Things get worse for Simmons

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) -- What has already been a miserable season has gotten even more painful -- literally -- for Oklahoma State football coach Bob Simmons.

It was bad enough that the Cowboys lost 58-0 to Texas Tech on Saturday. But Simmons, who is being forced out after this season, also injured his right knee when he got flattened along the sideline.

He planned to have the knee checked later Monday to find out the extent of the damage.

Simmons said he thought he had gotten out of the way of the play, but one of his players, Albert Craig, crashed into him while trying to make a tackle.

"He rolled me up and I flipped backward. When I did that, my knee got caught underneath him, and it did not feel very good,"

Simmons said. "I went down like an oak tree."

Sort of like his team, which suffered the worst loss since 1970 and the fifth-worse loss in school history.

The Cowboys (2-7, 0-6 Big 12) ran 52 plays in the first half against Tech, gained 257 yards and controlled the ball for 21 minutes, yet trailed 28-0 at halftime. The Red Raiders blocked a field goal and returned it for one score, and returned an interception for a touchdown, to help build the early lead.

"Fifty-two plays and no points," Simmons said. "They did a good job of capitalizing on our mistakes."

The Cowboys were playing their first game since Simmons announced his resignation, which is effective at the end of the season. Players said after the game that Simmons' announcement had no bearing on the game, and Simmons said the same thing Monday.

"The first part of the ball game, we had opportunities to control the game in the first half, but we made so many mistakes and got behind," he said. "We have been our own worst enemy throughout the season and Saturday wasn't any different.

"Had we went down and put some points on the board and played better, I think that part (the resignation) wouldn't have mattered," he said. "But we didn't do that, and as the game progressed and got out of hand, there was a little loss of emotion.

There were a lot of kids playing, but nothing positive happened."

The Cowboys play host to Baylor this week in what will likely be their last chance for a victory, since they close the season against No. 1 Oklahoma. Baylor is 2-8 overall, 0-7 in the conference and has given up nearly 35 points per game.

"My team concerns me moreso than Baylor," Simmons said. "What we've got to do is get a win, gain momentum and then go into our league closer.

"I think there's a lot at stake for this program in terms of going into that last ball game."

COWBOY NOTES: Fans who attend Saturday's game are encouraged to bring toys, which will be given to local charities for distribution to area children during the holidays. ... The last time the Cowboys went so far into conference play without a victory was 1994, when they finished 0-6-1 in the Big Eight. ... Tight ends Khary Jackson and Bryan Blackwood, and offensive lineman Bryan Phillips all are nursing ankle sprains but are expected to play this week. ... Saturday's game begins at 1:05 p.m.