. From the second quarter onward, OSU mixed in freshmen backs Jaden Nixon and Ollie Gordon.

“We were trying to mix it up,” Gundy said. “We’re trying not to be predictable.”

Performance, not play calls, made for defensive improvement

Mason, OSU’s defensive coordinator, called OSU’s 41-34 win against Texas as entertaining a chess match as he has ever had against Texas coach Steve Sarki sian.

Ben Hutchens Assistant Sports Editor

Notebook

Derek Mason made sure everyone in the media scrum was clear.

He didn’t make any new calls in the second half.

Except in this version of chess, played on turf, his knights, rooks and bishops simply played better in the first half than they did in the second, something impossible in a game played on a checkered wood board.

“We told our guys going into halftime, ‘Look, it’s nothing different than what you’ve seen, and we’re going to play well,’” Mason said. “And that’s what happened. So, kudos to our guys,

there were no new calls. Not one new call.”

OSU surrendered 31 points in the first half and three in the second half. The Longhorns rushed for 9.5 yards a carry in the first half and 2.9 in the second half.

Nobody in the Cowboy locker room at halftime panicked. Mason said the defense had seen all the plays from the scout team in practice that week, it was just a matter of getting adjusted to the ramped-up game speed.

“Some of the looks that you see during the week aren’t as fast,

Album review: Swift at her best in ‘Midnights’

Jaden Besteda Staff Reporter

I think Taylor Swift has mastered the art of songwriting.

Those were my first thoughts of her new album ‘Mid nights” about halfway through. It’s easy to recognize that Swift’s latest effort isn’t something that you can fully digest within the first listen. Most of her projects are like that. Given the relatively short 44 minute runtime to say something like that must mean that she uses almost every line to her best ability. That’s exactly what happened.

The thing about “Mid nights” is that in my opinion there are no radio hits. Not in the way “1989” had “Shake it off” or “Reputation” had “Look What You Made Me Do.” That’s exactly what makes this album so inter esting and a great body of work.

You can argue that “Anti-Hero” is the big radio song of the album, even that had its share of good writing and cohesiveness that Swift singles usually don’t.

“Midnights” is an album about just that and it’s executed perfectly. Every song perfectly portrays a different midnight thought or action that any over thinker depraved, shunned, or desperate for love would do. The tonal shifts are almost as drastic as a midnight thought can be and the almost laughable lyrics work because of her commitment to the theme.

Furthermore, the more serious lines can be felt even more because the sincerity in them seem to be there. “I hosted parties and starved my body, like I’d be saved from a perfect kiss,” comes from my favorite song on the album, “You’re On Your Own, Kid.” The song describes the chase for affection and how

putting yourself in the limelight can bring the best and worst. The great thing about this song is that it builds slowly and tells a com plete story. The beginning, mid dle, and end go together perfectly. The music picks up around the 1:44 timestamp and transports us to a now grown up Swift. She de scribes how the heartbreaks have helped her become independent and even though losing friends and lovers is a tough thing, every thing that takes courage is a step forward in the right direction. To top it all off, she adds in a little “Yeah, you can face this” with the chorus at the end. Making it not just maybe the most emotional song of the album but the most uplifting track too.

Other standout tracks in clude, “Maroon,” “Question…?,” “Sweet Nothing,” and “Snow on the Beach.”

OSU should embrace the team it is, not what it wants or should be

Mackenzie Janish

Photo description

Chase Davis

OSU held Texas to three points in the second half of the Cowboys’ 41-34 win.

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In the second quarter, Nixon broke off a 51-yard rush, the secondlongest offensive play for the Cowboys all season. Besides that, the run game stalled again. In the third quarter, OSU attempted 11 rushes, netting -1 yards. The fourth quarter didn’t change much. The Cowboys attempted another 11 running plays, this time for 35 yards.

“We just can’t get into a rhythm rushing the ball,” Gundy said on Mon day. “We just have to keep doing the same stuff we’re doing and improve.”

The same stuff didn’t work. Dif ferent stuff didn’t yield much better re sults. So, ditch the run. Let quarterback Spencer Sanders lead the offense. Just as he did on Saturday — in a different way.

