Celebrating Sanders Monday, November 15, 2021
Cowboys rout TCU with famed running back in attendance
Chris Becker
Barry Sanders (right) received his statue at OSU’s football game.
Ben Hutchens Digital Editor Gunnar Gundy and Barry Sanders shared a field in Stillwater Saturday night. Gundy because the Oklahoma State Cowboys throttled the TCU Horned Frogs 63-17 and Sanders because he was added to the Cowboy Ring of Honor. Festivities for Cowboy fans attending the 7 p.m. blackout-themed game in Boone Pickens Stadium began two hours earlier, at the unveiling of a 9-foot-tall statue of Sanders, commemorating his time as a Cowboy. The guest list was impressive. Members of Sander’s offensive
line the War Pigs, former coach Pat Jones, dozens of people in the Sanders family, coach Mike Gundy, OSU athletic director Chad Weiberg and president Dr. Kayse Shrum were some of the people participating in the ceremony. Gundy talked about why it was so valuable to have Sanders back in Stillwater. Shrum shared a story of seeing her face alongside Sander’s on a Homecoming sign. Weiberg issued thanks to everyone who made the ceremony possible. But all echoed the same sentiment: Sanders was one of the best to ever do it. That is how Sanders found himself on the field at the half of a game already a blowout. In a brief ceremony, video messages were played on the big screen congratulating Sanders for his accomplishments. And again, the guest list was impressive. Football legends Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Desmond Mason and Tim Tebow all spoke of Sanders’ ac-
colades. Even OSU alumni Thurman Thomas and Garth Brooks recorded messages, with Brooks calling Sanders the “Greatest fricking running back in college and professional football history.” The curtain over the west side of the stadium covering Sanders name and number was pulled up, revealing the second name in the Cowboy Ring of Honor, alongside Thomas. A few more photos were snapped and a framed black OSU jersey bearing Sanders’ No. 21 was presented and then, keeping with the famed running back’s personality, the festivities were quietly over. But his impact in the game was not. The largest crowd in Boone Pickens Stadium this season, part of which came out for Sanders, had plenty to cheer about as the Cowboys continued to dominate the Horned Frogs. Led in carries by senior running back Jaylen Warren, the Cowboys rushed for 447 yards.
Gundy was asked if Sander’s presence gave Warren any additional energy. “For the story, I’d like to say yes,” Gundy said. “But Jaylen likes to play. I’ll say yes for your story.” The atmosphere, fueled partially by Cowboy touchdowns and Sanders hysteria, made for a dominating performance in a unique atmosphere for all players involved, including Gunnar, who handed the ball off three times and ran it himself once. “It was different than a normal game,” wide receiver Brennan Presley said. “With everything going on, people coming back in town for (Sanders) just bringing attention to it; you got to love playing under the night lights, 7 p.m. black out that’s cool. So, I mean just the added mystique to the night I think that was kind of cool.”
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Gundy hopes Cowboys will avoid tunnel vision Gabriel Trevino Staff Reporter
coaches talk. I spend my time stressing to them the importance of what tomorrow brings and what’s got them here.” Gundy’s key to staying on track- the same things his players have been to get them in the position they are in. “What’s got them here is their focus,” Gundy said. “Their discipline and their toughness and staying the course. It’s just so difficult in the world today with social media and the outside people who now are going to tell them how great they are more than ever for them to stay focused.” Gundy used his wrestling background to create an analogy for his team. Gundy said there is always someone ready to take you down, and when you think you are doing well, you get hit down. The Cowboys mentality and effort during practice have brought them to a nine wins this season, with two regular season games remaining. Gundy said he will not be worried, as he believes their culture will continue to flourish. “I’ve not been around a team that likes to be around each other and likes to practice,” Gundy said. “They like it and they go play hard. It’s just an unusual group. We have a culture that we all follow the rules, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to always work every year.”
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are one win away from something they have never done before. A trip to the Big 12 championship game. The Big 12 created a conference championship game in 2017, and since then, the Oklahoma Sooners have won all four games. Its rival, OSU, only has claimed one Big 12 championship in school history, in 2011, long before the championship games conception. OSU has a history of late season collapses. In 2015, OSU climbed the rankings, becoming the fourth best team in the country, before losing three straight games. In 2020, OSU had a chance to go to Arlington, then fell to unranked TCU, allowing Iowa State to compete for the crown. Coach Mike Gundy said he wants his team to avoid tunnel vision, in order for history not to repeat itself. You know, now I try to not ever think past tomorrow’s practice,” Gundy said. “But human nature is that, and I can only imagine that the players and everybody, but it’s not just sports.ed@ocolly.com
Abby Cage