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h e a r t o f d a l l a s b o w l WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE Purdue bowl opponent disappointed to have fallen to Dallas BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com full Purdueit will have its handsBowl in the Heart of Dallas Jan. 1, as draws Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl. The Boilermakers, winners of three in a row to finish an otherwise disappointing season, will be thrilled to be there, considering their midseason swoon. The Cowboys, though, aren't happy. Thanks to Northern Illinois crashing the BCS, Oklahoma was left out, leaving Kansas State as the Big 12's lone entry. That triggered a bowl chain reaction that pushed Mike Gundy's team out of the Alamo Bowl appearance they wanted and into maybe the lowest-profile game among the nine that Big 12 teams will play in. TCU, West Virginia and Texas Tech, all teams Oklahoma State beat this season by at least three touchdowns, earned bowl invites perceived to be better. Perhaps adding salt to the wound is the fact that it was Texas So needless to say, Oklahoma State hoped for better. N e ve r t h e l e s s, Purdue will have its hands full against a Cowboy team that can flat-out score as it showed right out of the gate in an 84-0 Oklahoma State win over Savannah State in the opener. Junior running back Joseph Randle is a big-time threat, having rushed for about 1,350 yards this season, with 14 TDs. Here are five things to know who fell into the Alamo Bowl. The Longhorns got away with a clear about Oklahoma State. Oklahoma State survived a bit fumble on their game-winning of a scare the past few weeks, touchdown in the final minute of as Gundy's name was strongly astheir Sept. 29 win over the Cowboys. sociated with SEC job openings at Oklahoma State finished both Arkansas and Tennessee. fourth in the Big 12 standings but Arkansas, which interviewed was the eighth team selected. Gundy, has since hired Wisconsin's "If you're referring to a numBret Bielema after it was actually bering system based on your reported that Gundy had acceptfinish in the league, obviously it ed the position. doesn't matter where you finish Gundy reportedly turned in the league," Gundy said, accorddown Tennessee before it hired ing to the Stillwater NewsPress. Butch Jones. "... The only thing that I don't unSo it looks as if the Cowboys derstand is we have a numbering will retain their coach, thus keepsystem in our conference but our ing the Heart of Dallas Bowl from conference doesn't follow it." 1 a junior who's run for 14 touchdowns and more than 1,350 yards in 2012. While Purdue played two quarbeing played between terbacks through two teams led by inmuch of the season, terim coaches. the Cowboy offense Shaking off the thrived while playing losses of NFL three. first-round picks Because of various Brandon Weeden injuries throughout and Justin Blackmon the season, includat quarterback and Oklahoma State ing a few different receiver, respec- Coach Mike Gundy could be tively, the Cowboys staying despite other interest. ones to freshman Wes Lunt, the openinghave again been one day starter, a trio of of college football's QBs have played fairly evenly for most explosive offenses. They have scored 30 or more Oklahoma State. Lunt, Clint Chelf and J.W. points in all but one game this Walsh have each thrown for more season, the lone exception being a 20-14 win over a bad Kansas team. than 1,000 yards, with a combined Oklahoma State enters the 29 touchdowns. Chelf is expected to be the postseason ranked fourth nationstarter for the bowl game. ally in scoring, averaging 44.7 Small world: Lunt succeeded points, and fifth nationally in total Purdue quarterback-turnedoffense, averaging 548.9 yards. linebacker Sean Robinson as the While it's thrown for more than 4,000 yards, Oklahoma starting QB at Rochester High State also boasts one of college School in Illinois. After leading college football football's most potent running in 2011 in turnovers forced, games, averaging 215.5 yards per Oklahoma State's defense has game and more than 5.4 per carry. They're led by stud running back generated just 17 this season, one and NFL prospect Joseph Randle, of the nation's lowest totals. j 4 2 3 5 GoldanDBlack express • volume 23, express 14 • 12