Sanders threw 57 passes on Saturday’s win vs Texas. Six more than his previous career high, in last sea son’s Fiesta Bowl victory against Notre Dame. The fourth-year starting quar terback turned those 57 attempts into 391 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.

In the fourth quarter, with OSU trailing Texas 31-24, Sanders led the offense on a 66-yard drive for a gametying touchdown to Brennan Presley over the middle.

“We couldn’t waste any more op portunities,” Gundy said.

Six minutes later, another Sand ers touchdown pass in the middle of the field gave OSU a 41-34 lead. Of Sand ers’ 107 passing yards in the fourth quarter, 93 came from passes to receiv ers in the middle of the field.

“He loves throwing the ball over the middle…” said offensive coordina tor Kasey Dunn.

On throws outside the numbers, Sanders still struggles. His intercep tion on Saturday resulted from a poorly placed throw on the perimeter of the field. His pick last week against TCU was the same. On the first play of scrimmage against UAPB a month ago, he was nearly picked on an under thrown deep ball on the outside of the field.

OSU needs to keep throwing over the middle, the area of the field Sand ers likes to throw to, and is good at.

“...He’s putting it in a position for the guys to go get it,” Dunn said.

“And he’s throwing it on time. Spencer continues to play better and better.”

Ja’Tavion Sanders, who gestured to the OSU crowd with the Texas flag before kickoff, arrived at UT in 2021 as a five-star rated prospect out of high school — something Texas doesn’t lack. Quarterback Quinn Ewers was the No. 1 player in his class, and given a perfect recruiting grade. Running back Bijan Robinson is another former five-star prospect.

OSU has only one five-star player in its history, and it was long before Saturday’s game. But the two lead

ing receivers in the entire game were OSU’s Bryson Green and Stephon Johnson, both former three-star com mits.

Since 2014, Texas has been in the top 10 of recruiting rankings six times. OSU hasn’t been in the top 20 once. In the same time frame, Texas’ record is 58-49. OSU’s is 78-32. The Cowboys have even beat Texas six of the last nine times the two teams have met.

OSU isn’t the program Texas is. It frankly never will be. And the Cowboys shouldn’t act like Longhorns. They shouldn’t play like last year’s 12-2 OSU team either. They should play like they did on Saturday. As an

underdog, and as a team who is aware of its identity.

“Gutsy is a good term,” Gundy said. “They just found a way to get it done. I told them in the hotel, ‘Every body here is good enough to play, and good enough to win at a high level. Or else you wouldn’t be here. We expect you to play well. It’s gonna be a fist fight, and you just have to strike them in the mouth.’”

Chase Davis

OSU wide receiver Brennan

Presley scored a touchdown in the win over Texas.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

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so I’ll tell you right now, to ask our black ops units to play to the same speed as Tex as, that’s not going to happen,” Mason said. “So, I think for us, sometimes getting into the ebb and flow of a game takes us a little longer.”

Stephon Johnson Jr. produces Boogie, as freshman OSU receiver Stephon Johnson Jr. is nicknamed, had reason

to hit a postgame locker room dance.

Johnson more than doubled his season catch total Friday night, hauling in six catches for 90 yards. Four of his five catches entering the night were against the Univer sity of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, so Johnson proved he can hang with the Big 12’s best in a game scenario.

“(Johnson Jr.) is going to be something nice, something crazy,” Cowboy running back Jaden Nixon said. “I’m excited to watch him in the future. Just watch him at practice, it’s hon

estly no worries just how nice he is. I remember one time at practice he just went up and made a one hand snag and ev erybody was like ‘Wow.’ He’s a young guy, so he’s got some learning to do, but everybody has some learning to do.”

Johnson Jr. received more snaps because of injuries to receivers Braydon John son and Jaden Bray. Cowboy offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn said Johnson Jr. stepped up when the team needed him and wasn’t fazed by a raucous homecoming crowd in Boone Pickens Stadium.

Jason Taylor continues to haunt the ‘Horns Texas Longhorn fans may go to bed tonight seeing Jason Taylor in their sleep.

Taylor, OSU senior safety, continues to haunt the Horns.

Last year in Austin, Taylor flipped the script on a Texas blowout with an 85-yard interception return for a touch down. Friday night, Taylor added two interceptions to his tally against Texas.

