Oklahoma State Cowboys Focused on Kansas Jayhawks

Despite their season goals being within reach, the Cowboys aren't looking past their next opponent.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:02 pm

By: News On 6

Oklahoma State Cowboys Focused on Kansas Jayhawks

Originally Published: Nov 15, 2010 2:53 PM CDT

Gerald Goodridge
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

STILLWATER, Oklahoma -- For the second consecutive week, the Oklahoma State Cowboys are ranked in the Top 10 of the BCS standings and are getting attention on a national stage.

After being picked to finish at the bottom of the conference during the preseason, OSU players are happy that some of the national spotlight is finally pointed at Stillwater, Oklahoma.

“[Being the focus of national attention] is fun, I’m enjoying every minute of it,” quarterback Brandon Weeden said. “I’m just glad Oklahoma State is finally on the map. We’re getting some recognition I feel that we deserve. Just being part of it is special.”

A danger that comes with being No. 10 in the nation and being a team heralded as one of the top offensesin the nation is complacency. These dangers are something that the coaches are well aware of and are trying to keep their players from falling victim to.

“Our goal since weekone was to get better each week. It’s never a finished product,” offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen said. “Any time you relax a little bit, you’re back to square one.”

Standing at 9-1 with just two games left in the regular season and poised to win more games in the regular season than any other Cowboy team, it would be easy to look ahead to loftier goals than one game.

However, OSU players haven’t lost sight of the goals they set out to accomplish the first week in September and the steps they need to take to get to them.

“The Kansas Jayhawks are standing in our way to accomplish our goals,” defensive Richetti Jones said. “Our goal is the Big 12 Championship and then the BCS Championship.”

The Cowboys are in control of the outcome of their season at this point; win the remainder of their games and they will head to a BCS bowl for the first time in school history. Coaches and players are well aware of what overlooking one opponent can do to their chances of making OSU history.

“Football is unique, if you lose one game it effects your whole season,” head coach Mike Gundy said. “You take a chance each Saturday and that’s why you stay focused.”

Gundy has said weekly that he knows his team isn’t good enough to overlook any opponent and look ahead to future opponents. That belief is something the players not only agree with, but echo.

“We’re just going to keep our blinders on like we have all season,” receiver Isaiah Anderson said. “We respect everyone but fear no one. That philosophy has gotten us where we’re at right now.”

And that singular focus, despite playing one the bottom teams in the conference, sits solely on Lawrence, Kansas and coming back home with another conference win.

“Right now it’s all about the Kansas Jayhawks,” Jones said. “They should feel loved that somebody cares about them that much.”