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Opponent Preview Game 13: Oklahoma State Cowboys Noon ET ��� The Cotton Bowl ��� TV: ESPNU fensive prowess.��� No matter who���s been at QB, Oklahoma State���s version of the Air Raid offense has produced to the tune for 4,000 passing yards and 29 scores. But it���s been the running game that���s been dominant. Running back Joseph Randle year, it became routine for Chelf to is top-20 nationally in rushing, be replaced by Walsh in red-zone having run for 14 touchdowns and situations, effectively establishing more than 1,350 yards this season. a platoon system. Having a great Should the junior opt to forego running back also helped im- his senior season in Stillwater, he���ll mensely. To me at least, the final be one of the top running backs numbers seemed more a product taken in this spring���s NFL draft. of smoke and mirrors than true of���Everybody always just thinks Oklahoma State���s just a passing team,��� Purdue cornerback Ricardo Allen said, ���but the running back actually has about 250 carries. They run the ball a good amount, too. ���A lot of teams try to come out and get in (three-receiver) personnel and not pack the box to help against the pass, but they run the ball very well. They���re a balanced offense and they���re really good at what they do.��� The Purdue defense is pleased to have played Indiana in the regular-season finale, as the Hoosiers��� up-tempo offense resembles the attack Oklahoma Oklahoma State State will field, provided the Josh Stewart has developed into Oklahoma State���s loss of its offensive coordinator top receiver with more than 1,000 yards. prolific cowboy offense awaits purdue in texas BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com Purdue���s going to stun the colIflege football world and beat Oklahoma State in the Heart of Dallas Bowl, it���s going to have to score. Probably a lot. While no one around the Boilermaker defense is going to concede anything to the high-scoring Cowboys, history says that to beat Oklahoma State, one must simply outscore Oklahoma State. Consider the fact that the average Cowboy game this season has seen 74 points scored. Those five teams who beat Mike Gundy���s team in 2012 needed an average of 47.2 points to do it. Oklahoma State will move the ball. And it will score. When you���re dealing with an offense that averages 44 points and ranks fourth nationally in total offense, that���s pretty much a given. The Cowboys��� average of 7.01 yards per play matches Florida Oklahoma State Mike Gundy���s team has had one of the country���s most prolific offenses this season. State for an NCAA best. Not that it mattered much considering the opponent, but the 84 points Oklahoma State scored in its opener against Savannah State were the most scored by a team this college football season, at least at a relevant level. Even after losing NFL firstrounders Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden off last season���s team, the Cowboys have again fielded one of college football���s most productive attacks, and they���ve done it with three quarterbacks seeing significant action. Freshman Wes Lunt started the season before giving way to the combination of anticipated bowl-game starter Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh, each of them athletic types who can run and throw. ���This was really the story of Oklahoma State���s season,��� said Steve Dodson, who covers Oklahoma State for OStateIllustrated. com. ���The Cowboys started the year with a pure pocket passer and ended by playing two dualthreat quarterbacks, substantially changing the style of the offense in the process. ���Short to intermediate passes were emphasized and the quarterbacks became heavily involved in the run game. Gadget plays were also used with greater frequency. Toward the end of the GoldanDBlack express ��� volume 23, express 15��� ������ 7