“He’s one of those guys we talk about, he always ends up around the football some

how,” Gundy said. “He’s very athletic, he’s got great hands and, in the end, he comes over and makes a big time play and takes it away from where they are at and gave us a real chance.”

Taylor’s second intercep tion, a play he made running to his left, sent him tumbling into the sideline. He needed medi cal attention.

Gundy said postgame he didn’t have an update on Taylor because everything happened so quickly.

ETERNITY IN MIND!

“ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be stead fast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Co.15:58 NKJ)

Just about everything in this life is tempo rary. Yet, most people work very hard to have a pleasant few years in their lifetime. I would like to remind the true Christians that God is offering us an eternity of bless ing as we serve him and his purposes now. In 1 Co.15 the Apostle Paul is reminding these believers of Christ’s resurrection and how true and real it was. He continues by emphasizing the sure promise of God that we are going to share in that resurrec tion one day. We will have a new, eternal body like Jesus has now. As we help in the work of God, furthering his kingdom;

demonstrating the love of God in blessing and serving others; as you and I get involved with helping missionary work, even going to help in short term mission trips or providing finances for others to go, we are laying up treasure in heaven “where moths cannot corrupt and thieves cannot steal.”

Actually, this kingdom of God, with forgive ness of all our sins and a new relationship with God as our Father, is offered to all mankind. If you have never opened your heart to Christ, asking for a clean heart and a new life; the door is open wide for you to come. You will not be turned away. Then you too can begin to live for the eternal: laying up treasure in Heaven. I en courage all to consider these words, no matter your age, and choose the best and most satisfying life. It is a life following Christ as your Lord, and going for God’s best in eternity. It is a great and sure future!

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Chase Davis

Jason Taylor (25) snagged two interceptions in OSU’s 41-34 win over Texas on Saturday afternoon in Boone Pickens Stadium.

Walkaround the apartments: One on 4th and Midtown’s Homecoming experience

Payton Little and Baylor Bryant Staff Reporters

The amount of people coming into town affects more than just businesses.

Homecom ing in Stillwater is the time of the year when Uni versity Avenue is filled to the brim with people taking in the illustrious house decora tions built by the different Greek houses rather than the many cars that pass by on the street.

Not too far away from all the festivities are two apartment com plexes, Midtown at Stillwater and One on 4th. As one of the names implies, these apartment complexes are off of 4th street and have easy access to University Avenue. With the large influx of people coming into Stillwater, Midtown and One on 4th easily take notice, especially when it comes to bringing in tours.

Kaylen Heath, a One on 4th employee, worked at One on 4th during last year’s Homecom ing weekend, and agrees that the sit uation between the two apartments is very similar.

“Homecom ing brings in a very significant amount of people so parents come in, alumni come in, everyone wants to venture around and look at the place,” Heath said.

“We definitely have a big increase in tours. Every one’s like, ‘Let’s look at housing for next year.’

A lot of people that are freshmen will bring their families up early Thursday and Fri day and it is pretty busy for us cause they are coming in for tours so we’ve been slam packed all day with people calling about rates and people coming for tours, things like that. It definitely increases that as pect from people that live out of town and there are a lot more fami lies in town so of course traffic is busy throughout the lobby.”

Madison Paul, a junior at OSU, is an em ployee for Mid town at Stillwa ter. With all the festivities going on, she noted that the volume is usu ally at an increase when Homecom ing rolls around.

“A lot of people bring their friends over to Midtown,” Paul said. “There’s

houses down the street and stuff so people are always walking through it.”

Midtown also celebrates homecoming in a unique way each year. The social media pages will conduct give aways and prizes for those that enter via their Instagram page.

The lucky win ner of this years prize received an OSU football jersey with a water bottle, the perfect combination for Stillwater game days.

While all the people coming in could seem like a difficult thing for the complexes, both find a way to see the bright side of the situation and enjoy the fes tivities that come with the grand event.

SINCE

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Chase Davis

Walkaround brings in thousands of people to Stillwater each year.

Lifestyle

Swift...

