Cowboys face tough rebound this week

<br>STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Oklahoma State's football team, beaten up by Kansas State on Saturday, has to prepare for another street fight this week against Nebraska. <br><br>OSU coach Les Miles is

Monday, October 14th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Oklahoma State's football team, beaten up by Kansas State on Saturday, has to prepare for another street fight this week against Nebraska.

OSU coach Les Miles is banking on a better showing by his side.

``Sometimes you have to be able to run with the wide receivers, sometimes you have to be able to tackle an elusive back,'' Miles said Monday. ``When you play Nebraska, they're going to punch you in the snout and you better be ready to return fire.''

That didn't happen at Kansas State. The Wildcats ran for 297 yards, including 130 by tailback Darren Sproles and 96 by quarterback Ell Roberson.

Freshman linebacker Paul Duren said the Cowboys (2-4, 0-2 Big 12) were surprised by Kansas State's brawn.

``Some days you come out and play well, and some days you don't,'' he said. ``We just weren't ready to play, I'll tell you that right now.

``Our intensity wasn't there. I don't know if we were ready for the physicalness of Kansas State. I can't really explain it.''

The Cowboys lost two players on one play _ tailback Seymore Shaw broke a bone in his lower right leg, and fullback Tim Burrough sprained an ankle. Oklahoma State managed just 184 total yards and committed five turnovers. Josh Fields was sacked three times and was only 15-of-38 passing.

``We went into a hornet's nest at Kansas State,'' Miles said. ``They beat us in every phase of the game.''

The focus now is on Nebraska (5-2, 1-1), which has slipped out of the Top 25 this season but will come to Stillwater with a big, physical team that likes to run.

The Cornhuskers ran for 325 yards last week in a 24-13 victory over Missouri. Nebraska's defense kept quarterback Brad Smith in check and limited the Tigers to 220 total yards. Missouri had just 28 yards and two first downs in the second half.

``Looking at 'em on film, they're a pretty darn good football team,'' Miles said. ``You may say that they may not beat the Packers, but daggone it, they're capable. They're a good football team.

``I'm not just saying that so you'll write nice things about Nebraska so Nebraska will read it. They're a good football team.''

The Cornhuskers also are a team that hasn't lost to Oklahoma State since 1961. They are 35-0-1 since then. There was a tie in 1973 and a close call in Kansas City in 1998, when Nebraska held on to win 24-17. But the Cornhuskers have outscored OSU 320-86 in the past eight meetings.

Miles, who will be facing Nebraska for the first time as a head coach, said the focus for his team has to be on atoning for its poor play against Kansas State and not worrying about history.

``It shouldn't make any difference who we're playing next,'' he said. ``There's an issue right now that's put before every guy that played in the K-State game. Are you going to respond to that? I think that they will.''