The outro of this album is so unique that I could write an entire article about that by itself. The song “Mastermind” is not your typical outro the song rings as something that’d be a track seven or eight of any other album

but it’s not. For some reason, that to tally works.

“Mastermind” is essentially Swift admitting that she was the mastermind between her and another person’s meeting and eventual falling in love. Planning potential run in co incidences and conversations that may or may not ever happen. The perfect ending to an album about midnights. Because what’s more common than a fake scenario at midnight? The song before “Sweet Nothing” works as the

slowest song on the album and defi nitely one that’ll grow on many people as time passes. She describes how she caved to be in a relationship that gave her nothing just for the simple reason of not being alone.

Every song on “Midnights” perfectly puts in perspective what I can imagine millions of people have been through and just what exactly they may be feeling at midnights. I’m not sure how exactly radio accessible this is compared to albums from years past.

However, it is still Swift. Anti-Hero will probably be the No. 1 song in the country for weeks to come. Regardless, the album executes its theme almost perfectly and the songwriting from Swift and co-writer Jack Antonoff is extremely crisp. “Midnights” is an ter rific album and will be played for years to come.

Probably at midnight.

entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Terry Wyatt

Taylor Swift performs onstage during NSAI 2022 Nashville

Songwriter Awards at Ryman Auditorium on Sept. 20, 2022, in Nashville, Tennessee. Swift surprised fans early Friday with bonus tracks for her new album, “Midnights.”

Come check out the wide variety of elegant clothing at Formal Fantasy! Located on 121 E. 9th Ave, Downtown Stillwater

The best selection of beer, wine and li quor that Stillwater has to offer! Perfect for all your game day needs, come to Brown’s Bottle Shop located on 128 N. Main

“The Original Hideaway, located on the corner of Knoblock and University. Serving quality pizza and more since 1957.”

Murphy’s Department Store

815 S Main, Downtown Open 10-6 Monday thru Saturday

Business Squares Business Squares Company Coming?

Check out “Cowboy

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Linda Black Horoscopes

Today’s Birthday (10/25/22). Fortune follows health this year. Steady domestic care and love generate wonderful improvements. Autumn profits pour in, allowing support with extra winter family expenses. Springtime ripens into collaborative victory, developing solutions for summer income delays. Practice your moves for growing energy, fun and ease.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most chal lenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 9 — Find creative ways to grow your family nest egg. A lucrative six-month Eclipse phase dawns with tonight’s Scorpio New Moon. Launch valuable initiatives in partnership.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Make a delightful connection. Col laboration flowers and deepens over the next six months. Together, you’re greater. Kindle some special New Moon magic. Share and grow.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Energize your physical moves. The New Moon/Eclipse tonight initiates six months of growing health and strength. Infuse heart into your actions. Practice makes perfect.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is an 8 — Enjoy yourself. Stir up some ro mance. This Scorpio Eclipse begins a six-month family, fun and passion phase. Get creative. It’s all for love.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 7 — Realize domestic dreams and visions over the next six-month Eclipse phase. Get creative. Improve the beauty and func tionality of your home. Nurture family.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 9 — Profit through communications over six months. Possibilities spark in conversation during this Eclipse phase. Creative projects flower. Express, share and connect. Write your story.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 9 — Begin a lucrative New Moon phase. Discover fresh markets and rising prosperity. Strengthen financial foundations for growth. Rake in and preserve a healthy harvest.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 9 — Pursue personal dreams. Expand talents, capacities and skills over six months, with the Eclipse in your sign. Grow and develop. Shine your light.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — Insights, breakthroughs and revelations sparkle in the dark of tonight’s Scorpio Eclipse. Dreams seem within reach. Enjoy a two-week creative, imaginative and organizational phase.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Connect for shared support, fun and appreciation. This six-month Eclipse phase benefits team efforts. Grow through friendships, social networks and community participation. Get social.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — This Scorpio Eclipse illuminates professional opportunities. Develop interesting projects over the next six months. Pursue exciting possibilities. Your career, status and influence rise.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is an 8 — Educational opportunities arise after tonight’s Eclipse. The next six-month phase favors study, investigation and exploration. Consider new perspectives. Make connections, contributions and

to

puzzle

Photo

Homecoming and hoops

All photos by Jaiden Daughty